All five starters scored in double figures for the UNC women’s basketball team on Thursday night in Charlottesville, as the Tar Heels rolled to a 65-47 victory over the Virginia Cavaliers.

Junior forward Janelle Bailey led the charge with 16 points and five rebounds, while senior guard Medinah Muhammad was just behind with 11 points of her own. Malu Tshitenge, Shayla Bennett and Taylor Koenen each added 10 points apiece.

This win was UNC’s first win in its ACC road opener since the 2013-14 season, and it moves head coach Courtney Banghart’s team to 11-2 overall and 2-0 inside the ACC. Virginia, meanwhile, falls to 5-8 with an 0-2 mark in conference play.

Thursday’s game was ultimately decided in the second quarter, where they outscored the Cavaliers 25-6 to take a commanding 14-point halftime lead. UNC hit six of its eight three-pointers in that quarter alone and never relinquished the lead the rest of the way.

Defensively, the Tar Heels recorded 12 steals and forced Virginia to turn the ball over 21 times–another statistic that helped swing the outcome of the game.

“Every win in the ACC is a tough one – our players know that better than me,” Banghart said. “To go on the road and play a team that has played the best schedule in the country is hard. We knew it was going to be a fight on every possession and it was.”

Up Next:

The Tar Heels will look to make it three consecutive wins to open ACC competition as they stay in the state of Virginia to take on Virginia Tech this Sunday at 2 p.m. on the ACC Network.

 

 

FINAL BOX SCORE

 

 

 

 

Photo via UNC Athletics