The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

IT took one of the best all-around performances of Waltiea Rolle’s collegiate career, and a career high outing from her teammate, but the North Carolina Tar Heels withstood the charge of the Albany Great Danes in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

Rolle finished with 14 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocked shots for No.3 seed North Carolina in their 59-54 win over the 15th seeded Albany Great Danes on Sunday.

Tierra Ruffin-Pratt scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Tar Heels into the second round.

North Carolina trailed 28-23 at the half and 48-44 with just under 10 minutes left before rallying behind Ruffin-Pratt, who scored 17 of the Tar Heels’ final 21 points. The Tar Hells will advance to face Delaware 7:05pm tonight local time.

Delaware is the sixth seed in the Bridgeport region, advancing with a 66-53 win over West Virginia.

In an interview with ESPN, North Carolina head coach Sylvia Hatchell compelled her team at the half to give a better offensive presence, especially on the boards.

“I challenged the seniors, each one of them, to step up,” Hatchell said. “I thought rebounding was terrible and we had to play with more intensity. I told them, ‘Do you want your season to end like this? Do you want to go home tonight? You’d better step it up.’”

Rolle, one of those seniors, responded by posting a game high 14 boards.

Albany led by six points with just over 10 minutes left to play, 42-36, when Ruffin-Pratt was the catalyst behind an 8-2 run to tie it at 44.

On the year, Rolle averaged 11.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, both career highs. She led the team in blocked shots at 2.4 per game, shot 48 per cent from the floor, and 60 per cent from the line.

Rolle, who was named to the ACC All-Defensive Team, became only the second player in school history to earn the award twice. She is ranked 10th in ACC history in career blocked shots with 243 and owns three of the 11 highest single-season totals ever at UNC.

Over in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament, Cedricka Sweeting and the Auburn Tigers advanced to the Sweet 16.

The Tigers topped Western Kentucky 84-66 and will advance to face Tulane 6pm Wednesday.

Sweeting has played sparingly in her freshman season with the Tigers after starring at South Broward High in Hollywood, Florida. She appeared in 18 games this season, but has yet to see time in the postseason.

In her senior season, she helped lead South Broward to a 17-9 record and averaged 17 points, 10 assists, five steals and six rebounds per game, and a regional semifinal appearance. She was named All-County and was a Sun-Sentinel Fab Five honouree as a senior.