No. 16 UNC women's basketball dominates Indiana, 69-39, to win the Battle 4 Atlantis

The No. 16 North Carolina women’s basketball team (6-1) took home the championship trophy in the Battle 4 Atlantis after defeating Indiana (4-3), 69-39, in Paradise Island, Bahamas. 

With junior guards Trayanna Crisp and Indya Nivar being the lead scorers of the game, North Carolina disrupted Indiana's offense. With almost half of UNC’s points coming from behind the arc, the Tar Heels' 11 threes came close to beating their all time record of 14 3-pointers in a single game. 

It took UNC awhile to warm up during the first quarter as they struggled to make and take shots.

Indiana made first contact with the net, until graduate guard Alyssa Utsby made a layup, which put North Carolina on the scoreboard. The score was followed by another layup from junior guard Indya Nivar who drew the foul in the process. She made the free throw to tied the game early 5-5.

Head coach Courtney Banghart kept the court filled with guards, putting fresh legs out there after three consecutive days of basketball. Junior guard Trayanna Crisp scored the first 3-pointer of the game, making the score to 10-8.

The North Carolina backcourt moved fast. They were ready for the defensive nature of Indiana. The first quarter with the Tar Heels up 11-10. 

Nivar led the beginning of the second quarter, with an open layup and on the fastbreak, seconds before Indiana junior guard Yardon Garzon sunk a three-pointer directly in the basket to make it 13-13.

For the next four minutes, the Tar Heels struggled to make a shot. Crisp broke the dry spell with a 3-pointer, reclaiming the lead for the Tar Heels.

After a jump shot from Indiana junior guard Lexus Bargesser, first-year guard Lanie Grant added onto the score with a 3-pointer off the fastbreak to keep that lead of 19-17.

After an almost three minute 19-19 tie, Crisp made a deep three, which was followed by another trey made by redshirt first-year forward Ciera Toomey. Before the clock ran out, the Tar Heels made it out with a third 3-point shot, but this time it was by sophomore guard Reniya Kelly. 

Just a mere 22 seconds left in the second quarter, Crisp scored her fourth 3-pointer of the game. At the end of the second quarter, North Carolina had scored more threes than they had twos to lead 32-26.

After a strong back and forth with both teams' defenses, Nivar scored first in the second half. Just after that, Toomey made her second 3-pointer of the game. With a jump shot from Kelly, UNC possessed a 10 point lead.

The North Carolina defense ran out the Indiana shot clock, and Utsby increased the Heels lead to 42-28. Toomey continued to add onto UNC’s collection of 3-point shots made in the game as she scored her third 3-pointer of the game.

The Tar Heel defense forced six turnovers in the third quarter alone. With three seconds left in the quarter, Crisp hit her career high fifth 3-pointer of the game, giving the Tar Heels a 21 point lead. 

Graduate guard Lexi Donarski scored her first three of the game as the first shot of the fourth quarter.

Graduate guard Grace Townsend followed soon after, running up through the middle of the paint and making an easy layup. With a championship win in sight, Utsby scored back-to-back shots. Townsend beat the shot clock with three seconds left to put an exclamation mark on the 30 point win. 

The Tar Heels will take on NC Central in Carmichael Arena on Friday, Nov. 29 at 2 p.m. 

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com