No. 7 Notre Dame women beat No. 12 North Carolina, 89-79

Posted January 14, 2015 10:00 pm

By AARON BEARD

North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell argues with an official during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Notre Dame in Chapel Hill, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) The Associated Press

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - Freshman Brianna Turner had 29 points and a season-high 18 rebounds and No. 7 Notre Dame shot 63 percent after halftime to beat No. 12 North Carolina 89-79 on Thursday night.

The 6-foot-3 forward matched her season high in points and also in blocked shots with seven in a huge performance for the Fighting Irish (16-2, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who rallied from 11 down in the first half then blew nearly all of a 14-point lead in the second before holding off the Tar Heels (15-3, 2-2).

Sophomore Lindsay Allen added a career-best 24 points, helping Notre Dame overcome a quiet game from leading scorer Jewell Loyd. She came in averaging 21.5 points but finished with just eight on 4-for-11 shooting.

The Tar Heels rallied to within 78-77 on Stephanie Mavunga's 3-pointer with 4:29 left, but Allen immediately scored in the paint to start a clinching 9-0 run.

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Notre Dame's Brianna Turner (11) is blocked by North Carolina's N'Dea Bryant during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) The Associated Press

Notre Dame's Lindsay Allen, rear, guards North Carolina's Latifah Coleman (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) The Associated Press

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