CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Alabama State women's basketball team will open their 2016-17 season with a challenging four-game road swing when it starts at North Carolina on Friday at 4 p.m. at Carmichael Arena.

This marks the first meeting between the schools in women's basketball.

North Carolina went 14-18 overall and was 4-12 in ACC play during the 2015-16 season. 

The road trip continues on Sunday at Georgia Tech at 1 p.m., on Tuesday at Savannah State at 7 p.m. and on Thursday at Southern Mississippi at 6 p.m.

"It's a brutal schedule," said ASU head coach Freda Freeman-Jackson. 

"But we will persevere through it.  I wouldn't dare schedule one like this with a young team.  It would kill the team's morale.  But since we are coming off back-to-back SWAC championships, I think they'll be OK.   It won't kill our confidence before going into the SWAC.  We will be up for the test and look for the upset."

In ASU's lone exhibition win on Monday, senior Britney Wright led the Lady Hornets with a game-high 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and grabbed 13 rebounds as Alabama State outscored Faulkner a combined total of 40-21 in the third and fourth quarters. 

Daniele Ewert provided an all-around game with 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks while Danielle Clark added 14 points. 

OPPOSING PLAYER TO WATCH

Stephanie Watts scored 35 points and made an unofficial school-record 16 three-pointers as the North Carolina women's basketball team earned an impressive 115-51 victory over Elizabeth City State in Monday's exhibition.

Watts delivered her monster night on 12-of-18 shooting, and was 7-for-11 from beyond the arc in only 24 minutes. She also had eight rebounds, four steals, three blocks and three assists.

HOW TO FOLLOW

LIVE STATS
http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=unc

LIVE STREAMING VIDEO

http://www.espn.com/watchespn/index/_/id/2920744/alabama-state-vs-north-carolina-w-basketball

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