UNC women's basketball falls to Wake Forest 80-77

The North Carolina women’s basketball team blew a fourth-quarter lead Thursday night, losing to Wake Forest 80-77.

What happened?

UNC (12-7, 1-5 ACC) started the game hot, making five of their first eight shots to take a quick 10-6 lead, forcing Wake (11-7, 2-3 ACC) to take a timeout less than four minutes into the game. Sophomore Stephanie Watts led the Tar Heels with 13 points, with three 3-pointers, in the quarter, but seven UNC team fouls sent Wake Forest to the line often, keeping them in the game at 29-22 at the end of the quarter.

UNC avoided the second quarter woes of their past two contests against Duke and Pitt, scoring 16 points in the period. UNC struggled with interior defense in the second quarter, giving up layup after layup as Wake Forest either shot over their defenders or got easy chances off of offensive rebounds, taking a 44-38 lead into halftime.

UNC committed four turnovers to start the third quarter, allowing the Demon Deacons unanswered chances on offense, which Wake Forest executed, draining their first three 3-pointers of the half to pull within one at the media timeout. UNC recovered from their struggles to rally on defense, holding Wake to 35.3 percent from the field in the quarter to take a 60-55 lead into the final frame.

After a Paris Kea jumper to open the fourth quarter, UNC went on massive dry spell, not making a field goal for over four minutes. This allowed Wake to take the lead at 63-62, its first lead since the opening bucket of the game. The fourth quarter continued to go back and forth, with Wake Forest ultimately making the final 3-pointer of the game to take a 78-77 lead with less than a minute left and sealing the win with a layup.

Who stood out?

Watts stepped up in the absence of sophomore Destinee Walker, who was out with a knee injury. Watts first quarter offensive explosion of 13 points set the tone for North Carolina on offensive end, while she continued to be active on defense, nabbing two steals and grabbing nine rebounds to go with her 25 total points.

Kea remained strong down the stretch. Her mid range jumper provided multiple sparks on offense, scoring 21 points on the night.

First-year Taylor Koenen got her first start of the season in place of Walker and made the most of it, hitting a three at the end of the shot clock in the fourth quarter to give UNC a two point lead. She ended with seven points on the night.

When was it decided?

Kea drove into the lane and dished it to redshirt senior forward Hillary Fuller, who hit a wide open layup to give UNC a 77-75 lead with under a minute to play.

Wake Forest missed multiple shots at the other end of the floor, but grabbed several rebounds to get second chances, eventually resulting in a three with 15 seconds left to go up 78-77.

UNC had a chance to win it on the other end, but Kea’s entry pass to Fuller was batted away, resulting in a turnover with less than two seconds to go, which lead to a Wake layup as time expired to end the game 80-77.

Why does it matter?

To put it simply, UNC isn’t supposed lose to Wake Forest. The Tar Heels’ loss in Winston-Salem last year snapped a 13-game win streak in the series, and Thursday night’s win was Wake’s first in Chapel Hill since the 1990-91 season.

For the Tar Heels to get back to the winning ways the program is known for, UNC has to close out games like these at home. Otherwise, North Carolina may be staring a losing ACC record in the face for the second year in a row.

When do they play next?

UNC will take on No. 6 Notre Dame at Carmichael Arena on Sunday at 12 p.m.

@sjdoughton

sports@dailytarheel.com