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10 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2003 UNC’s Sutton takes center stage Senior to play pivotal role in post BY WILL ROBINSON STAFF WRITER Candace Sutton is no longer under the radar as a starting cen ter in the ACC. After two straight postseasons in which she has been voted to the All-ACC Tournament first team, Sutton has established herself as one of the leagues premier post players. This season, her fourth as a starter for North Carolina, she is poised to continue to secure her place in the Tar Heel record books and lead an experienced group of centers to success. "Candace has had a big summer, and this is her last year,” said North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatched. “She’s one of our captains, and we're expecting big things from Candace. “She's played very 7 well in the ACC Tournament the last few years, and were looking for her to do that for the whole season, not just those three days of the ACC tournament, and I really believe that she’ll do that.” Sutton, who has swatted 150 shots in her career, is the most pro lific shot blocker to play at North Carolina since Dawn Royster, who played from 1984-87. While Sutton won’t surpass Royster’s school record of 329 rejections, she will MON - $1.50 Domestic Microbrews TUE/WED - 2 for 1 Pizza & Appetizers from 10pm-lam THU - $2.50 Imports on Tap brings people together. Chapel Hill's best brick oven pizza with 24 beers on tap and late night dining. Located at 501 Meadowmont Village Circle off NC HWY 54 919-929-1942 • brixxpizza.com Keep Life Fresh. Keep It Exciting. The Show. The Chefs. The Sushi. WNKv Japanese House of Steaks & Sushi Dine in - Take out - Gift Certificates 3504 Mr. Moriah Road • Durham • 401-6908 (Exit 2jo off I-40. North on 15-501, first intersection past I-40) Crabtree Valley Mall • 4325 Glenwood Avenue • Raleigh 782-9708 North Market Square • 4500 Old Wake Forest Road Raleigh • 876-4157 kanki.com continue to make life in the post difficult for opposing players. “Whoever comes (in the lane), it doesn’t matter,” Sutton said. “I know my shot-blocking ability.” As the team’s second-leading returning scorer (10.8 points per game) and rebounder (5.7 per game), Sutton also will be counted on for leadership at both ends of the court. “I think this year’s going to be a good year for me,” Sutton said. “I’ve improved a lot, but with the team w 7 e have, we complement each other. If 1 don’t have opportunities or I’m double-teamed. I’ll just kick it back out and I know 7 our outside shooters can score." Backing up Sutton is 6-foot-4 senior Carrie Davis, an experi enced player who shot 53.7 percent from the field last season. Davis also is prepared to provide leader ship with Sutton. “I just see us as being a big pres ence and scoring." Davis said. “I see us as being big leaders, because that’s just the nature of Candace and me.” Red-shirt sophomore Tiffany Tucker also will provide depth at the center slot. An imposing figure at 6- foot-5 and an admirer of Shaquille O’Neal, Dicker is ready to see the court after ACL injures sidelined her for most of the past two seasons. Basketball 20034)4 Jr 4HH DTH/GARRETT HALL Senior center Candace Sutton, who averaged 10.8 points per game last year, also will be a force on the boards for the Tar Heels this season. Before the injury her freshman year. Tucker averaged 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game in lim ited playing time. Her best career game came against Western Carolina on Nov. 20, 2001, when she scored four points and grabbed six rebounds. Like most of their teammates, the Tar Heel centers have set high goals for this year’s team, but Davis agrees that one in particular can not be ignored beating Duke. “(Beating Duke) is pretty darn important because w 7 e haven’t done it yet,” Davis said. “I guess w 7 e’re just tired of them being on top.” Along with Davis, Sutton believes this year’s team could be a / WBM Golf 1 KM3 Course 'jbC* Mid Term Exam 1. You can play and ride 18 holes at Southwick for up to six times - M-F for $13.33 per round without buying a membership. For the answers to 2. You can play and ride 18 holes at Southwick for up this exam, please t 0 six times ■ weekdays, weekends and holidays for call 942-0783 $16.67 per round without buying a membership. 3. You can make a gift of this deal to friends and family. vv; > N lfquestionsl,2and3aboveareTßUE,thenitwould W-'T make sense to find out how to do it S, 7 . Directions: Take 54 West 20 miles to a stoplight (Swepsonville TTI-. 3\ Roa <t) Take a left on Swepsonville Rd and go t mile to a stop : v S '^ n ake 8 n^ht on Swepsonville-Saxapahaw Rd and go 1/? f m,les Tak e a left on Boywood Rd We re 17> miles on the left 3136 Southwick Drive Graham, NC 27253 Tk< dou/tt s, t Pitx Pit says GO HEELS! ' Mt H< Gw, i ! renDiiTTiHnfi i SI.OO OFF i [-LM ANY PITA j CTj Can not be used with any other coupon EXPIRES 11/30/03 115 E. Franklin, Chapel Hill • 933.4456 more cohesive unit that in years past, especially after spending the summer with her teammates. “I didn't go to the ‘big camp’ I stayed here with everybody else," Sutton said. “W T e played pickup every day. We lifted weights together, ran. Everybody just worked on their game every day.” One thing is certain for the two senior centers: they are settling for nothing less than first place in the conference in their final season. “We don’t base our whole season around beating Duke," Sutton said. “Our goal is just to come out and be number one, and if that means beating Duke that’s just what we have to do.” Latta, Little look to see time early Freshmen could both start for UNC BY TYLER DANCY STAFF WRITER As the North Carolina women’s basketball team begins its season, high expectations have been set squarely on the shoulders of the two freshmen on the team, Ivory Latta and Camille Little. Don't look for either to disap point. Both Latta and Little join the Tar Heels with impressive high school credentials, as both were McDonald’s High School All- Americans. Latta, a 5-foot-6 point guard from South Carolina, was the 2003 national women’s high school play er of the year, and is the all-time leading scorer in South Carolina history men's or women’s. Her 4,319 points shattered the former record by almost 1,000 points. As if the expectations weren’t already high enough, Latta has been voted as the ACC Preseason Rookie of the Year. UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell is confident Latta will excel and has nothing but great things to say about her point guard. “She’s the whole package, a small package but an explosive one,” Hatchell said. “The kid has heart like you cannot imagine. She’s just incredible. “I think we’re better than last year, because Ivory’s a true point guard and she’s just going to wreak havoc in transition.” The whole team is aware of Latta's speed and ability to drive to the basket. “She’s quick as lightning when you blink, she’s gone,” said La’Tangela Atkinson, last season’s ACC Rookie of the Year. “We’re going to have to pick up our pace to stick with her, and I think that’s going to help us out in the long run.” Junior Nikita Bell, who was named to the conference All- Defensive team, has had a tough time guarding Latta in practice in CROOK'S CORKER Bar & Dining room open Tue-Sun at 5:30 pm. 610 West Franklin SL Chapel Hill, NC 919-929-7643 www.crookscronier.com Holiday parties really come to life at the Melting Pot. 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One card per couple. at Raleigh. \< onlv LValtd Sunday Ehursdav onlv II ttt.nt J SJBfiPj SSEJ www.mcltingpot.com QHjr Doily (Tar Urrl the preseason. “If (Latta) makes up her mind that she’s going to get to the basket, that’s what she’s going to do,” Bell said. “And for her size, I’m impressed how she’s able to do that.” Senior team captain Candace Sutton also spoke of how the fresh man point guard motivates her teammates. “(Latta) has tremendous leader ship ability,” Sutton said. “It’s just the emotion and the passion that she plays with, and she helps her teammates feed oft her. “Just to see her talent, it’s a gift from God. 1 expect to see great things from them both.” And while Latta is expected to secure the point for the Tar Heels, the 6-1 Little will give the team a strong inside presence that will be crucial to the team’s success. “Camille, she’s dominated sever al practices,” Sutton said. Little is no slouch, either, when it comes to accolades. Asa senior, she was named the North Carolina Player of the Year by The Associated Press, and was a three time all-state selection. “I’ve just been really impressed with Camille,” Hatcheil said. “She can make a three, she’s very explo sive over the basket and this kid is a player on the boards. “I mean, she loves to get a rebound you see her get in there and she’ll take somebody out trying to get a rebound up around the rim. She's a tremendous ath lete. She has the instincts that you just don’t teach.” Both girls are eager to begin their Tar Heel careers on Nov. 21 against St. Francis (Penn.). “I’m very excited about the upcoming season,” Latta said. “I think we have a chance to do some special things.” Said Little, “We have a talented team. I think we’re going to be even better than we were last year, definitely.”
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Nov. 7, 2003, edition 1
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