Last minute defense propels UNC women's basketball to first win over Virginia Tech since 2022

Reniya Kelly was not happy.  

The sophomore guard was upset with her team’s defensive effort for most of the game, claiming they “didn’t have any energy.” 

But when North Carolina needed a string of stops to close out Virginia Tech at home, UNC found the necessary spark. 

“In the last few minutes of the game, we just needed it,” Kelly said. "And we had it."

In No. 12 North Carolina’s 67-62 win over Virginia Tech on Thursday night at Carmichael Arena, the Tar Heels shut out the Hokies for the final two minutes and 51 seconds and scored the last five points en route to its 10th ACC victory of the season. The win is UNC's third in a row decided by two possessions or fewer and marks North Carolina's first win against Virginia Tech since 2022.  

With the game tied at 62 and 2:30 remaining on the clock, the Tar Heels needed a stop. A break in action allowed the Tar Heels to huddle around head coach Courtney Banghart. 

After laying out the defensive scheme, Banghart ended the huddle with a simple message: to trust themselves to defend down the stretch. 

“It's really a matter of me reminding them the things that they can do defensively,” Banghart said. "And urging that, however tired you are, you've got to bring that."

The Tar Heels responded, immediately forcing a turnover for a chance to take the lead. But when North Carolina came up empty on an offensive trip, its defense stepped up once again.

UNC forced two missed shots and two turnovers to keep the Hokies from scoring when it mattered most. Veteran performers like graduate guard Lexi Donarski, who recorded a steal and forced an errant VT shot in the final moments, made those clutch plays. 

“We're gonna let Lexi make those decisions late defensively, and we're gonna follow her lead,” Banghart said. “Because she's proven it.” 

The Tar Heels then scored the final five points through a trio of free throws — one by Lanie Grant and two by Kelly — and a Donarski layup Banghart described as the game’s “clincher.”

With five seconds left, North Carolina forced Virginia Tech to settle for a long three, and the shot fell short of the rim. 

It was the dominant final stretch defensively that helped North Carolina past the Hokies in an ending that the Tar Heels have already played out twice this season. Against both Georgia Tech and Florida State, North Carolina came up short in the final minutes — unable to get stops when needed. 

Lessons from those endings have taught UNC what it takes to win games in the fourth quarter. As a result, the Tar Heels have picked up three narrow victories over Stanford, Clemson and now Virginia Tech by a combined nine points in the last two weeks. 

“We learned a lot from those two games,” Banghart said. “Like, that there's momentum the other team has, and you don't get to roll with their momentum. You've got to stop their momentum defensively.”

And because of their display on Thursday night when it mattered, Banghart feels like her team is headed in the right direction as the post-season inches closer. 

@cadeshoemaker23

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com