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 game.

A critical three-pointer by Leah Church broke the tie with 1:25 remaining and put Sylvia Hatchell’s squad ahead for good.

“I think for the team this year, it gives credibility to what Coach Hatchell’s been saying all season long,” said play-by-play announcer Matt Krause.

“From preseason practice, she says this is a talented group. This is a group that is as talented as some of the team she’s had in the past that have gone deep into the NCAA tournament, that have won the whole thing in ’94, that have been to the Final Four in the middle of the last decade.

“But it’s just a matter of putting it all together, playing with that passion, playing with that energy and being able to get the results to show that talent and now they’ve got the credibility in her words of saying you guys are talented because they’ve gone out and done it.”

Sitting at 12-9 overall and 3-4 in ACC play, UNC has experienced a few close loses to go along with this historic upset. The Tar Heels started out conference play 0-3, including a one-point loss to Florida State at home.

However, this win against the top-ranked Fighting Irish gives the Tar Heels momentum. Krause said it was the late-game effort from UNC that ultimately sealed the victory.

“It was Carolina that looked like the team that was better prepared, more cohesive down the stretch.”

Notre Dame was without Jackie Young, a starting guard who went down with an ankle injury during practice, but the Fighting Irish turned the ball over 20 times overall and several times during the closing minutes of the game.

Up next for Carolina is a Thursday night matchup against Georgia Tech, a critical game if the Tar Heels wish to return to .500 in league play.

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