Duke got the best of the University of North Carolina women’s basketball team on Thursday night, as the Tar Heels fell to the No. 13 Blue Devils in Durham with a 70-58 loss.

On the UNC side, redshirt sophomore Paris Kea led the team with 16 points and six rebounds. Sophomore Stephanie Watts closely followed in points, with 15, while also contributing 11 rebounds.

It was the 16th time Watts has scored in double digits in 17 games. With the completion of her ninth double-double this season, Watts leads the ACC.

Leaonna Odom led Duke (15-2) with 15 points and seven rebounds.

The game started out on even footing, with Duke leading 18-17 after the first period.

The downfall for UNC (12-5) came in the second, when the Tar Heels were outscored 20-4 in what otherwise would have been a close game.

During that period, North Carolina went 1-for-14 in field goal attempts, shooting an abysmal seven percent, while Duke held a 47 percent clip throughout the entire first half. Entering halftime, Duke led 36-21.

As for the rest of the game, the most Duke outscored UNC in a period was the one point lead the Blue Devils gained after the first period.

Despite trailing 42-57 entering the final period, the Tar Heels were not deterred, as they outscored the Blue Devils 16-13. UNC also increased the tempo, shooting about 47 percent in the second half, compared to the first half’s 29 percent.

However, North Carolina’s improved efforts were not enough to overcome their disastrous second period.

A major problem for the Tar Heels came in the form of missed 3-pointers. In 26 attempts, UNC found the net only four times. Combine that with making only 57 percent of the team’s free-throws in the game and UNC will find it difficult to beat competitive conference opponents.

UNC next plays in Pennsylvania for a conference game against Pitt on Sunday, Jan. 15 at two o’clock p.m. for a quick turnaround.

Related Stories
‹
UNC women's basketball finds new sources of production in win over Marshall
The University of North Carolina women’s basketball team played their last game before final exams, on Wednesday night – a 75-53 win over Marshall University. A different dynamic duo took over the game, as junior guard Jamie Cherry and sophomore guard Destinee Walker offensively led the team. Cherry scored a game-high 19 points, while Walker […]
Paris Kea leads UNC to win over Elon
The University of North Carolina women’s basketball team was not engaged in a blowout on Sunday like the men’s team, but instead played to a tight 78-73 win against Elon University. On the Tar Heels’ side, redshirt sophomore Paris Kea led the team with 20 points. She rounded out her performance with six rebounds and […]
UNC loses final regular season game to Duke
On Sunday afternoon head coach Sylvia Hatchell did not get the birthday present she had hoped for, but instead her team was served a 93-57 blowout loss to Duke University in Carmichael Arena. Freshman Stephanie Watts led North Carolina with 18 points in UNC’s final game of the regular season. In addition, freshman Destinee Walker […]
Former UNC Coach Sylvia Hatchell Cited in Death of Elderly Woman
Former UNC women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell has been cited with a misdemeanor in her involvement with a pedestrian collision in Durham on Monday. Durham Police cited Hatchell, who coached at UNC from 1986 to 2019, with a misdemeanor death by vehicle and unsafe movement violation, according to a news release by the department. Authorities said the […]
UNC Women's BBall Begins Practice, Banghart Settles In to New School
It’s the first season in many years where the UNC women’s basketball team is being led by a different head coach. As the players adjust to new leadership, head coach Courtney Banghart is settling into her new position and school too. Banghart led the team’s first official practice with lots of energy and passionate instruction […]
Sylvia Hatchell Resigns As UNC Women's Basketball Coach Following Investigation
Sylvia Hatchell has resigned as UNC’s women’s basketball head coach, athletic director Bubba Cunningham announced Thursday evening. Hatchell’s resignation comes after the entire women’s basketball coaching staff was placed on paid leave earlier this month amid a review of the program. The review, which was conducted by Charlotte-based firm Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, included […]
UNC Women's Basketball Staff Placed on Paid Leave Amid Review of Program
UNC has announced that it has placed Sylvia Hatchell and the women’s basketball coaching staff on paid administrative leave while a review of program takes place. In a statement, the university said that the Charlotte-based firm Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein will conduct a “review and assess the culture of the women’s basketball program and […]
Paris Kea: 'The Crowd Was Absolutely Amazing, Carmichael Was Literally Shaking'
With a win over No. 1 Notre Dame, UNC women’s basketball snapped a 198 game losing streak for unranked opponents against the top team in the country. It was also a special day for head coach Sylvia Hatchell, who announced to her team before the game that she was going to be a grandmother. “So […]
Victory Over No. 1 Notre Dame Lends Credibility to Sylvia Hatchell's Message for UNC
UNC women’s basketball earned a program-defining victory over the weekend when the Tar Heels defeated No. 1 Notre Dame in Chapel Hill. Led by 30 points from star guard Paris Kea, who was named ESPNW’s National Player of the Week, Carolina stretched its lead to double-digits before Notre Dame tied it up late in the […]
November 15, 2018: Tar Heel Women's Basketball!
After a couple down years, UNC women's basketball is back on the rise for 2018-19. Aaron chats with the team's new play-by-play announcer, Matt Krause, ahead of our first broadcast (Sunday at 3:00!).
›