The University of North Carolina women’s basketball team was close, but not close enough on Thursday night.

The Tar Heels failed to secure their second ACC win with a heartbreaking 80-77 loss in Chapel Hill to Wake Forest University (11-7, 2-3 ACC).

UNC is now 1-5 in the ACC and holds a 12-7 overall record.

In Wake Forest’s first win in Chapel Hill since 1991, junior Elisa Penna led the Demon Deacons with 23 points and eight rebounds.

Not unlike other games, sophomore Stephanie Watts and redshirt sophomore Paris Kea, produced for North Carolina.

Watts had 25 points and nine rebounds, while Kea added 21 points and three rebounds.

Things started well for UNC, as a hot first quarter helped North Carolina build a 29-22 lead. Watts scored 10 points in a row at one point, supplementing the team’s 58 percent shooting clip from the field in the first.

At the team’s peak, the Tar Heels had a 14-point lead about halfway through the second quarter. However, UNC allowed a Wake Forest 8-0 run, while also cooling down, scoring 15 points in the second.

At halftime, the Tar Heels led 44-38.

North Carolina nearly maintained that lead, as they had a 7-point advantage with about one minute remaining in the third quarter.

However, a close fourth quarter saw Wake Forest outscore UNC, 25-17.

With 15 seconds left, Wake Forest gained the lead and held onto it after a 3-pointer from sophomore Alex Sharp put her team up 75-72. The shot broke the quarter’s second tie.

The Demon Deacons scored the last five points of the game.

Overall, an advantage the Demon Deacons held over the Tar Heels was scoring points in the paint. Wake Forest held a 34-22 advantage for the game in that aspect.

Wake Forest also made 50 percent of its 3-point shots, while UNC made only 33 percent.

UNC will remain in Chapel Hill to play against a No. 6 Notre Dame team at twelve o’clock on Sunday afternoon.

Related Stories
‹
UNC's Announces Departure Of Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, Seeks Replacement
Jeffrey Bardzell, who was appointed as UNC’s chief artificial intelligence officer and vice provost for AI, will depart the university.
Tobacco Road South? Reviewing the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament in Duluth, Ga.
Instead of Greensboro, the ACC planted its basketball flag in Duluth, Ga. for its 2026 women's basketball tournament. How has it worked out?
February 28, 2026
This week, Dr. Deborah Stroman is joined by a retired Hall of Fame women's basketball coach, UVA's Debbie Ryan. They discuss her coaching history, the current state of the game, NIL, and wrap up by talking about the legacy of Coach Dean Smith.
Previewing the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament, UNC-Duke Rematch– Stroman on Sports (Feb. 27, 2026)
The Hill's Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell talk ACC hoops ahead of the final weekend of the regular season in women's college basketball.
No. 25 UNC Fends Off N.C. State for 61-59 Win, Banghart's First at Reynolds Coliseum
No. 25 UNC women's basketball used a third quarter surge to take the lead before escaping Raleigh with a 61-59 win over N.C. State.
'We Want Them To Feel Welcome': A Conversation with UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts, Part 2
UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts shares his thoughts on tenure delays, student visas, Bill Belichick, and the future of the Smith Center.
'It's Natural To Be Unsettled': A Conversation with UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts, Part 1
UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts shares his thoughts on federal funding cuts, academic freedom, and the public role of higher education.
Kelly, No. 15 UNC Women's Basketball Hand No. 19 Cal First Home Loss of Season
No. 15 UNC women’s basketball started its trip out west with a win on Thursday night, as the Tar Heels’ defense powered them to a 65-52 over No. 19 California. It was the Golden Bears’ first loss in Haas Pavilion this season, and keeps Carolina undefeated on the road in ACC play. Sophomore guard Reniya […]
UNC Men's and Women's Basketball Unveil Their 2023-24 ACC Schedules
The final pieces of the scheduling puzzle for UNC’s basketball programs fell into place on Tuesday, as the Atlantic Coast Conference released the schedules for 2023-24 conference play. The Carolina men’s and women’s teams joined the other 14 teams in seeing their schedules revealed during an ACC Network special Tuesday night, rounding out their games […]
Kelly, Ustby Pick Up Preseason Awards; UNC Women's BBall Predicted 5th in ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference has recently fielded some strong women’s basketball programs, with UNC looking to break into the competitive upper-tier. Heading into the 2022-23 season, media members throughout the conference are predicting this may indeed be the year. The ACC released its preseason predictions from voting media on Wednesday, with the Tar Heels listed […]
›