Even in a season full of winning, the UNC women’s basketball team still found a way to do something new Sunday afternoon. The Tar Heels earned their ninth consecutive victory to start the campaign, flattening UNC-Asheville in Carmichael Arena by a 107-46 score. It’s the first time Carolina has scored over 100 points since 2018.

The Tar Heels are now 9-0 for the first time under third-year head coach Courtney Banghart, and the first time since the 2014-15 season overall. Carolina has not started 10-0 since the 2010-11 season.

All five UNC starters scored in double figures, with sophomore forward Alyssa Ustby and sophomore guard Deja Kelly leading the charge with 19 points each. Sunday marked the ninth time in nine games to begin the season Kelly has scored at least 10 points. She is now averaging a team-leading 16.7 points per game.

Ustby added 14 rebounds with her 19 points to notch her fifth double-double of the season. Ustby also scorched the nets for 9-11 shooting on the afternoon, bringing her season field goal percentage to 53.9.

Hot shooting was the name of the game throughout the afternoon for the Tar Heels, as the team shook off an 11-24 start in the first quarter to shoot 32-49 the rest of the way, finishing at 58.9 percent. Meanwhile, the Carolina defense held the visitors to just 34.6 percent from the field. The 46 points allowed ensures UNC’s scoring defense will remain the nation’s top 10. Carolina has given up just 48.3 points per game this season. Sunday’s 61-point margin of victory was also Carolina’s largest of the year.

Carolina’s offense was particularly deadly from beyond the three-point line. The Tar Heels shot 11-20 from downtown against the Bulldogs, with graduate transfer Carlie Littlefield knocking down four of her five tries. She poured in a season-high 17 points. Carolina’s three-point shooting percentage now sits at 41.0, which also ranks in the nation’s top 10.

With the Tar Heels already ranking No. 2 in the NCAA’s NET system and No. 24 in the latest Coaches Poll, Sunday’s win will likely earn a few more points in the next iteration of each. Banghart’s team will have a chance to improve upon their 9-0 start Wednesday evening when Jacksonville visits Carmichael Arena. After that, ACC play begins with a road trip to Boston College on Sunday.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati

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
‹
UNC Basketball in the AP Poll: Men's and Women's Teams Both Drop in Latest Rankings
The UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams each dropped spots in the latest AP Poll Monday after both suffered losses during the week. The men dropped five spots from No. 11 to No. 16, while the women dropped one spot from No. 21 to No. 22. The men’s team’s previous ranking of No. 11 had […]
Chansky's Notebook: Different Challenges
David Glenn compares the situations of the UNC men's and women's basketball teams as both enter the home stretch of the regular season.
UNC Women's Basketball Sees Win Streak Snapped at No. 11 Duke
No. 11 Duke used a 13-0 run to take a 41-33 lead into halftime Sunday in Durham, and UNC couldn’t quite dig out of that hole in a 72-68 loss. The defeat snaps Carolina’s eight-game winning streak. Prior to the Blue Devil run, the Tar Heels had led by as many as six points midway […]
UNC Women's Basketball at Duke (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time
UNC will look to extend its eight-game winning streak Sunday afternoon when it visits No. 11 Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils are on a tear of their own, having won 15 consecutive games. If you aren’t attending the game in person, here’s how you can follow along at home: Broadcast Schedule Those […]
Hot Start Helps UNC Women's Basketball Romp Past SMU
UNC shot better than 70 percent in the first quarter and finished well above 50 percent for the game in a 94-42 win against SMU at Carmichael Arena Thursday night. The 52-point margin of victory is Carolina’s largest ever in an ACC game, and it was also the 400th win in the career of head […]
Chansky's Notebook: Banghart's Breakthrough?
Courtney Banghart and UNC will need to be at their best in the home stretch of the regular season if they want to break through in the ACC.
UNC Basketball in the AP Poll: Men Rise to No. 11, Women Rise to No. 21
After the UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams each picked up big wins last week, both squads have risen in the latest edition of the AP Poll. The men’s team rose three spots to No. 11, while the women’s team rose four spots to No. 21. For the men, No. 11 is the team’s highest […]
UNC Women's Basketball Cruises Past Wake Forest for 7th Straight Win
UNC used a 16-0 run in the first quarter to take control at Wake Forest Sunday afternoon and rolled from there to an 84-56 win against the Demon Deacons. It’s Carolina’s seventh win in a row and its 20th on the season. Keep it Rolling – 𝙎𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙉 Straight!@WellsFargo x #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/17TBFQQo3p — Carolina Women's Basketball […]
UNC Women's Basketball Grinds Past Clemson to Win 6th Straight Game
UNC’s defense held Clemson without a made basket for the final 9:01 of Thursday’s game at Carmichael Arena, and the Tar Heels rode that lockdown performance to a 53-44 win against the Tigers. Tigers 𝙏𝘼𝙈𝙀𝘿. Six straight wins!@WellsFargo x #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/MnAk9x3EC4 — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) February 6, 2026 In a game where neither team […]
Financial Report Shows UNC Athletics Operated at $15 Million Deficit in 2024-25 Year
The newest financial report from the UNC athletic department to the NCAA shows the department operated at a deficit of more than $15 million during the 2024-25 fiscal year. The department reported revenues of $172,951,034 and reported expenses of $187,967,260. The UNC athletic department had operated at a profit in each of the past three […]
›