The No. 14 UNC women’s basketball (16-3, 4-2 ACC) overwhelmed SMU (10-8, 2-4 ACC), 64-33, in Moody Coliseum on Thursday night.
Graduate guard Lexi Donarski contributed a game-high 15 points while graduate forward Alyssa Ustby recorded a 12 point, 18 rebound double-double. The Tar Heels also held the Mustangs to 33 points, marking the lowest point total an opponent has managed against UNC.
SMU’s senior forward Kaysia Woods hit a three for the first points of the evening, but it was all Tar Heels after that. North Carolina held SMU to just six points in the first quarter. The Mustangs scored 32 points in the first quarter last Sunday against Pitt.
UNC’s junior guard Indya Nivar took control early for the Tar Heels scoring a wide open three and layup on back-to-back possessions.
The Mustangs fell into a zone to try and contain North Carolina, but UNC continued to attack with a reverse layup from Navar and a 3-pointer from graduate guard Grace Townsend to put them up 13-6 at the end of the first.
Ustby got on the board with a layup to open the second quarter and followed with another two points on the ensuing possession, following yet another SMU turnover. This marked the Mustangs 13th of the game.
UNC held SMU’s junior guard Nya Robinson to a 0-7 start from the floor, a guard currently averaging 20.9 points a game — the third most in the ACC.
Woods gave the Mustangs a much needed spark with a three pointer, graduate guard Zanai Jones followed with a layup of her own, SMU’s first score on consecutive possessions.
Although SMU picked up momentum towards the end of the half, North Carolina responded immediately with a layup at the buzzer from first-year guard Lanie Grant. The Tar Heels rolled into half up 31-14.
