Carolina held SMU to its worst offensive performance of the season Thursday night in Dallas, as the Tar Heels flattened the Mustangs in a 64-33 win.

Alyssa Ustby led the way with her eighth double-double of the year, scoring 12 points to go along with a career-high-tying 18 rebounds. Lexi Donarski finished as Carolina’s leading scorer with 15 points, all of which came on a season-high-tying five made three-pointers.

Carolina trailed for just 1:59 of game time, falling behind 3-0 but responding with a 9-0 run to build a 13-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. The six points were the fewest allowed by the Tar Heels in a quarter this season. UNC then held SMU to just eight points in the second quarter and led 31-14 at halftime.

The Mustangs’ 33 points scored are by far their fewest of the season. Entering Thursday’s game, SMU hadn’t scored fewer than 56 in any game all season. Carolina’s defense effectively silenced Nya Robertson, the leading scorer for the Mustangs; after entering the evening averaging more than 20 points per game, Robertson finished with a mere five on 1-19 shooting. Robertson missed more shots by herself (18) than the entire Mustangs team made all night (12). SMU’s 12 made field goals tie a season low given up by the UNC defense, and its 19.4 shooting percentage sets a new season low for the Tar Heels. Carolina blocked six shots and forced 21 Mustang turnovers, which led to 20 Tar Heel points. It’s the fourth straight game in which UNC has forced at least 20 turnovers.

The Tar Heels remain a perfect 3-0 in true road environments this season. Carolina has won its first two road matchups in ACC play for the first time since the 2013-14 season, when the team reached the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight.

Carolina’s record moves to 16-3 overall and 4-2 in ACC play. The Tar Heels will continue their road trip when they visit Pitt on Sunday at 2 p.m.

 

Featured image via AP Photo/LM Otero

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