Lexi Donarski hits five threes in No. 13 UNC's win over Wake Forest

During every drill in practice, the UNC's coaches are telling Lexi Donarski to release her shot more quickly. 

On paper, that sounds like an easy adjustment. But for the graduate guard, getting her shot off faster has been a two-year long battle: a battle with herself to have the ability to beat the opponent’s hands in her face, and a battle with the coaches to meet their standards. 

“No matter how quick I get it off — if I think it’s quick — it’s not quick enough,” Donarski said.

Even though it’s been a challenge for Donarski, it all comes down to her desire “to play basketball the right way,” according to head coach Courtney Banghart.

And that's exactly what she’s been doing. 

The La Crosse, Wis. native tallied 17 points in No. 13 North Carolina's 76-51 win over Wake Forest on Thursday night, shooting 6-9 from the field. Donarski cashed in on five of her six attempts from beyond the arc in Carmichael Arena, marking her third-straight game with five 3-pointers.

She led North Carolina in 3-pointers last year in her first season as a Tar Heel, and she’s doing it again, recording 51 makes on the season on nearly 42 percent shooting so far.

However, it took until college for Donarski to recognize herself as a threat from deep. 

UNC is riding a five-game winning streak, including victories on the road over SMU and Pitt in the last two games. In each of those back-to-back wins, Donarski hit five 3-pointers and scored 15 points. It was the first time in her career that the catch-and-shoot assassin drained five from deep two games in a row.

"She's been hot so much this season," graduate guard Grace Townsend said. "Lexi shows you time after time what she's going to do. She's reliable."

Against the Demon Deacons, Donarski eclipsed a new career milestone of three-straight games with five 3-pointers. She went 3-3 on triples in the first quarter as North Carolina took an early 22-6 lead going into the second frame. 

After a tough second quarter that saw Wake Forest outscore UNC 22-10, the Tar Heels needed a lift.

Donarski delivered.

Three minutes into the third quarter, she drilled a 3-pointer to take North Carolina’s lead to nine. 

Then, about two minutes later, sophomore guard Indya Nivar drove into the middle of the paint, turned and found Donarski open at the center of the 3-point line. Using that difficult and still continuous training from practice, the six-foot guard immediately released, nailing the triple.

She put three fingers to the ceiling with one hand and pointed at Nivar with the other.

But growing up, Donarski was never a catch-and-shoot type of player. In fact, she would have never even labeled herself a shooter at all. 

Donarski only developed her expertise in shooting as she began to compete at the collegiate level. She credits her teammates for creating the uncontested looks that helped her production.

“In the last couple of games, people have really been attacking the paint, going off of two feet when the defense collapsed and finding open shooters,” Donarski said. “And we’ve done a really, really good job of that.”

It works both ways, too. She has proven she’s reliable so her teammates don’t have to think twice before swinging the ball in her direction.

“Every time I pass to her I have complete faith and trust it’s going to go in nine times out of 10,” Townsend said. “I believe it. Even if she’s missed three, I don’t care. I’m going to get her the ball even more.”

While sharpshooting may have turned out to be her greatest weapon at this level, Donarski is a lot more than her percentage behind the arc, according to Banghart. 

She leads the defense. She plays with joy. She gives her teammates confidence. She always knows the game plan. And, perhaps above all, she’s grown into her role as a vocal leader — which may be a product of Banghart constantly telling her to release her shot faster.  

“She’s playing her best basketball, really on both ends,” Banghart said. “And how she’s leading this team. Even when she was struggling a little bit, I’ve commended her leadership. She’s been leading this team regardless of how it’s been going for her, so she deserves this.”

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