North Carolina Tar Heels Outlast NC State Wolfpack
The NC State Wolfpack, ranked 10th in the nation, traveled West to clash with the 12th-ranked UNC Tar Heels. The battle of the "Old North State" marked their first meeting of the season. Riding high on a nine-game winning streak, the Wolfpack were ready for the challenge. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels, led by Reniya Kelly, sought to defend their home turf after a four-game victory run following their loss to Florida State back in January. Fans from both sides packed the Carmichael Arena, creating an electric atmosphere. As the players took to the court, only one question remained: which team would emerge victorious in this storied rivalry?
Gametime
In the first quarter, Saniya Rivers initiated the scoring for NC State with a jumper, but Reniya Kelly of UNC quickly answered with a three-pointer. Despite a steal, UNC couldn't capitalize, and NC State missed their next shot. Kelly hit a jumper, while Maria Gakdeng knocked down a shot attempt with a block. Aziaha James managed to pass to Madison Hayes, who converted the play into a basket and a foul. Hayes also scored with a pull-up jumper, and Kelly nailed another three-pointer. Tilda Trygger and Zoe Brooks contributed with points from a layup and free throws, respectively. Gakdeng broke a short scoring drought, and Hayes hit a three-pointer following an NC State steal. After two blocks from Rivers, Lorena Awou's offensive rebound and subsequent layup, along with a free throw, ensured NC State led by seven at the end of the first quarter.
Starting strong in the second quarter, Indya Nivar scored a driving layup, and Trygger blocked a shot from Gakdeng. Moments later, Gakdeng grabbed a rebound, scored, and drew a foul. Rivers scored over Donarski, and Lanie Grant made a layup for the Tar Heels. Nivar then stole the ball and made a layup. Zamareya Jones fouled her on the way to the basket, and Nivar followed up by knocking down a free throw. UNC's defense stripped the ball, allowing Blanca Thomas to spin for two. Nivar continued her strong performance by going coast-to-coast for another layup and foul. Kelly then nailed a three-pointer, putting the Tar Heels up by seven points going into halftime.
After halftime, Grant and James each made a three-pointer, followed by Kelly hitting a jumper. James scored a layup as Nivar picked up her third foul, while Lexi Donarski got her first two points down low. James added another layup, and Kelly and Brooks both scored. Gakdeng and Rivers made layups before Rivers received a technical foul. Donarski made two free throws, and James and Rivers hit back-to-back jumpers. Grace Townsend scored off the bench, and after missing a free throw, James hit a three, matched by Donarski's triple. Jones missed a three-point attempt following a UNC turnover. Trygger, assisted by Rivers, made a quick jumper before the end of the third quarter. After a review by officials, six seconds were added to the clock. Trygger headed to the line, where she missed a free throw. The quarter came to an end with the Wolfpack down by three.
At the beginning of the first quarter, Gakdeng blocked James' layup attempt, and Hayes scored for NC State. Gakdeng then added two points for UNC, followed by Jones' free throw. Rivers tied the game at 50-50 with a jumper. Kelly's three-pointer, assisted by Grant, regained the lead for UNC. Gakdeng made a free throw, and Rivers added a layup. Hayes scored again with a pass from Rivers. Trygger scored inside, and Rivers' block led to two layups from Brooks. Donarski hit a clutch three-pointer, matched by Hayes' triple for NC State. Kelly's three-pointer narrowed NC State's lead to three. James scored a layup, but Rivers fouled Grant, who made two free throws for UNC. A charge on Trygger turned the ball over to UNC, and Grant scored a layup. With less than 12 seconds left, a foul on Brooks sent Townsend to the line, where she made both free throws, putting UNC up by one. NC State called a timeout late in the quarter. In the end, Gakdeng's defense sealed the 66-65 victory for the Tar Heels.
Review
Aziaha James and Reniya Kelly led the scoring for their respective teams, with Kelly topping the charts at 23 points. Saniya Rivers and Madison Hayes combined for 27 points for the Wolfpack, while Gakdeng and Donarski each scored 10 for UNC. Lanie Grant was the standout bench player, scoring nine points. Both Rivers and Hayes achieved double-doubles. The Tar Heels excelled in three-point shooting and free throws, whereas NC State outperformed in field goals, rebounding, assisting, and blocking. However, North Carolina stood out in steals and reduced their turnovers.
Follow Up
Carmichael Arena was packed to capacity. NC State will hit the court again on Thursday in Atlanta to face off against Georgia Tech. The Tar Heels are also in action the same day, taking on Syracuse. This win extends UNC's streak to five games, while the Wolfpack experiences their first loss since January 9th. Reniya Kelly's standout performance, with her game-high 23 points, was pivotal in securing the win for the Tar Heels. Even with setbacks during the game, North Carolina stood their ground, and it paid off in the end. More competitive basketball is sure to come for both of these teams!
