No. 2 North Carolina 79, Miami 61

2/21/2008 9:41 PM

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -Erlana Larkins pleased dozens of family and friends on her homecoming trip Thursday.

Larkins, from neighboring Riviera Beach, Fla., scored 18 points to lead No. 2 North Carolina to a 79-61 victory over Miami.

``I just like to see my family,'' said Larkins, who estimated 40 family and friends in the stands. ``I don't think it had any effect on the game. Playing Miami was like playing any other game. But it was still good to see them because I come home only once a year.''

Larkins finished 7-for-8 from the field and converted all four of her free-throw attempts.

She could have taken more shots but she was double-teamed quite a bit, North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell said.

Rashanda McCants finished with 17 points and Rebecca Gray scored a career-high 15 points as the Tar Heels wore down the Hurricanes with two first-half runs.

North Carolina (25-2, 12-0) has won eight straight and 16 of its past 17. Maurita Reid scored 18 points to lead Miami (9-17, 2-9).

``It was a good team effort,'' Hatchell said. ``We're just glad to get another ACC win on the road.''

The Hurricanes have lost eight of their past nine. Trailing 12-9, the Tar Heels scored 16 unanswered points in a span of 5:50 in the first half and took the lead for good. McCants scored eight points during the spurt.

``We started out really slow, our intensity wasn't what it needed to be,'' Hatchell said. ``But we made some key substitutions. We got some fresh people in there and got some good transition.''

Jessica Breland's short jumper with 7:12 remaining in the half capped the run. Reid hit three 3-pointers in the next 1:50 as the Hurricanes cut North Carolina's lead to 27-21. Damisha Moore's field goal with 3:50 left again cut North Carolina's lead to six at 29-23.

But the Tar Heels outscored the Hurricanes 18-5 the rest of the half, behind Gray's eight points, including two 3-pointers.

``They're a wonderful team, they share the ball so well,'' Miami coach Katie Meier said.

McCants' jumper with 7:05 remaining in the second half gave North Carolina its biggest lead at 75-49 before Miami finished the game on a 12-4 run.

Miami played without senior center Carla Williams, who had started 22 of the team's 25 games. Meier suspended Williams and reserve freshman center Kathryn Hester for a violation of team rules.

Williams was suspended for the North Carolina game while Hester's suspension is indefinite, according to a statement from the Miami sports information office.

Earlier in the week, Hurricanes senior guard Albrey Grimsley quit the team.

``The team really responded to adversity and I was very proud of that,'' Meier said.