CHAPEL HILL, NC --- Senior forward Cheyenne Brown posted 14 points and 10 rebounds in Howard women's basketball's 83-49 season-opening loss to No. 13 North Carolina Friday afternoon at Carmichael Arena.

Brown's scoring and rebounding numbers were team-highs for Howard (0-1), who stood up to a nationally ranked North Carolina (1-0) squad despite having returners Victoria Gonzales, Sydni Johnson and Jasmine Hill out with injuries and freshman guard Essence Brown unavailable to the team.

Junior guard Imani Bailey scored nine points and dished out a game-high six assists while redshirt sophomore guard Te'Shya Heslip and freshman guard Hannah Timmons each had eight.

Bailey set up Heslip for the game's first basket two minutes into the game and Howard took advantage of a cold shooting start by UNC to grab a 14-11 lead at the halfway point of the first half.

The Tar Heels, playing in Hall of Fame head coach Sylvia Hatchell's first regular season game after she took off 2013-14 to battle leukemia, setted themselves and began to overpower the Lady Bison and their depleted roster. UNC used a 35-10 run to take a 46-24 lead into halftime.

As the second half started, Carolina added to its lead and put Howard into a 67-34 hold with 8:10 left in the game. The Lady Bison had one more push in them, scoring eight straight points in less than a minute that made the score 67-42 but Howard would get no closer.

UNC was paced by sophomore guard Allisha Gray's 19 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

Howard hit two more three-pointers than North Carolina on an equal number of attempts (seven to five) but struggled from the field (33.9 percent vs 44.3 percent) and took fewer free throws (10) than UNC made (16).

NEXT UP: Howard will play its home opener on Tuesday, November 18 at 5 p.m. in Burr Gymnasium. The Lady Bison will welcome the University of New Hampshire for the Lady Bison's "Alzheimer's Awareness Game."