No. 14 UNC women's basketball stifles UNCG, 80-56, behind strong defensive performance

The No. 14 UNC women’s basketball team (10-1) defeated UNC Greensboro (7-3), 80-56, on Wednesday night in Carmichael Arena for its seventh-straight victory. 

The offense was sloppy early on as the two teams forced turnovers and tough shots. Senior center Maria Gakdeng won the tip for North Carolina, but UNCG started off the scoring with a layup. 

With five minutes left in the first quarter, the defensive slog turned into an offensive showcase. Junior guard Indiya Nivar knocked down a three that started a barrage by both teams, who each started 2-2 from three, to bring the score to 14-12 Tar Heels at the first media timeout.

Graduate forward Alyssa Ustby kept the barrage going for North Carolina as she knocked down an old-fashioned baby hook and a layup back-to-back before hitting the bench as the subs came in for the Tar Heels. UNC led 20-15 at the end of the first quarter.

After sitting just two minutes, Ustby came back and immediately cashed in another layup for the Tar Heels. She finished the game with 15 points, four assists and eight rebounds, leading her team in all three categories.

UNC’s lineup of the starters, with redshirt first-year forward Ciera Toomey at Gakdeng’s usual spot, allowed the former 5-star to showcase the promise that fans were excited about going into the season as the lead surged to 35-25 with her anchoring the defense.

The Tar Heels, making a critical switch to a mix of 2-3 and 3-2 zones with a 1-2-2 half-court press, held UNCG scoreless from the 5:30 mark until the final minute of the quarter. The clearly exhausted Spartans gave up several easy looks to UNC, who led 44-29 as the halftime buzzer sounded.

“Credit to coach for getting us into zone D right away because that changed the intensity to slow them down, and that created some offense for us," Ustby said. "We got a lot of steals, we got out."

UNC’s frequent lineup of the starters, with redshirt first-year forward Ciera Toomey or first-year forward Blanca Thomas at Gakdeng’s usual spot, allowed the former top recruits to showcase their potential that fans are excited about for the future.

“Those two kids are freshmen, and they don’t play like it,” head coach Courtney Banghart said. “I love their mindset. They’re totally committed to whatever they can do to help.”

UNC started the second half on a similar note, with two quick buckets from Nivar and Ustby in the first 35 seconds of the quarter. North Carolina’s defense continued to shine, stealing the ball four times by the 7:57 mark.

Toomey and Ustby continued to dazzle, scoring a three and a layup respectively to bring the Tar Heels back up by 15 after they traded buckets with the Spartans all quarter long. North Carolina held a 57-42 advantage.

The fourth started off with more of the same for the Tar Heels, with a half court trap forcing an early UNCG turnover that led to a Gakdeng bucket. A couple series later, Gakdeng knocked down a pair of free-throws and drew a fourth foul on UNCG’s leading scorer, junior guard Jaila Lee, a key one-two punch against the Spartans. 

After the final media timeout of the game, UNC stifled any hopes of a Spartan comeback as a series of steals and buckets pushed the lead to 73-54 UNC with 2:39 remaining as the end of the bench came in. The switch to a press and a zone proved the turning point as UNCG had not threatened since early in the second.

“It’s a really good start, because I really like this team,” Banghart said. “I like them because they’re good people and because they’re really fun to coach.”

The Tar Heels will be back in action this Sunday when they host No. 25 Georgia Tech in Carmichael Arena at 2 p.m.