NC State Smothers UNC Women’s Basketball in ACC Semifinals

Carolina couldn’t find a way through a stingy NC State defense Saturday afternoon in the ACC semifinals in Greensboro, as the Tar Heels posted their worst shooting day of the season in a 66-55 loss to the top-seeded Wolfpack.

“We just didn’t play very well,” said head coach Courtney Banghart after the game. “You can’t not play well in March… we just weren’t good enough today.”

NC State used a 21-0 run in the first half to take an early 16-point lead and led by as many as 17 points in the second quarter. UNC closed to within seven points at 33-26 at halftime but never got closer than that. The Wolfpack successfully kept the Tar Heels at arm’s length for the rest of the game and led by as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter.

UNC finished just 17-61 (27.9 percent) from the field and missed its final six shots. The 17 made field goals are tied for a season-low in a single game, while the field goal percentage is comfortably the worst in 34 games this season. The Tar Heels had not shot below 30 percent in any game.

Indya Nivar finished as UNC’s leading scorer with 13 points, all of which came in the fourth quarter. Maria Gakdeng finished with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, but no other Tar Heel reached double figures. Notably, starting guard Reniya Kelly finished with just two points and no assists. For NC State, Aziaha James finished with 19 points.

The loss drops UNC to 27-7 overall on the season. The Tar Heels will now await their NCAA Tournament bid, which will be announced Sunday, March 16. Carolina is projected to be a No. 4 seed in the tournament, which would mean the Tar Heels would host a group of four teams at Carmichael Arena. Carmichael has not hosted an NCAA Tournament game since 2015.

“We should get a cut of the taxes,” Banghart said, “because we’re helping the cost of living in the area just with how much on fire women’s basketball is and the investment people are making in women’s basketball. It’s remarkable.”

Featured image via Associated Press/Ben McKeown

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 newsletter.

‹

UNC Women's Basketball in the ACC Tournament: How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time

The No. 16 UNC women’s basketball team will begin its ACC Tournament journey in Greensboro Friday morning. Carolina is seeded No. 4 in the tournament and received one of four double-byes in the bracket. Their first game will come against No. 5 seed Virginia Tech, who defeated No. 13 seed Clemson on Wednesday to reach […]

UNC Men's Basketball in the 2026 ACC Tournament: How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Times

The 2026 ACC Tournament will take place in Charlotte this week. UNC received a double bye into Thursday’s quarterfinal round as the No. 4 seed in the field. The Tar Heels are seeking their first tournament title since 2016. If you aren’t following the team to Charlotte, here’s how you can follow along at home: […]

UNC Basketball in the AP Poll: Women Up to No. 15, Men Down to No. 19

Both the UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams made moves in the most recent AP Polls, which were released Monday. The women’s team moved up one spot to No. 15, while the men’s team slipped two spots to No. 19. On the men’s side, the Tar Heels dropped after splitting their final two games of […]

UNC Women's Basketball Falls to Louisville in ACC Tournament Semifinals

UNC finished with nearly as many turnovers as made baskets against Louisville Saturday in the ACC Tournament semifinals, falling to the Cardinals 65-57. After posting a 29-point quarter against Virginia Tech in the quarterfinals Friday night, Carolina managed no more than 17 points in any quarter Saturday. Despite the offensive struggles, UNC remained close thanks […]

UNC Women's Basketball in the 2026 ACC Tournament: How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Times

Carolina will play in the 2026 ACC Tournament this week in Duluth, GA. The Tar Heels are the No. 3 seed in the field and will play their semifinal game Saturday. For a look at the full tournament bracket, click here. If you aren’t traveling to Georgia with the team, here’s how you can follow […]

UNC Women's Basketball Advances Past Virginia Tech into ACC Tournament Semifinals

Lanie Grant scored a career-high 21 points and Nyla Harris recorded her fifth double-double of the season as No. 3 seed UNC beat No. 6 seed Virginia Tech 85-68 in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals in Duluth, GA Friday night. The Tar Heels are into the semifinal round for the second consecutive season. See ya in […]

Here's the Complete Bracket for the 2026 ACC Women's Basketball Tournament

The 2026 ACC women’s basketball tournament begins Wednesday at Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA and runs through Sunday. UNC is the No. 3 seed in the field and is seeking its first ACC tournament title since 2008. Duke is the defending tournament champion and the No. 1 seed in this year’s field. Check out […]

UNC Women's Basketball at Texas (2025): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time

UNC will head to Austin Thursday night to take on No. 2 Texas as part of the ACC-SEC Challenge. It’s the first meeting between the Tar Heels and Longhorns in women’s basketball since 1981. If you aren’t making the trip with the team, here’s how you can follow along at home: Broadcast Schedule Those hoping […]

Here's the Complete Bracket for the 2025 ACC Women's Basketball Tournament

The 2025 ACC women’s basketball tournament begins Wednesday in Greensboro and runs through Sunday. Check out the full bracket below, which will be updated throughout the week! Tickets for the tournament can be purchased through the ACC’s official ticket webpage. Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. […]

NC State Smothers UNC Women's Basketball in ACC Semifinals

Carolina couldn’t find a way through a stingy NC State defense Saturday afternoon in the ACC semifinals in Greensboro, as the Tar Heels posted their worst shooting day of the season in a 66-55 loss to the top-seeded Wolfpack. “We just didn’t play very well,” said head coach Courtney Banghart after the game. “You can’t […]

›