The UNC women’s basketball team couldn’t overcome a red-hot start by No. 19 Michigan in the Jumpman Invitational Tuesday night in Charlotte, falling behind by 23 points on the way to a 76-68 loss.

The Wolverines scored 35 points in the first quarter alone, helped by the lights-out shooting of Leigha Brown. Brown scored 13 of her 25 points in the first quarter and didn’t miss a shot in the period, knocking in three three-pointers. UNC was behind 35-20 after 10 minutes and trailed 47-24 before finally springing to life in the second quarter.

Carolina cut the deficit to 17 points at halftime, 12 points by the end of the third quarter and got as close as eight points midway through the fourth, but were never able to quite get over the hump. Deja Kelly led the Tar Heels with 15 points, though she shot just 2-13 from the field and scored 11 of her points on free throws before fouling out. Eva Hodgson, Kennedy Todd-Williams and Alyssa Ustby each also scored in double figures. Destiny Adams provided 12 points of her own off the bench, keying UNC’s comeback effort in the second half. Adams and freshman Paulina Paris each ended up playing more minutes than starting forward Anya Poole.

Michigan actually ended the game shooting under 50 percent from the floor after hitting at a 75 percent rate in the first quarter. UNC was nowhere near as efficient, shooting a season-low 32 percent from the floor.

It’s Carolina’s second loss of the season, both of which have come to ranked Big Ten opponents. The Tar Heels will now break for the holidays and begin ACC play after Christmas. Their next game will come against Florida State in Carmichael Arena on December 29. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.

 

Photo via AP Photo/Chris Carlson.

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