March 28, 2005

Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery

• Baylor has won the first ever match up between these schools and is now 1-0 in Regional Final games, earning the school's first berth in the Final Four. Baylor will play the winner of the Chattanooga Regional (Duke or LSU) on April 3rdat the RCA Dome in Indianapolis.

• Baylor extended its winning streak to 18 games, currently the second longest in the nation behind Stanford's streak of 25 straight victories and the longest in school history. The Bears' last loss came on Jan. 22 at then-ranked No. 15/16 Texas, 69-55. The Bears won their 31st game of the season, the second-most in school history behind 33 during the 1977-78 season. They have also snapped North Carolina's win streak at 16 games.

• Baylor was in control for most of the game, as North Carolina's two biggest leads came in the first three minutes of play, leading 2-0 and 7-5.

• A 10-0 run by Baylor late in the first half gave the Bears a 33-24 advantage going into the locker room at halftime and put them ahead for good. The Bears' defense held North Carolina without a field goal for the final 6:35 of the first half and the Tar Heels never got closer than seven for the rest of the game.

• Baylor continued to control the tempo of the game following the break, opening the second half on a 16-5 run to go up by 18 points with less than 12 minutes remaining. North Carolina went on a 9-2 run with 6:54 remaining in the second half, but was unable to trim the lead to less than nine down the stretch.

• Baylor forward Sophia Young notched 19 points to lead the Bears, marking her 44th consecutive game of scoring in double figures. She also led the team in rebounding with 10, the 12th time this season she has led her team in both stat categories and led the team in assists with 6. Her efforts helped her to win the 2005 Tempe Regional's Most Outstanding Player honors.

• Young is now averaging 22.8 points and 7.8 rebounds in four tournament games this year, including a 22.5 ppg average in the Tempe Regional.

• Steffanie Blackmon was also in double figures in scoring for Baylor with 14 points. It was the 30th time this season she reached 10 or more points.

• Ivory Latta of North Carolina moved into third place on the ACC list for three-point field goals in a season, connecting on her 90th and 91st to pass NC State's Jennifer Howard, who recorded 90 in 1996.

• Freshman forward Erlana Larkins set the UNC school record for points as a freshman, scoring 6 to put her season total at 496. She has passed Marion Jones, who netted 494 points in 1994.