The UNC women’s basketball team overcame a historically low offensive output and a seven-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat No. 11 Duke 45-41 Sunday afternoon in Durham. The 45 points scored are the fewest in a win in program history. The victory was also Carolina’s second straight at Cameron Indoor Stadium and secured its second consecutive regular-season sweep of the Blue Devils.

Both teams were stuck in the offensive mud for most of the game, as the Tar Heels scored just eight points apiece in the first and second quarters. Duke wasn’t much better, scoring just six points in the second after 14 in the first to take a 20-16 lead into halftime.

Carolina was slightly better in the third quarter, using five points from Alyssa Ustby to claw back into the game and level the score at 29 heading into the final 10 minutes. UNC shot just 35.7 percent in the period, but it was still an improvement over its marks in the first (28.6) and second (33.3) quarters.

Duke appeared primed to pull away as the fourth quarter began, scoring the first seven points to tie its largest lead of the game at 36-29. The Tar Heels didn’t necessarily light the arena on fire in their comeback attempt, but got back into the game by virtue of a jumper from Ustby and four free throws from Paulina Paris.

Kennedy Todd-Williams evened the score with a three-pointer at the 2:22 mark. It was one of only three threes the Tar Heels hit all day. Todd-Williams then gave Carolina the lead at the foul line, a lead which expanded to four after Deja Kelly scored and was fouled with 1:16 left. Duke cut the 43-38 Carolina lead down to two points with 37 seconds remaining, but two more free throws from Kelly sealed the low-scoring win.

Carolina’s field goal percentage of 34.1 is its second-lowest in a game this season, “topped” only by its 29.7 mark in a win against NC State on January 15. Impressively, the Tar Heels have managed a 5-6 record this season when shooting under 40 percent from the field.

Even more impressive: Sunday’s win over the Blue Devils is Carolina’s sixth against a ranked team this season, and gives the program 20 regular-season wins for the second straight year under head coach Courtney Banghart.

The Tar Heels will be the No. 7 seed at next week’s ACC Tournament in Greensboro. They finished tied with Miami at 11-7 in ACC play, but lost the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Hurricanes. The complete tournament schedule will be released once all of Sunday’s conference games are final.

 

Featured image via The Daily Tar Heel/Ellen Robinson

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