North Carolina ends their championship run with a loss to Ohio State.
The North Carolina women’s basketball team’s hopes to make a run at the title has come to a screeching halt with a 71-69 loss to Ohio State on Monday afternoon.
It was a game in which UNC battled back, but ultimately fell short in the end.
UNC started out sluggish, shooting 1-for-8 from the field. However, despite the lack of scoring, North Carolina used their defense to keep it close until the shots started to fall.
The Heels kept the game within reach up to the half, scoring 14 points to Ohio State’s 17 in the second quarter, ending the half only down by five points.
UNC stayed on pace with the Buckeyes in the third quarter, finding themselves with a five-point deficit again at the end of the quarter.
The fourth quarter started sour for UNC, as they found themselves on the wrong end of an 11-4 run giving Ohio a double-digit lead halfway through the fourth.
To make matters worse, UNC lost key player Deja Kelly mid-way through the fourth, which felt like the end. However, despite a significant puzzle piece off the court, UNC fought back with a 9-0 run, showcasing North Carolina’s depth.
Thankfully, Kelly could return to the court and gave North Carolina an extra boost heading into the final minutes. As the time began to dwindle, UNC’s hopes were still alive as they kept it close to the final seconds.
Down by two points with under 16 seconds left on the clock, UNC’s Kelly stepped up to the plate again, looking to deliver another game-changing moment like in the St. John’s victory. To no surprise, Kelly delivered, hitting a clutch jumper with 11 seconds left to tie the game 69-69.
After an Ohio State timeout, Buckeyes’ Jacy Sheldon drained a jumper, giving Ohio the lead with two seconds on the clock.
Unfortunately, despite a last attempt to tie, the dance would end with a turnover, officially ending North Carolina’s title aspirations.
The Tar Heels lived in the paint, scoring 42 of their 69 near the basket. The three-point shooting was the biggest downfall, only converting 5 out of 15 attempts. As the game progressed, UNC had stints making it close. Still, Ohio State’s ability to trap and their full-court press was the difference in North Carolina’s inability to score.
North Carolina now looks forward to the off-season with some great talent coming for another run at the title next season.
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