UNC stays hot, downs ACC power Notre on road in crucial WBB matchup

The UNC women’s basketball team continued its winning ways on Sunday, upsetting ACC power Notre by four points on Sunday afternoon.

The UNC women’s basketball team is playing its best ball as it heads into the thick of ACC play.

The ACC is loaded, with N.C. State (3), Virginia Tech (13), Louisville (17), Florida State (22) and Notre Dame (16) all ranked in the AP Poll.

UNC was ranked earlier this year, but has a great case to climb back in after its latest result.

Carolina traveled to Notre Dame, which sports one of college basketball’s premier women’s hoops programs, to shock many with a 61-57 victory on Sunday, Jan. 7.

UNC (11-4, 3-0 ACC) helped its case for an upset early on, when it outscored the fighting Irish by eight in the opening quarter. Carolina scored the game’s first basket 17 seconds in, when center Maria Gakdeng converted on a layup, then didn’t give up the lead again until the third quarter.

With UNC down 46-45 after three quarters, Indya Nivar banked in a layup just 1:30 into the final frame. The Tar Heels never trailed again and limited Notre Dame to just 11 fourth-quarter points, its lowest in a quarter this game.

Carolina overcame a poor shooting night, as Nivar and Gakdeng were the only two Tar Heels to shoot over 50 percent. Nivar led UNC with 16 points.

The Tar Heels, now tied atop the ACC with Virginia Tech, stay on the road for a ranked matchup at Florida State. Carolina and the Seminoles (12-4, 3-1) will play Thursday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m.

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