The UNC women’s basketball team earned its first ACC victory of the season in upset fashion on Thursday night at Carmichael Arena, defeating the No. 18 Syracuse Orange by a score of 92-68.

Senior forward Janelle Bailey led the team with a season-high 25 points and eight rebounds in just 24 minutes of action, while freshman point guard Deja Kelly added a career-high 22 points and eight assists.

The Tar Heels (6-2, 1-2 ACC) also received 21 points from graduate transfer Petra Holešínská and 10 more from freshman Alyssa Ustby, as those four players combined for 78 of UNC’s 92 total points in the game.

By the end of the first quarter, the Tar Heels held a 21-9 lead and would go on to lead by double digits the rest of the way.

Syracuse (4-1, 1-1 ACC) shot just 29 percent from the field, which played a large part in UNC’s success–since the Tar Heels shot 47 percent on the other end.

This represents UNC’s first win over a ranked team since beating No. 9 NC State in January of 2020.

Up Next:

The Tar Heels will host Wake Forest on Sunday in a rematch of a game won by the Demon Deacons earlier this month. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.

 

 

FINAL BOX SCORE

 

 

 

Photo via Dana Gentry (UNC Athletics)

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

Related Stories
‹
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.
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 […]
Stroman on Sports: Women's Basketball in the ACC
Dr. Debbie Stroman joins 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell to discuss the start of women's basketball season and the landscape around the ACC. Stroman shares her thoughts on the Triangle's three programs, the competitiveness of the conference and a remarkable coaching streak potentially coming to an end.
No. 23 Syracuse Hands UNC Women's Basketball Third Consecutive Loss
Playing on the road Tuesday afternoon, the UNC women’s basketball team suffered a 88-76 loss to the No. 23 Syracuse Orange — the team’s third loss in a row. The Tar Heels (7-5, 2-5 ACC) held a 66-61 lead entering the fourth quarter, but Syracuse outscored UNC 27-9 in the final period to come out […]
UNC Women's Basketball Announces Two Schedule Changes
A pair of schedule changes were announced Tuesday for the UNC women’s basketball team, which has become quite familiar with moving games around over the last month. The first of those changes is a game against Syracuse scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 19 at noon. That game was originally scheduled to be played on Dec. 31 […]
COVID-19 Issues at Syracuse and Duke Forces UNC Women's Basketball to Change Schedule
The ACC announced Monday that the scheduled women’s basketball game between UNC and Syracuse on Dec. 31 has been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols related to a positive test within the Syracuse program. In place of the game against Syracuse, UNC will now travel to face No. 2 Louisville at noon on Jan. 1. The […]
UNC Women's Basketball Scores Upset Victory Over No. 18 Syracuse
The UNC women’s basketball team earned its first ACC victory of the season in upset fashion on Thursday night at Carmichael Arena, defeating the No. 18 Syracuse Orange by a score of 92-68. Senior forward Janelle Bailey led the team with a season-high 25 points and eight rebounds in just 24 minutes of action, while […]
›