Tag: UNC Women’s Basketball

UNC women’s basketball team sees season end at hands of South Carolina

The UNC women’s basketball program saw their season end with a loss to South Carolina on Sunday.

The expectations were high for Courtney Banghart and the North Carolina Tar Heels women’s basketball program going into the season. Trying to get over the hump and get back to the Sweet 16, the Tar Heels instead find themselves going home.

But it was at the hands of the nation’s best team.

No. 1 South Carolina steamrolled over the Tar Heels 88-41 to end UNC’s season. The Gamecocks dominated from the start in front of the home crowd, punching their ticket to the Sweet 16.

While UNC was able to keep it close for the first few minutes, South Carolina went on a huge run in that fist quarter and took a 28-8 lead. At that point, there really wasn’t much the Tar Heels could do.

The Gamecocks scored 28 more points in the second quarter as the lead was built out to 56-19 at halftime. From there it was cruise control for the Gamecocks as UNC never really got into the game.

MiLaysia Fulwiley led the way for the Gamecocks, scoring 20 points while four other Gamecocks had double digits as well.

For the Tar Heels, Alyssa Ustby had 12 points to lead the Tar Heels. Other than that, no other Tar Heels player scored in double digits.

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UNC WBB commit named Virginia HS POTY

Lanie Grant is amongst Virginia’s best high school basketball players. She’s committed to UNC for college hoops – when will she arrive?

The UNC women’s basketball team is getting ready for March Madness, as it will match up against Michigan State on Friday, March 22 at 11:30 a.m.

North Carolina (19-12), seeded eighth in the Albany 1 Region, most recently lost to Miami in its first ACC Tournament game. The Tar Heels had a very up-and-down regular season – ranked wins over Syracuse, NC State and Louisville, but bad losses to Boston College and Virginia.

At one point, UNC was tied for first in the ACC. The Tar Heels will try to show the first-place version themselves starting Friday, looking to advance further than last year’s Round of 32.

Despite all the focus being on March Madness right now, it’s never too early to start looking ahead.

For North Carolina, particularly in two years, the future looks very bright.

Lanie Grant, a junior at James River High School who’s committed to play college ball at UNC, was recently named the 2023-24 Gatorade Virginia Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Grant played at an All-Star level this past year for James River, leading it to the VHSL Class 5 State Championship game by averaging 28.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

Current UNC stars Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby will exhaust their college eligibility at the end of next season, so the arrival of Grant will be well-timed.

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UNC women’s basketball earns No. 8 seed in NCAA Tournament

The UNC women’s basketball program will meet Michigan State in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Courtney Banghart and the North Carolina Tar Heels’ women’s basketball program is headed to Columbia, South Carolina. The Tar Heels earned the No. 8 seed in the Albany 1 region.

They will face No. 9 Michigan State in Columbia in the first round. The winner of that game will draw the No. 1 overall seed, South Carolina, which will be playing at home with the chance to move on to the Sweet 16.

North Carolina finished 19-12 overall and 11-7 in ACC play this season, starting hot but struggling near the end. Their efforts were enough to get them into the NCAA Tournament, but they have a tough task ahead.

If UNC were to advance and face South Carolina, it would be a rematch of a regular-season game. The two teams met in Chapel Hill in November. The Gamecocks won, 65-58, but UNC held a halftime lead in that game.

But first things first, UNC needs to get past Michigan State before thinking about a rematch.

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Tar Heels bounced early in ACC Tournament after blowing lead

The UNC women’s basketball team fell to Miami in their ACC Tournament opener on Thursday.

The North Carolina Tar Heels’ women’s basketball team had a short stay in the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

After holding a double-digit lead against Miami, North Carolina faltered in the second half as Miami completed the comeback for a 60-59 win to move on in the tournament. The Tar Heels got off to a hot start, holding a 20-13 lead after the first quarter.

The two teams battled in the second quarter, scoring 17 points a piece as UNC held a 37-30 lead. UNC shot 50 percent in the first half and it looked like they were going to cruise to a victory.

But in the second half, Miami turned it on.

As Miami mounted a comeback and eventually took the lead, UNC faltered as they had a five-and-a-half minute stretch without a basket in the fourth quarter. They also one just one of their final 12 attempts to end the game.

Despite that, UNC had numerous chances at the end to take the lead but couldn’t convert as Miami ended the game and took the win.

Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby both had 15 while Lexi Donarski added 12 in the losing effort. UNC now looks forward to the NCAA Tournament, one they hope they can make a run in.

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Alyssa Ustby among top 5 finalists for Cheryl Miller Award

UNC women’s basketball forward Alyssa Ustby has been named a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award.

The North Carolina women’s basketball program will begin its ACC Tournament run on Thursday, facing off against Miami. As the Tar Heels get set for what we hope is a deep run this month, a few players have picked up some honors.

A day after Alyssa Utsby and Deja Kelly earned All-ACC honors, one of them picked up some national recognition.

On Wednesday, Utsby was named one of five finalists for the Cheryl Miller Award. She’s joined by LSU’s Aneesah Morrow, Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon, Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson and Texas’ Madison Booker on the list.

After being in the top 10 for the award in each of the past two seasons, she’s finally been named a finalist. And rightfully so.

Ustby is averaging 12.4 points and 10 rebounds per game in ACC play, one of four players to average a double-double in the conference.  She’s shooting 47.7 percent from the field as well.

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UNC WBB captains bring home All-ACC Honors

Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby are the two greatest reasons UNC is a competitive team this season. They both earned recognition on Tuesday.

In a loaded ACC women’s basketball conference, the North Carolina Tar Heels sit right in the middle.

UNC (19-11, 11-7) is eighth heading into tomorrow’s ACC Tournament, which is rightfully so in Tournament Town (Greensboro, NC). North Carolina will matchup against ninth-ranked Miami (18-11, 8-10) at 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 7. The Tar Heels squeaked by the Hurricanes, 66-61, back on Thursday, Jan. 25 at home.

UNC is projected as a 6-seed in the latest NCAA Tournament Women’s Bracketology, with them slated for a matchup with potential 11-seed Auburn. North Carolina can possibly improve its seeding with a couple victories this week.

The Tar Heels wouldn’t be where they are today without their two best players, Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby. Kelly continues to lead UNC in scoring at 16.8 points per game, while Ustby nearly averages a double-double with 12.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

Kelly and Ustby were recognized for their contributions earlier Tuesday, with Kelly earning All-ACC First Team Honors and Ustby joining the Second Team.

There’s a slim chance Kelly and Ustby could return next year, but both are likely to be selected in next month’s WNBA Draft. It would be a fitting end to their collegiate careers, with both being integral parts in building the program UNC is today.

Right now, the star-studded duo’s focus is on winning the ACC and – later – the NCAA Tournament.

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UNC women’s basketball upsets NC State

The UNC women’s basketball program gets a big upset win over No. 6 NC State at home on Thursday night.

The North Carolina Tar Heels’ women’s basketball team hit a bit of a road bump back in January, losing four straight games including to rivals Duke and NC State. But recently, Courtney Banghart’s team has bounced back in a big way.

On Thursday, the Tar Heels got a little revenge on the No. 6 Wolfpack, scoring a top-10 upset win.

North Carolina took down the Wolfpack 80-70 at home, extending their win streak to three games. The Tar Heels took control of the game from the start and led 22-20 after the first quarter.

They opened up a 42-35 lead at halftime and kept that lead throughout the second half, outscoring the Wolfpack 19-16 in the third quarter. It never really felt like the Tar Heels were in trouble as Deja Kelly’s buzzer-beater extended the lead going into the fourth quarter.

And from there, they finished off the game to get a big win.

Lexi Donarski led the Tar Heels with 24 points, going 5-of-9 from the three-point line while Alyssa Utsby (13), Maria Gakdeng (12), Alexandra Zelaya (12) and Indya Nivar (11 points) all had double-digits.

The win moved the Tar Heels to 18-9 overall and 10-5 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. UNC will travel to Blacksburg on Sunday afternoon with a road showdown with the Hokies.

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WATCH: Deja Kelly beats buzzer, sends UNC into final quarter with 11-point lead

The UNC women’s basketball team is on the verge of upsetting sixth-ranked NC State. Tar Heels star Deja Kelly drained a major shot to help.

As Deja Kelly goes, so does the UNC women’s basketball team.

Kelly averages 16.9 points per game, most on the Tar Heels. She has the speed to get around defenders and convert at the rim, plus a strong jump-shooting ability to knock down shots from either mid-range or the perimeter.

Earlier in tonight’s game against sixth-ranked NC State, Kelly beat the third-quarter buzzer with a shot that bounced off the back iron. North Carolina went into the final break up 61-51, giving it a huge momentum boost that put it just 10 minutes away from its greatest upset on the season and – in the larger picture – closer towards an NCAA Tournament berth.

The Wolfpack (23-3, 11-3), second in the ACC behind Virginia Tech, won their past three games coming into tonight. They’ll still be a high seed in the Big Dance, but our Tar Heels are putting a huge dent in their hopes for an ACC crown.

Earlier this year, UNC was first place in the ACC. A 4-game skid sent them tumbling down the standings, but two straight wins have changed North Carolina’s outlook for the better.

If the Tar Heels are going to find any kind of postseason success, they’ll need Kelly to continue hitting big shots like her buzzer-beater.

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UNC WBB sets season-best shooting mark in win over Wake Forest

The UNC women’s basketball team won a close road game on Sunday at Wake Forest, but set a season-best mark in made shots while doing so.

Not a ton of time has passed since the UNC women’s basketball team was the ACC’s first-place team.

A 66-61 victory over Miami on Thursday, Jan. 25 moved the Tar Heels into a tie with Syracuse for first, with North Carolina holding the tie thanks to a head-to-head victory.

UNC then lost its next four games, falling down the ACC standings before righting the ship with consecutive wins against Pitt and Wake Forest, which bumped UNC back up to sixth.

Sunday’s road win at Wake Forest was anchored by a 25-point, 10-rebound double from star forward Alyssa Ustby.

The Tar Heels’ victory also saw them shoot a season-best 52.4 percent from the field, which was their best mark since last February.

Ustby shot a lights-out 10-of-11 on field goals, including her first made 3-pointer on the season, while Maria Gakdeng’s 4-of-6 field goal mark was second-best on North Carolina. Anya Poole, who tied a season-high with 18 minutes in her start, shot 3-of-6 from the field. Deja Kelly made 4-of-10 shots, while Lexi Donarski made one of just two attempts.

The Tar Heels have their toughest remaining regular-season test on Thursday night, as they welcome sixth-ranked rival NC State to Carmichael Arena for an 8 p.m tip.

Will UNC keep shooting lights out against one of the country’s best programs?

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Carmichael Arena sells out for UNC vs Duke

Carmichael Arena sells out for UNC vs Duke, adding more anticipation to the high-stakes game.

The UNC women’s basketball program will play arch-rival Duke Blue Devils in front of a sold-out crowd, announced Tuesday.

Twelve days from today, UNC will end their regular season in a rivalry showdown against Duke, and it should be electric with Carmichael Arena sold out. The Tar Heels has had a season of highs and lows, taking on some of the best schools in the nation, while jumping in and out of the Associated Press’s Top 25 poll.

Currently UNC is not in the top 25 but can leap back in with their last stretch of the schedule featuring some notable names. The Tar Heel’s next two games are against No. 6 NC State and No. 8 Virginia Tech. If they can go 2-0 in those games, they can see a significant shift in their status.

Depending on how UNC finishes the year will help or hurt their efforts in bringing a national championship back to Chapel Hill. A good seeding could be what the doctor ordered to cruise into the ideal matchups.

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