Tar Heels hand Highlanders sixth loss of season

Dec 9, 2009, 09:22 pm

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Cetera DeGraffenreid scored 15 points to help No. 11 North Carolina beat Radford 74-48 on Tuesday night.

Italee Lucas and Waltiea Rolle added 11 points apiece for the Tar Heels (7-1), who overcame a season-high 26 turnovers by shooting a season-high 56.6 percent from the floor.

Brooke McElroy scored 13 points to lead Radford (1-6), which totaled fewer than 52 points for the sixth time this season.

The Tar Heels opened with a 12-0 run in the game's first five minutes, but the Highlanders answered with a 17-4 spurt to take a 17-16 lead midway through the first half. North Carolina responded with a 12-2 run, never again trailing on its way to a 34-29 halftime lead.

North Carolina began the second half with a 15-3 surge to take control of the game.