After three straight wins to open the 2024-25 women’s basketball season, the North Carolina Tar Heels ended up on the wrong side of a Friday night battle against No. 2 Connecticut.
The Huskies pulled away for a convincing 69-58 victory thanks to 29 points from star senior Paige Bueckers.
The Tar Heels beat Charleston Southern, UNC Wilmington, and North Carolina A&T all by at least 19 points to jump over the Blue Devils in the latest USA TODAY Sports Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll, but they never stood a chance on Friday.
Bueckers scored five points in the first 90 seconds, and the Huskies led 25-14 after the opening 10 minutes. She finished the game with four rebounds and assists apiece, and freshman Sarah Strong (a North Carolina native) tacked on 14 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists in the dominant display.
UNC and Duke face off for the first time in Chapel Hill on January 9th before a battle in Durham on February 27.