No. 2 South Carolina led by as many as 20 points on its way to a 91-82 win against UNC in a preseason exhibition in Atlanta Thursday night. The Tar Heels will open their regular season Monday.

Neither Reniya Kelly nor Blanca Thomas played in the game for UNC, but head coach Courtney Banghart still played 11 different players against the Gamecocks. Indya Nivar and Louisville transfer Nyla Harris tied for the team lead with 14 points, with Harris registering a double-double by grabbing a team-best 10 rebounds. Harris’ six made field goals were also the most on the team. Ciera Toomey added 11 points and eight rebounds, while freshman Nyla Brooks scored 12 points and grabbed seven boards off the bench. Lanie Grant scored 10 points.

UNC 7-2 early, but South Carolina quickly asserted control and led 26-19 at the end of the first quarter and 49-38 at halftime. The lead grew to 75-60 by the end of the third quarter and ballooned to 20 points at 87-67 in the fourth before the Tar Heels whittled it back to single digits.

The Gamecocks had their way inside the three-point line, finishing the game 30-50 (60 percent) on two-point shots. South Carolina’s 91 points are more than UNC gave up in any game last season. The Tar Heels have not allowed an opponent to score 90 points in an official game since February 16, 2020, during Banghart’s first season as head coach.

The Tar Heels’ regular-season opener is scheduled for Monday, November 3 at 11 a.m. in Carmichael Arena when UNC hosts North Carolina Central.

 

Featured image via Associated Press/Gerry Broome

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.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Women's Basketball Falls to No. 1 UConn in NCAA Sweet 16
UNC could not generate enough offense to run with No. 1 UConn in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 in Fort Worth, TX Friday evening, falling to the undefeated Huskies 63-42. The Tar Heels’ season is over in the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year. The Tar Heels struggled against a suffocating UConn defense all […]
UNC Women's Basketball in the 2026 NCAA Tournament: How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Times
Carolina will compete in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season. The Tar Heels will face No. 1 overall seed and defending champion UConn in Fort Worth, TX Friday. If you aren’t attending the game in person, here’s how you can follow along at home: Broadcast Schedule Those hoping to […]
UNC Women's Basketball NCAA Tournament Opponent Breakdown: UConn
UNC will play in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 for the second consecutive season Friday in Fort Worth, TX. If Carolina wants to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 2014, it will have to spring a major upset over the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed and defending champion: UConn. The Huskies are […]
Chansky's Notebook: On the Rise
Courtney Banghart has the pieces in place to take the UNC women's basketball program to the next level in the coming years.
UNC Women's Basketball Beats No. 5 Seed Maryland to Advance to NCAA Sweet 16
No. 4 seed UNC outscored No. 5 Maryland 24-16 in the fourth quarter and beat the Terrapins 74-66 in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 at Carmichael Arena Sunday afternoon. The Tar Heels now advance to the tournament’s Sweet 16, which will be played in Fort Worth, TX next week. SO 𝙎𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙏. pic.twitter.com/ZfyaHTTQsx — Carolina […]
UNC Women's Basketball NCAA Tournament Opponent Breakdown: Maryland
No. 4 seed UNC will face No. 5 seed Maryland Sunday at Carmichael Arena with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line. The winner will play in the regional semifinals in Fort Worth, TX next week. Carolina is seeking its second consecutive trip to the Sweet 16. The Terrapins defeated No. 12 seed […]
UNC Women's Basketball Throttles Western Illinois in NCAA Tournament 1st Round
UNC’s defense limited Western Illinois to just 17 made shots in 40 minutes as the No. 4 seeded Tar Heels defeated the No. 13 Leathernecks 82-51 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday in Carmichael Arena. It’s Carolina’s fifth consecutive win in the tournament’s Round of 64 under head coach Courtney Banghart. Round […]
UNC Women's Basketball NCAA Tournament Opponent Breakdown: Western Illinois
Carolina will host NCAA Tournament action at Carmichael Arena for the second consecutive season this weekend. And it all begins for the No. 4 seed Tar Heels with a matchup against No. 13 seed Western Illinois Friday. The Leathernecks enter the tournament with a 26-5 overall record and won the Ohio Valley Conference championship. Here’s […]
UNC Women's Basketball Signee Kate Harpring Named National High School Player of the Year
Incoming UNC women’s basketball signee Kate Harpring was named the 2026 Naismith Girls’ High School Player of the Year Tuesday. Harpring will join the Tar Heels for the 2026-27 season. Crown 𝗛𝗘𝗥. 👑 pic.twitter.com/EqMDaR949n — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) March 17, 2026 The award comes after Harpring led Marist Academy in Atlanta to its second […]
Chansky's Notebook: The Reward
As it turns out, UNC women’s basketball fans will get at least one more look at the Tar Heels on their home floor.
›