UNC outscored West Virginia 34-25 in the second half to fight past the No. 6 seed Mountaineers at a raucous Carmichael Arena to win 58-47 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Monday night. The Tar Heels will move on to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2022 and the 19th time overall.
HOW 𝗦𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗧.#InPursuit x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/GDAVMbv99J
— Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) March 25, 2025
“I just am over-filled with pride for this group,” said head coach Courtney Banghart after the game. “If you think about what Carmichael looked like tonight, and how many people have wrapped their arms around this team and willed us to wherever we need to be… they showed up for us. That was one of the better environments anyone has ever played in. That’s a night I will remember for a long time.”
Playing for the final time on her home court, Alyssa Ustby led all scorers with 21 points and added seven rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Lexi Donarski and Reniya Kelly each added 11 points.
On the other end, the UNC defense limited West Virginia star guard J.J. Quinerly to just eight points on 2-12 shooting. Quinerly, who entered the night averaging more than 20 points per game, had not scored fewer than 10 points in a game all season, and had eclipsed 20 in each of the Mountaineers’ previous five contests.
“We knew our defense was one of the best in the country,” said Indya Nivar, who was one of several Tar Heels to guard Quinerly during the game. “Everybody on our team takes accountability… it wasn’t a one-person job at all.”
It was that defensive effort which helped UNC pull away from the Mountaineers in the second half. The Tar Heels led 24-21 at halftime, but West Virginia nosed in front 35-33 in the third quarter with eight unanswered points. Carolina responded with a 9-0 spurt, capped off by four straight points from Ustby. After that run, West Virginia would make only two more shots from the floor for the final 11:18 of game time. Six of the Mountaineers’ nine points in the fourth quarter came on free throws.
“That’s a really good team,” Banghart said of the Mountaineers, “but I was tired of hearing about their defense… why was no one talking about our defense?”
For the game, UNC held West Virginia to just 13-54 (24.1 percent) shooting overall. The Mountaineers’ two made three-pointers (on 21 attempts) tied a season-low for threes allowed by the Tar Heels. Monday’s game also marked the second game in a row and 10th time this season UNC has held an opponent to fewer than 50 points.
After the win had been secured, Ustby celebrated her final win on her home floor with a jubilant show of emotion: the fifth-year senior jumped onto the scorer’s table.
“[The fans] have been a part of my journey for so long and have trusted me as a player to develop,” Ustby said, “because I didn’t come in as a star player… I know that’s a moment that I’m going to cherish for so long.”
“We’ve had great crowds here over the last two years or so,” said Banghart. “This one felt different.”
The win improves UNC to 29-7 overall this season. The No. 3 Tar Heels will face No. 2 seed Duke in the Sweet 16 in the Birmingham, AL, Friday. The teams split their first two meetings this season.
Featured image via Associated Press/Ben McKeown
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines