Eight is great for the UNC women’s basketball team.

The Tar Heels kept the good times rolling in Carmichael Arena Thursday night, defeating Virginia 73-62 to clinch their eighth consecutive win, all of which have come in ACC play. It’s the program’s longest ACC winning streak under fourth-year head coach Courtney Banghart.

Five Tar Heels scored in doubles figures: Deja Kelly, Kennedy Todd-Williams, Anya Poole, Alyssa Ustby and redshirt freshman Kayla McPherson. McPherson scored a team-high 14 points on 6-10 in just her second collegiate game after missing all of last season and much of this one with lower-body injuries. She also dished out a team-high four assists.

McPherson was one of multiple Tar Heels who shot the ball efficiently against the Cavaliers. The team’s shooting percentage of 53.1 is its highest in ACC play this season by a healthy margin: it hadn’t even broken 50 in its previous 10 conference games. Even more impressive is that UNC did much of its scoring from inside the arc: the Tar Heels made only three three-pointers on eleven attempts. Carolina outscored the Cavaliers 26-22 in the paint and held a decisive 12-2 advantage on fast-break points. The team’s 18-23 (78.3 percent) at the free throw line is also its best on at least 20 attempts in ACC play.

As she did against Clemson, McPherson provided a spark for Carolina in the first half. Amid a dismal first quarter in which the Tar Heels managed just five points in the opening eight minutes, McPherson scored four consecutive points to end the period and give UNC a 9-8 lead. She hit a three-pointer early in the second quarter and provided a layup on the fast break later in the period as the Tar Heels stretched their lead to as large as 17 points. McPherson hit one more three in the fourth quarter, providing two of UNC’s trio on the night.

With the win, Carolina improves to 17-5 overall, 8-3 in ACC play and 11-1 at Carmichael Arena this season. The Tar Heels remain in the thick of the ACC’s top 4 race with Duke, Notre Dame and Florida State, with Carolina holding head-to-head tiebreakers over the Blue Devils and Fighting Irish.

But Carolina will now hit the road once again amid its challenging stretch of four games out of five played away from Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels will visit Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center this Sunday, a place the program has never won. UNC edged the Cardinals by a point in Chapel Hill last season.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications

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
‹
Report: Russian Prospect Elizaveta Astakhova Commits to UNC Women's Basketball
According to a report from On3’s Talia Goodman, Elizaveta Astakhova, a six-foot-one wing who spent the 2024-25 basketball season playing professionally in Russia, committed to head coach Courtney Banghart and UNC Tuesday afternoon. NEWS: Russian 2025 prospect Elizaveta Astakhova has committed to North Carolina, her agents Tequan Dean and Alex Karavanen told @On3sports. The 6-1 […]
Report: UNC Women's Basketball to Compete in 4-Team Las Vegas Event
Head coach Courtney Banghart and the Tar Heels are reportedly heading out west early in the 2025-26 season. According to women’s college basketball insider Mitchell Northam of SB Nation, UNC will compete in a four-team, two-day event in Las Vegas this coming November. Joining Carolina in the event will be South Florida, Fairfield and UCLA. […]
UNC's Alyssa Ustby, Maria Gakdeng Each Sign WNBA Contracts
Two former Tar Heel women’s basketball stars are getting their shots at the pros. UNC’s Alyssa Ustby signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Sparks Tuesday morning, and Maria Gakdeng signed with the Atlanta Dream later that day. The Sparks have signed Alyssa Ustby as an undrafted free agent. Welcome to Los Angeles, Alyssa! […]
UCLA Transfer Elina Aarnisalo Signs With UNC Women's Basketball
Guard Elina Aarnisalo, who spent her freshman season at UCLA, signed with head coach Courtney Banghart and the UNC women’s basketball program Tuesday morning. Aarnisalo has three seasons of collegiate eligibility remaining. Welcome to Blue Heaven 🙌 Excited to have Elina join the squad! pic.twitter.com/YmdCzPCHBs — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) April 15, 2025 Aarnisalo, originally […]
Louisville Transfer Nyla Harris Signs With UNC Women's Basketball
Nyla Harris, who spent the previous three seasons with Louisville, signed with head coach Courtney Banghart and the Tar Heels out of the transfer portal Friday morning. Harris will have one year of eligibility remaining. Lookin’ Good in Carolina Blue 🩵 Welcome Nyla! pic.twitter.com/ImiW7B5JBm — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) April 4, 2025 “Nyla is the […]
UNC's Trayanna Crisp Enters Transfer Portal After 1 Season in Chapel Hill
After spending her junior season with the UNC women’s basketball program, wing Trayanna Crisp has entered her name back into the transfer portal. Crisp transferred to Carolina in the 2024 offseason after playing her first two seasons at Arizona State. Crisp appeared in 28 games this season with one start, averaging 5.6 points, 1.5 rebounds […]
UNC Women's Basketball Falls to No. 2 Duke in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
UNC women’s basketball put up its worst offensive showing of the season in a 47-38 loss to No. 2 seed Duke in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 Friday afternoon in Birmingham, AL, ending Carolina’s tournament run. The poor showing came after an extremely bright start for the Tar Heels, who led 11-0 midway through the […]
UNC Women's Basketball in the 2025 NCAA Tournament: How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time
No. 3 seed UNC is headed to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 for the first time since 2022, and the Tar Heels will face No. 2 seed Duke in Birmingham, AL Friday for the right to advance to the regional finals Sunday. If you aren’t making the trip with the Tar Heels, here’s how to […]
Chansky's Notebook: Happening Again
UNC and Duke faced each other for the first time in the NCAA Tournament three years ago. It's happening again today with their women’s teams.
UNC Women's Basketball Opponent Breakdown: Duke
No. 3 seed UNC will face a familiar opponent in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 Friday afternoon: No. 2 seed Duke, which defeated No. 15 Lehigh and No. 10 Oregon to reach the regional semifinals. The Blue Devils are 28-7 overall this season and finished 14-4 in ACC play. Here’s a quick breakdown of Duke: […]
›