Triangle Sports Roundup – 11/24/14

Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network

No. 11 North Carolina Tar Heels rout Oregon

EUGENE, ORE. – Sophomore forward Stephanie Mavunga had 23 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks to lead No. 11 North Carolina to a 76-59 victory at Oregon Sunday afternoon from Matthew Knight Arena.

North Carolina (4-0) overcame an 11-point first-half deficit by shooting 55.9 percent after halftime to take control of the game.

The Tar Heels led by as many as 23 points midway through the second half.

Allisha Gray scored 18 points, making nine of her 10 shot attempts from inside the arc, and Xylina McDaniel added 14 points and seven boards.

Jillian Alleyne led Oregon (1-1) with 18 points and 17 rebounds, while Lexi Bando and Lexi Petersen tossed in 14 and 10 points, respectively.

The Ducks led by 11 points, 25-14, with nine minutes left in the opening half, but proceeded to miss 13-straight shots and only make two of its last 16 attempts in the half.

Mavunga was the primary reason the Tar Heels rallied after putting together a huge first half with 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

She had the last six points of the half to get her club to within 29-28 at intermission.

Carolina scored on its first six possessions of the second half, putting together a 28-4 run that spanned over 12 minutes and portions of both halves.

By the time Oregon made its first field goal in the second half at the 13:36 mark, Carolina was up 45-34 and enjoyed a double-digit cushion the remainder of the game.

A fast-break layup from Danielle Butts pushed the lead up to 60-37.

The Tar Heels cruised to victory from that point in the first meeting between the two programs.

UNC held a 46-43 rebound advantage over Oregon, and only committed eight turnovers while Mavunga and McDaniel dominated the Ducks in the paint to the tune of a 46-18 advantage under the basket.

Carolina now heads to Honolulu for the Rainbow Wahine Shootout hosted by the University of Hawaii.

The Tar Heels will face No. 6 Stanford on Friday, followed by games with Prairie View A&M and Hawaii.

Stacy Lewis Sweeps Rolex Player of the Year, Vare Trophy and Money Title

NAPLES, FLa. – Stacy Lewis wrapped up an impressive 2014 season in style sweeping the LPGA’s three most prestigious honors — Rolex Player of the Year, Vare Trophy and LPGA Offi cial Money List title as announced on Sunday.

Lewis becomes the first American to take home all three awards since Betsy King in 1993 and the first player since Yani Tseng in 2011.

“That’s what I came here for,” Lewis said.

“I went into the week wanting to win these three awards. The $1 million and all would’ve been nice, but I would take these three over $1 million any day.”

“I am just really proud of the way I played,” Lewis continued.

“I didn’t have my best stuff all week. Even today just had to kind of grind it out and make a few putts there at the end, which I did. But it’s just amazing. I just feel like a ton of weight has just been lifted off my shoulders.”

Lewis held off a late-season charge from Rolex Rankings No. 1 Inbee Park to claim the three awards.

She entered the recent season-ending CME Group Tour Championship leading Park by just three points in the Rolex Player of the Year race and by less than a tenth of a stroke in the hunt for the Vare Trophy, which is awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average on Tour.

Lewis wrapped up the award with a solid CME Group Tour Championship where she finished in a tie for ninth at 4-under par.

The No. 2 player currently in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, Lewis had an impressive 2014 season with three victories (North Texas LPGA Shootout, ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by P&G and Walmart NW Arkansas Championship) and 15 additional top-10 finishes.

She ended the season leading the Tour in three statistical categories including birdies, rounds in the 60s and rounds under par.

“I have some goals. I never write them down, but I kind of have them in the back of my head that I had won Player of the Year, I had won Vare Trophy, but I wanted to win the Money List at some point. I thought it would be pretty cool if I could do all three together,” Lewis said.

“So it’s amazing. And the coolest part to me is I get to be on the trophies with some pretty amazing women, you know, and be a part of history.”

The Arkansas grad also won the Rolex Player of the Year award in 2012 when she became the first American to capture the award since Beth Daniel in 1994.

Lewis will now have her name in the record books as one of 12 players to have won Player of the Year on multiple occasions.

Lewis repeated as the Vare Trophy winner after capturing the award with a 69.48 average last season.

Lewis is the 11th player to win the award in consecutive seasons and earned the Vare Trophy with a 69.532 scoring average fueled by an LPGA-best 50 rounds in the 60s.

LPGA Players with Multiple Rolex Player of the Year Awards

Stacy Lewis – 2012, 2014

Yani Tseng – 2010, 2011

Lorena Ochoa – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Annika Sorenstam – 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

Karrie Webb – 1999, 2000

Beth Daniel – 1980, 1990, 1994

Betsy King – 1993, 1989, 1984

Pat Bradley – 1991, 1986

Nancy Lopez – 1988, 1985, 1979, 1978

JoAnne Carner – 1982, 1981, 1974

Judy Rankin – 1977, 1976

Kathy Whitworth – 1973, 1972, 1971, 1969, 1968, 1967, 1966

LPGA Players to Win Vare Trophy in Consecutive Seasons

Stacy Lewis – 2013-14

Lorena Ochoa – 2006-09

Karrie Webb – 1999-2000

Annika Sorenstam – 1995-96, 2001-02

Beth Daniel – 1989-90

Nancy Lopez – 1978-79

Judy Rankin – 1976-77

JoAnne Carner – 1974-75, 1981-83

Kathy Whitworth – 1965-67, 1969-72

Mickey Wright – 1960-64

Patty Berg – 1955-56