CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Kayla McPherson scored 22 points in her first career start to spark No. 14 North Carolina to a 73-55 win over Boston College on Sunday to end a two-game losing streak.
McPherson, a redshirt freshman who missed her first season rehabbing a high school knee injury and the first 20 games this season because of a lower-body injury, was 4-of-7 from 3-point range with six rebounds and three assists in just her fifth game.
Kennedy Todd-Williams added 16 points and nine rebounds and Deja Kelly had 12 points for North Carolina (18-7, 9-5 Atlantic Coast Conference). Destiny Adams had four of her career-high six steals in the first quarter and the Tar Heels forced 25 turnovers with 13 steals, their third-straight game with double-figure steals.
T’Yana Todd paced the Eagles (14-14, 4-11) with 14 points, Ally VanTimmeren had 11 and Andrea Daley had 11 rebounds.
McPherson scored 10 straight points on 4-of-5 shooting, including two 3-pointers, to start a 12-0 run in the first quarter, which ended with the Tar Heels on top 19-8. She was 3 for 3 in the second quarter as North Carolina stretched the lead to 37-20. The Eagles shot 29% in the first half.
Todd-Williams had a 3-pointer and a three-point play on back-to-back possessions in the third quarter, with the lead reaching 54-28 after Kelly and Paulina Paris hit back-to-back 3-pointers for North Carolina. The Eagles then scored the last nine points of the third quarter.
McPherson had two more 3-pointers as the Tar Heels hit three straight and scored the first 11 of the fourth quarter. North Carolina was 11 of 27 behind the arc.
North Carolina plays at No. 22 North Carolina State on Thursday when BC goes to Pitt.
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