No. 11 North Carolina women use big second half to rout Elon 71-37

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Indya Nivar had 13 points, seven rebounds and six steals, Ciera Toomey added 12 rebounds and eight points, and No. 11 North Carolina used a big second half to rout Elon 71-37 on Thursday night.

The Tar Heels (2-0) extended their win streak against unranked non-conference foes in Carmichael Arena to 30 games dating to the 2019 season.

The game was close in the first half, with North Carolina needing a 7-0 run at the end of the half to take a 29-20 lead. The Tar Heels were just 10 of 33 from the field in the first half, including 1 of 14 from 3-point range.

North Carolina took the first double-digit lead of the game in the opening 10 seconds of the third quarter. The Tar Heels pulled away during a 23-4 stretch in the third for a 52-23 lead. Nivar scored six of her points in the frame and six different players scored during the run.

Elon was 3-of-10 shooting in the third with eight turnovers to fall behind.

Lanie Grant scored 11 points, and Nyla Harris, Nyla Brooks and Taliyah Henderson each scored 10 for North Carolina (2-0), which was coming off a 48-point season-opening win on Monday against North Carolina Central. Brooks scored 15 points in her collegiate debut on Monday.

LaNae’ Corbett had 10 points and six points — both team highs — for Elon (1-1).

North Carolina holds 13-1 series advantage with Elong dating to 1975. The Phoenix’s lone win in the series came in 1975 on their own court.

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