2003-04 UNC Women's Basketball Season Wrapup
April 21, 2004
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The North Carolina women's basketball team finished the 2003-04 season with an overall record of 24-7. The Tar Heels were 12-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season play and 2-1 in the ACC Tournament, finishing as the runner-up.
The Tar Heels made the program's 16th NCAA Tournament appearance. As the No. 4 seed in the East Region, UNC fell 67-62 to Middle Tennessee on March 21 to end the season.
UNC ranked No. 12 in the final Associated Press poll of the season, on March 15. The Tar Heels were No. 21 in the final coaches' poll, taken at the end of the season.
UNC at a glance
2003-04 record 24-7 (12-4 ACC)
Final rankings 12th A.P., 21st ESPN/USA Today
Head coach Sylvia Hatchell
Career record 654-262 (29th season)
Record at UNC 382-182 (18th season)
Assistant head coach Andrew Calder
Assistant coaches Tracey Williams, Charlotte Smith-Taylor
Media contact Dana Gelin
Gelin's phone/email (919) 962-0083/dgelin@uncaa.unc.edu
UNC athletics website www.TarHeelBlue.com
UNC ticket office (919) 962-2296, (800) 722-4335
Home arena Carmichael Auditorium (cap. 10,180)
News of note
Camille Little was voted the 2004 ACC Rookie of the Year. She's the sixth Tar Heel to win the award, the second in as many years. La'Tangela Atkinson won the honor in 2003.
Three Tar Heels earned spots on the 2004 All-ACC team. Freshman Camille Little was named to the first team, freshman Ivory Latta to the second team and sophomore La'Tangela Atkinson to the third team. Little is the first UNC freshman ever to earn first-team honors.
Ivory Latta and Camille Little, who ranked among the league's top six players in the All-ACC balloting, were unanimous picks for the All-Freshman team.
Ivory Latta and Camille Little were named to the All-ACC Tournament first team following UNC's finish as the runner-up.
With her team's win over NC State in the ACC Tournament semifinals, UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell moved into fifth place in career wins among active Division I women's basketball coaches. Hatchell, in her 29th season as a head coach, has a career total of 654 wins.
Ivory Latta's season total of 61 three-pointers ranks seventh on the Tar Heels' single-season list. In sixth is Juana Brown, who hit 64 in 1999.
UNC's victory at Georgia Tech on Feb. 23 gave the Tar Heels a 20-win season for the 16th time in school history and the 11th time in the last 13 seasons.
On Feb. 26 at Florida State, Candace Sutton recorded the 200th block of her career, a landmark that only six other ACC players (including one other UNC player) have ever reached. Sutton finished her career ranked second in UNC history and seventh on the ACC list with a total of 208 blocks
UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell was announced on Nov. 16 as one of six people who will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in June of 2004.
Noting the numbers
Five UNC players finished the season averaging more than nine points per game, but only two hit double figures. Freshman Camille Little averaged a team-high 14.3 and classmate Ivory Latta was just behind at 14.0. Sophomore La'Tangela Atkinson averaged 9.9 points per game, senior Candace Sutton 9.5 and junior Nikita Bell 9.4.
The Tar Heel roster boasted the top two rebounders in the ACC in La'Tangela Atkinson and Camille Little. Atkinson led the conference with 8.1 per game and Little was second with 7.9.
Carrie Davis hit her last 18 free throw attempts of the season, dating back to the NC State game on Jan. 8. She led the team in percentage, shooting 90.2 percent (37-41) from the line. Her percentage would have led the ACC if she had made the minimum 2.0 per game.
For the season, UNC led the ACC in field goal percentage defense (opponents hit 35.3 percent of shots), three-point field goal percentage defense (opponents hit 26.4 percent of three-pointers) and total rebounds (43.5 per game).
After bringing up the rear in the nine-team ACC in 2002-03, Carolina finished second in the conference in free throw percentage, hitting 71.0 percent of attempts. A year earlier, UNC's final percentage was 60.7.
The Tar Heels shot 50 percent or better from the field seven times during the season, including a string of four consecutive games (Tennessee-Martin, South Carolina State, Old Dominion, Wofford). The team's 51.0 percent shooting at FSU on Feb. 26 was the highest of the year against an ACC team.
During the 2003-04 season, the Tar Heels played television games on 12 occasions, including five national broadcasts.
UNC's statistical leaders
Scoring: Camille Little (14.3 points per game)
Rebounding: La'Tangela Atkinson (8.1 per game)
Assists: Leah Metcalf (3.8 per game)
Steals: Nikita Bell (2.4 per game)
Blocks: Candace Sutton (1.7 per game)
Field goal percentage: Candace Sutton (51.4 percent, 107-208)
Three-point percentage: Ivory Latta (34.7 percent, 61-176)
Free throw percentage: Carrie Davis (90.2, 37-41)
Minutes: Ivory Latta (32.6 per game)
UNC in the NCAA rankings
(Final statistics)
Scoring offense: 25th (72.8)
Scoring margin: 12th (14.4)
Field goal percentage defense: Fifth (35.3)
Rebounding margin: 13th (7.5)
Win/loss percentage: T22nd (77.4)
UNC in the ACC rankings
(Final statistics)
Team
Scoring offense: Second (72.8)
Scoring defense: Second (58.5)
Scoring margin: Second (+14.4)
Field goal percentage: Third (43.1)
Three-point percentage: Sixth (30.6)
Free throw percentage: Second (71.0)
Field goal percentage defense: First (35.3)
Three-point percentage defense: First (26.4)
Rebounding: First (43.5)
Rebounding defense: Sixth (36.0)
Rebounding margin: Second (+7.5)
Assists: Third (14.55)
Steals: Second (10.39)
Blocks: Fourth (3.68)
Turnover margin: Third (+1.16)
Assist/turnover ratio: Third (0.82)
Offensive rebounds: Second (15.35)
Defensive rebounds: First (28.16)
Three-pointers made: Fifth (4.61)
Individuals
Scoring: 5. Camille Little (14.3); 6. Ivory Latta (14.0); 19. La'Tangela Atkinson (9.9); 22. Candace Sutton (9.5); 23. Nikita Bell (9.4)
Rebounding: 1. La'Tangela Atkinson (8.1); 2. Camille Little (7.9); 6. Candace Sutton (6.5); 15. Nikita Bell (5.4)
Offensive rebounds: 2. Candace Sutton (2.83); 3. La'Tangela Atkinson (2.77); 7. Camille Little (2.35); 8. Nikita Bell (2.32)
Defensive rebounds: 1. Camille Little (5.58); 3. La'Tangela Atkinson (5.32); 14. Candace Sutton (3.63)
Field goal percentage: 4. Candace Sutton (.514); 5. Camille Little (.512); T7. La'Tangela Atkinson (.500)
Three-point percentage: 5. Ivory Latta (.347); 10. Leah Metcalf (.322)
Three-pointers made: 2. Ivory Latta (1.97); 9. Leah Metcalf (1.30)
Free throw percentage: 5. Ivory Latta (.780); 12. Camille Little (.740)
Assists: 6. Leah Metcalf (3.83); 8. Ivory Latta (3.55); 13. La'Tangela Atkinson (2.87)
Steals: 3. Nikita Bell (2.39); 7. Ivory Latta (1.94); 9. Leah Metcalf (1.70); 12. La'Tangela Atkinson (1.48)
Blocks: 2. Candace Sutton (1.67)
Assist-turnover ratio: 4. Leah Metcalf (1.55); 8. Ivory Latta (1.15)
Little named 2004 ACC Rookie of the Year
Following a regular season in which she led North Carolina in scoring and topped the Atlantic Coast Conference in rebounding, Tar Heel forward Camille Little was voted Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Basketball Rookie of the Year. Little, a 6-1 freshman from Winston-Salem, N.C., is the sixth Carolina player to win the honor and the second in as many years.
"Camille has had an outstanding freshman year," UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said upon the announcement of Little's award. "She not only does a lot for us with her scoring and rebounding, but she plays good defense, too. She's the complete package, a very steady player. I think she's the top freshman in the country,"
During the regular season, Latta averaged 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds, both team highs, while shooting 50 percent from the field. She registered seven double-doubles, tied for the most in the conference, and was named ACC Rookie of the Week a league-high four times. She started all but one of the Tar Heels' games, sitting out the beginning of only the Senior Day season-finale.
Little follows sophomore teammate La'Tangela Atkinson, who won the ACC rookie honor in 2003. Other Carolina Rookie of the Year winners have been Dawn Royster (1984), Charlotte Smith (1992), Chanel Wright (1996) and Nikki Teasley (1998). UNC's total of six Rookie of the Year winners is a league high, two ahead of second-place Virginia's four.
"I was speechless when I heard I had won Rookie of the Year," Little said. "I thought it was too good to be true. As I look back on the season, though, I definitely think there are things I could have done better."
Little also was named to the All-ACC first team and was a unanimous selection to the ACC All-Freshman Team. She was the only freshman voted to the All-ACC first team, joining four seniors.
In the award voting by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association, Little received 28 of 49 votes. Teammate Ivory Latta was second with 16 votes and Florida State freshman Shante Williams received two. Three other freshmen got one vote each.
Little the sole freshman among Kodak finalists
UNC freshman Camille Little was selected as a region finalist for Kodak/WBCA All-America honors. She was one of six finalists from Region 2 and the only freshman among the 48 selected nationally. Other Region 2 finalists were Alana Beard and Iciss Tillis from Duke, Kaayla Chones from NC State, Katie Feenstra from Liberty and Lakeia Stokes from Clemson.
Little, Latta, Atkinson earn All-ACC honors
Freshmen Camille Little and Ivory Latta and sophomore La'Tangela Atkinson garnered All-ACC honors for the 2003-04 season. Little, a freshman forward, joined four seniors on the first team. Latta, a freshman guard, was the top pick for the second team, receiving the sixth-highest number of votes overall. Atkinson, a sophomore guard/forward, was the top pick on the third team, 11th overall.
Latta and Little both were named to the ACC All-Freshman Team. The two Tar Heels were the only unanimous picks on the squad.
Latta and Little also were named first-team All-ACC Tournament. Latta led the Tar Heels with 17.7 points per game in the tournament, including 27 against NC State in the semifinals. She hit 15 of her 16 free throw attempts, 93.8 percent. Little averaged 14.0 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 58.1 percent from the field. Her tournament high was 24 points against NC State.
Dynamic duo
During the course of their rookie season, Tar Heels Ivory Latta and Camille Little distinguished themselves as the top freshman duo in the country. They led UNC in scoring throughout the season, Little with a final average of 14.3 points per game and Latta at 14.0, and raked in the postseason honors.
After Latta was the Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year, Little earned the honor in the postseason with Latta as the runner-up. Little was named to the All-ACC first team and Latta earned the top spot on the second team, putting them both among the league's top six players in the voting. (The other four on the first team with Little were seniors.) Both were unanimous picks for the ACC's All-Freshman team and both earned spots on the All-ACC Tournament first team. During the course of the season, the two combined to to claim seven ACC Rookie of the Week honors, four by Little and three by Latta.
In the final ACC standings, Little ranked fifth in scoring and Latta was sixth. With 7.9 rebounds per game, Little ranked second in that category after leading the league for much of the season. Latta ranked second in threes per game (1.97), fifth in three-point percentage (.347), fifth in free throw percentage (.780), seventh in steals (1.94) and and eighth in assists (3.55). Little was fifth in field goal percentage (.512) and 12th in free throw percentage (.740).
The two combined for 58 points in the Jan. 2 win over Wake Forest, with Latta scoring 30 and Little 28 in what was the first ACC action for both players. In the ACC Tournament semifinals on March 7, Latta scored 27 points and Little 24 as the Tar Heels beat NC State to advance to the league championship game.
2003-04 Honors and Awards
Camille Little
* ACC Rookie of the Year
* District finalist for Kodak All-America honors
* Gballmag.com Young All-America Team
* All-ACC Tournament first team
* All-ACC first team
* ACC All-Freshman team
* ACC Rookie of the Week: Nov. 24, Dec. 8, Jan. 5, Feb. 2
Ivory Latta
* All-ACC Tournament first team
* All-ACC second team
* ACC All-Freshman team
* Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year
* ACC Rookie of the Week: Dec. 15, Jan. 26, Feb. 16
La'Tangela Atkinson
* All-ACC third team
* Dean's List, fall semester
Nikita Bell
* Preseason All-ACC
Carrie Davis
* Dean's List, fall semester
Jessica Sell
* Dean's List, fall semester
Candace Sutton
* Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete Award
Sutton second on blocks list
With 208 blocks in 126 games, senior center Candace Sutton finished her career ranked second on UNC's all-time blocks list. Her sophomore-year total of 67 ranks fourth on UNC's single-season chart, her junior-year total of 51 is sixth and her senior year total of 50 is seventh.
With three blocks against Florida State on Feb. 26, Sutton became just the seventh ACC player to record more than 200 career blocks. She ranks seventh on the ACC's career blocks chart.
North Carolina's career leaders in blocked shots
1. Dawn Royster (1984-87) - 329 in 110 games (2.99 per game)
2. Candace Sutton (2001-04 - 208 in 126 games (1.65)
3. Gwendolyn Gillingham (1992-95) - 126 in 114 games (1.11)
4. Sylvia Crawley (1991-94) - 123 in 124 games (0.99)
5. Tresa Brown (1981-84) - 112 in 121 games (0.93)
Tar Heels hand out team honors
UNC capped its season with the team's annual banquet on April 14, when the program honored seniors Carrie Davis and Candace Sutton and handed out awards to several players. Freshman forward Camille Little, who led the team in scoring and ranked second in rebounding, was honored as the team's Best All-Around Player. Junior forward Kenya McBee was named Most Improved, and sophomore guard Jessica Sell received the Hustle Award. Recipients of the Coach's Award were junior guard Jennifer Nelms and sophomore center Tiffany Tucker. Sutton was honored as the winner of the Athletic Director's Student-Athlete Award.
Carla Edwards and Anna James, UNC graduate students who helped to coordinate the team's video program, were named Volunteers of the Year.
To wrap up the evening, Davis and Sutton addressed the crowd of more than 200. Both spoke of their UNC careers and the ways they've grown as members of the Carolina program. "We'll miss our seniors," Hatchell told the audience. "Both of them are outstanding young ladies, in the classroom and on the basketball court. They're going to be great ambassadors for UNC."
Davis, from Franklin, Tenn., is the daughter of Kenneth and Gail Davis. Sutton, from Kettering, Md., is the daughter of Maurice and Gwen Sutton. Both are four-year letterwinners for the Tar Heels. Also honored was senior manager Tia Overstreet, who worked with the team for three seasons.
Metcalf already among assist leaders ...
With four assists against Maryland on Feb. 19, Leah Metcalf took over eighth place on the Tar Heels' career assists list. With a year left to play, Metcalf has 392 assists in just 99 games, a career average of 3.96 per game.
North Carolina's career leaders in assists
1. Nikki Teasley (1998-2002) 728 in 125 games
2. Pam Leake (1983-86) 545 in 124 games
3. Coretta Brown (2000-2003) 517 in 113 games
4. Pam Hammond (1982-85) 513 in 122 games
5. Emily Johnson (1989-92) 511 in 112 games
6. Marion Jones (1994-97) 403 in 102 games
7. Aprille Shaffer (1978-81) 395 in 128 games
8. Leah Metcalf (2000-present) 392 in 99 games
9. Chanel Wright (1996-99) 366 in 128 games
10. LeAnn Kennedy (1989-92) 356 in 117 games
... And moving up three-point list
Junior guard Leah Metcalf also ranks among Carolina's all-time leaders in three-pointers. Through 99 career games, she has 127 threes, seventh in program history.
North Carolina's career leaders in three-pointers
1. Coretta Brown (2000-03) 251 in 131 games
2. Nikki Teasley (1998-2002) 236 in 125 games
3. Stephanie Lawrence (1992-95) 227 in 125 games
4. Tonya Sampson (1991-94) 194 in 123 games
5. Juana Brown (1998-2001) 168 in 124 games
6. Chanel Wright (1996-99) 143 in 128 games
7. Leah Metcalf (2000-present) 127 in 99 games
8. Lori Gear (1994-97) 104 in 126 games
Latta lights it up
Freshman guard Ivory Latta hit 61 three-pointers during the 2003-04 season, more than any other player in the Atlantic Coast Conference and behind just six other players in Carolina history. With a season-high five against NC State in the ACC Tournament semifinals, she moved into seventh place on the Tar Heels' single-season chart.
North Carolina's single-season leaders in three-pointers
1. Coretta Brown (2002) 99 in 35 games
2. Coretta Brown (2003) 88 in 34 games
3. Nikki Teasley (2002) 77 in 33 games
4. Stephanie Lawrence (1995) 69 in 33 games
5. Tonya Sampson (1992) 65 in 31 games
6. Juana Brown (1999) 64 in 35 games
7. Ivory Latta (2004) 61 in 31 games
8. Stephanie Lawrence (1994) 60 in 35 games
8. Tonya Sampson (1993) 60 in 30 games
10. Nikki Teasley (1999) 57 in 36 games
Latta voted Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year
Ivory Latta became the third UNC player in as many years to be selected for preseason ACC Rookie of the Year honors when she was voted the league's top freshman at ACC media day in October.
Latta followed Leah Metcalf, who was selected for the honor in 2001, and La'Tangela Atkinson, the pick in 2002. Metcalf went on to earn a spot on the ACC All-Freshman team and Atkinson was the 2003 ACC Rookie of the Year
Latta, a 5-6 guard from McConnells, S.C., came to UNC as a high school All-America and the top scorer in South Carolina history with 4,319 points. She averaged 44.5 points per game as a senior at York Comprehensive High School and was named the Morgan Wootten National Girls High School Player of the Year.
Tar Heel junior Nikita Bell, Carolina's top returning scorer, was named to the Preseason All-ACC team. Bell was a second-team All-ACC pick in 2002-03 after averaging 11.4 points per game.
UNC finished second to Duke in the preseason poll. The Blue Devils received all 36 first-place votes and a total of 324 points. Carolina got 288 points, followed by Virginia (242), Georgia Tech (196) and Florida State (186). In fifth through ninth were NC State, Clemson, Maryland and Wake Forest.
Hatchell selected for Hall of Fame
Sylvia Hatchell, the women's basketball head coach at North Carolina since 1986, has been selected for induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, the organization announced on Nov. 16. Hatchell is part of a six-member class that will be enshrined during ceremonies June 11-12, 2004, at the Hall of Fame, located in Knoxville, Tenn.
"It's a tremendous honor to be recognized by your peers for doing something you have such a passion for," Hatchell said. "I've seen the sport grow so much over the last 30 years, and that's been so rewarding. The current members of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame are such a distinguished group and I'm truly honored to be in their company."
A North Carolina native who grew up a Tar Heel fan, Hatchell has led Carolina to an NCAA Championship (1994) and four Atlantic Coast Conference crowns (1994, '95, '97and '98). Prior to taking over the Tar Heel program, Hatchell coached Francis Marion to a 272-80 mark over 11 seasons. She led the Lady Patriots a pair of national championships, an NAIA title in 1986 and an AIAW small college division crown in 1982. She is the only women's basketball coach to lead teams to national championships on the AIAW, NAIA and NCAA Division I levels.
In addition to Hatchell, the class of 2004 includes:
Lurlyne Greer Rogers, an eight-time AAU All-America who was captain of the USA's first Pan American Games team, which claimed a gold medal in 1955
Amy Ruley, who carries a 581-151 record into her 25th season as the coach at North Dakota State University and has led the Bison five NCAA Division II national championships
Bev Smith, a member of three Olympic teams for Canada - two as a player and one as a coach - who is the coach at Oregon, where she was a two-time Kodak All-America
William L. "Bill" Wall, the first executive director of USA Basketball (formerly ABAUSA) and a driving force behind the U.S. success in the Olympic Games and other international competitions during his 18-year tenure (1975-1992) with the national governing body
Marian E. Washington, who begins her 31st year as the coach at the University of Kansas with a 551-347 record that includes seven conference titles and 16 postseason tournament appearances
With the addition of the Class of 2004, the list of Women's Basketball Hall of Fame inductees will total 79.
"This is another distinguished class of inductees into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame," said Jody Conradt, University of Texas women's basketball coach, president of the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors, and herself a Women's Basketball Hall of Fame inductee in 1999. "This is a great mix of people who have been so integral to the growth of women's basketball at all levels-in the AAU ranks, in Division I and Division II basketball, and in USA Basketball and international competition."
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame's Board of Directors serves as the selection committee in determining which individuals will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Voting is based on various factors, which may include moral character, integrity, sportsmanship, record of performance, ability, national or international recognition, and contributions to the game of women's basketball.
Four sign to become Tar Heels
Four players signed women's basketball letters of intent with UNC and will join the team for the 2004-05 season. Three signed in November during the early period and one, Alex Miller, a 5-7 guard from Durham, N.C., signed in April. Those signing during the early period were Erlana Larkins, a 6-2 forward from Riviera Beach, Fla., LaToya Pringle, a 6-3 forward/center from Fayetteville, N.C., and Laydrillia Grant, a 6-3 center from Edgemoor, S.C.
Exhibiting early success
The Tar Heels won both of their preseason exhibition games by wide margins, defeating Premier Players 100-61 on Nov. 5 and West Coast All-Stars 97-60 on Nov. 10.
Against Premier Player in the first action of the fall, all five starters scored in double figures with two picking up double-doubles. Freshman forward Camille Little had 25 points and 14 rebounds, leading all players in both categories. Freshman guard Ivory Latta scored 20 points in her UNC debut. Sophomore La'Tangela Atkinson had 18 points and 13 rebounds and junior Leah Metcalf also scored 18 and led the team with eight assists. Senior center Candace Sutton had 14 points.
Latta led the way with 24 points against West Coast All-Stars. Also in double figures were Atkinson (17 points), Little (16 points and 12 rebounds for a second double-double), and junior Nikita Bell, who came off the bench to score 14 points.
The Tar Heels used the same lineup in both games: Little and Atkinson at the forwards, Sutton at center and Latta and Metcalf at the guard spots.
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