All-around scoring and points in transition allowed the No. 25 North Carolina women’s basketball team (7-4, 0-0 ACC) to rout Western Carolina (2-9, 0-0 SoCon) 96-34, on Friday night at Carmichael Arena.
Senior guard Alyssa Ustby led all scorers with 23 points — tying her career-high — while also recording nine rebounds and a game-high six assists.
UNC got off to the races early, thanks to a 9-0 run to start the game. An in-sync Tar Heel defense held the Catamounts scoreless through the first four minutes of play — ultimately forcing seven turnovers in just the first quarter.
“One of our goals is in our offensive scheme just getting at least 35 percent of our scores through transition,” Ustby said. “So I think being more aggressive on the defensive end – it starts there.”
By creating runouts that started from the defensive end, the Tar Heels were able to score easy baskets in transition. Leading the break, Ustby found sophomore guard Paulina Paris for a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer to highlight UNC’s 26-6 lead in the opening quarter.
As the game slowed down in the second quarter, North Carolina turned to its post play to provide further scoring. Junior forward Maria Gakdeng was clinical in the paint, recording a pair of offensive putbacks and eight points in the second frame.
“Maria only played 17 minutes tonight,” head coach Courtney Banghart said. “She was again quite efficient, but she was quite happy to get a rest. No part of her was like, ‘I just can’t wait to play 38 minutes again’.”
The Tar Heels ended the half leading 45-21, behind sophomore guard Indya Nivar’s nine points in just eight minutes of play to lead all scorers.
UNC got right back to its interior dominance following the break. An active Ustby recorded two baskets, an offensive rebound and a crafty assist to open the third quarter.
