Florida State handed the No. 13 UNC women’s basketball team its second straight loss Thursday night, defeating the Tar Heels 78-71 in Carmichael Arena. It’s the first time Carolina has dropped consecutive games since the end of the 2020-21 season.

UNC led by as many as nine points in the first half and six points at halftime, bolstered by a combined 26 points from Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby in the first 20 minutes. But a 13-1 Seminole run midway through the third quarter flipped a 47-42 Tar Heel lead into a 55-48 deficit, and Florida State wouldn’t relinquish the lead for the rest of the night. Carolina closed to within a point on two separate instances in the final quarter, but could never get over the hump. Florida State outscored the Tar Heels 43-30 in the second half.

Kelly finished with 20 points while Ustby and Kennedy Todd-Williams each contributed 16, but Carolina only mustered four bench points to Florida State’s 21. The Seminoles also carried a decisive advantage in rebounds (51-41) and second-chance points (37-5). Florida State’s Makayla Timpson posted a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds. Ustby also registered a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds, her fourth in five games and 21st of her career.

For Carolina, the loss is the team’s third straight against a Power 5 opponent this season. It drops the team to 9-3 overall and 0-1 in ACC play. Another tough matchup awaits on Sunday, as the Tar Heels will travel to Blacksburg to take on the No. 7 Virginia Tech Hokies. Virginia Tech defeated UNC in Blacksburg last season.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Women's Basketball Loses to No. 21 Oklahoma in 2026-27 Season Opener
No. 21 Oklahoma outscored UNC 31-14 in the third quarter and led by as many as 20 points in the fourth on its way to a 91-79 win against the Tar Heels in the “Oui Play” event in Paris Monday. The third-quarter explosion blew open what had been a competitive game. Carolina recovered from an […]
This Week in UNC Sports: November 2-8, 2026
Election? What election? A busy fall for Tar Heel sports rolls on as several teams begin ACC Tournament play this week.
Harpring Scores 29 as UNC Women's Basketball Loses Exhibition at No. 20 Maryland
Despite a 29-point showing from freshman Kate Harpring, UNC fell 72-68 at No. 20 Maryland in its final exhibition game of the preseason. Harpring paced the Tar Heels on offense, as only one other teammate reached double figures: sophomore Nyla Brooks, who scored 14. Harpring took more than a third of UNC’s field goal attempts […]
UNC Women's Basketball Ranked No. 12 in 2026-27 AP Preseason Poll
Head coach Courtney Banghart and UNC checked in at No. 12 in the AP Preseason Top 25 poll, which was released Tuesday. It’s the third consecutive year and fourth overall in Banghart’s tenure that the Tar Heels have been ranked inside the top 15 in the preseason poll. Comin' in at No. 𝟭𝟮 in the […]
UNC Women's Basketball Beats Davidson in Preseason Exhibition
A 12-0 run in the second quarter helped UNC overcome an early deficit and beat Davidson 76-66 in a preseason exhibition at Carmichael Arena Sunday afternoon. That's a preseason 𝘿𝙐𝘽!@WellsFargo x #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/jQ6yUzYrri — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) October 18, 2026 The 12-0 Tar Heel run flipped a 23-20 deficit into a 32-23 lead in […]
UNC Women's Basketball Picked 3rd in ACC; Kate Harpring Receives Preseason Honor
UNC was picked to finish third in the ACC in the league’s preseason poll Tuesday. The Tar Heels received one of 76 first-place votes. Duke, which is coming off consecutive conference titles, sits at No. 1 in the preseason poll with 49 first-place votes. No. 2 Louisville (22 votes) is next, followed by UNC and […]
5-Star Guard Ryan Carter Commits to UNC Women's Basketball
Another highly coveted prospect will be joining the Tar Heels next season. Ryan Carter, who 247 Sports rates as a five-star recruit and the No. 10 overall player in her class, announced her commitment to head coach Courtney Banghart and UNC Monday evening. Carter is the second five-star recruit from the Class of 2027 to […]
This Week in UNC Sports: October 12-18
More and more of UNC's winter sports are beginning their seasons as we hit the middle of October, and "crossover season" is upon us.
Micah Ojo, No. 6 Prospect in 2027 Recruiting Class, Commits to UNC Women's Basketball
Micah Ojo, who ESPN rates as a five-star prospect and the No. 6 overall recruit in the 2027 class, announced her commitment to head coach Courtney Banghart and UNC Thursday. Ojo also held offers from Duke and Vanderbilt. View this post on Instagram A 6-foot-1 wing originally from Virginia Beach, Ojo is described by ESPN […]
UNC Women's Basketball Announces 2026-27 ACC Schedule
The UNC women’s basketball program announced the ACC portion of its 2026-27 regular season schedule Wednesday afternoon. 18 games to make some 𝙉𝙊𝙄𝙎𝙀. pic.twitter.com/ohLCnlv0W0 — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) September 2, 2026 The Tar Heels will play three ACC games before the New Year, two of which will come at Carmichael Arena. The conference schedule […]
›