North Carolina snapped a four game losing streak by knocking off Clemson in the ACC first round nightcap game tonight in Greensboro. The Tigers put up a strong fight but just didn't have enough depth or talent to keep up with the Tar Heels, as the game essentially ebbed and flowed with UNC's hot and cold shooting. Carolina jumped out to a 9-0 lead and led 18-8 until the Tigers mounted an 11-2 run to close the gap to 20-19. UNC answered with a 10-0 run of their own, but just when it appeared they had a working margin Clemson mounted a 6-0 run to close the gap to 3. The story was different in the second half as a couple quick baskets gave the Heels a cushion, coasting home with a double digit lead for the last 8 minutes of the game. As usual Carolina used defense to start their offense, scoring 29 points off 25 Clemson turnovers. The Tigers actually won the battle on the boards but couldn't find a solid third scorer past Kirstyn Wright and Kelia Shelton, and that lack of firepower illustrated the difference. Clemson heads back to Tigertown while UNC advances to face #3 FSU in Friday's late game.

Top Performers:

UNC Italee Lucas: 14 points, 6-12 shooting
• UNC Cetera DeGraffenreid: 11 points, 8 assists, 6 steals
• CLEM Kirstyn Wright: 16 points, 3-6 3FG, 10 rebounds, 3 steals