University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
8-1,0-0ACC
#14 Kentucky
7-1,0-0SEC
No. 16 WBB Topples No. 14 Kentucky In SEC/ACC Challenge
December 5, 2024 | Women's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 16 North Carolina women's basketball jumped on No. 14 Kentucky from tipoff, handing the Wildcats their first loss of the season as Carolina picked up its fifth straight win, 72-53 from Carmichael Arena on Thursday night. UNC picked up its first ranked win of the season by taking down the Wildcats in the second annual SEC/ACC Challenge.
North Carolina (8-1) earned its first ranked win over a non-conference opponent at home since 2014, as Kentucky (7-1) was held to its fewest amount of points in a single-game this season. Under head coach Courtney Banghart, the Tar Heels are now 31-2 against non-conference opponents at home as she earned her 11th win over an AP Top-15 opponent.
In a night full of milestones, Reniya Kelly was unstoppable with a season-high 18 points and tied a career-high with six assists. Shooting lights out from deep, Kelly was perfect from beyond the arc going 3-of-3. Surpassing the 1,000 career-point threshold, Maria Gakdeng boasted a season-best 16 points and snagged a team-best nine rebounds. Rounding out the Tar Heels in double-figures, Alyssa Ustby's 13 points moved her into 25th place on Carolina's all-time scoring list with a total of 1,539 total career points.
Coming out hot from the opening tip, North Carolina ran off to a 12-2 scoring blitz within the first five minutes. The Tar Heel defense proved its prowess early, holding the Wildcats scoreless for multiple spurts in the first quarter to snag an early 21-16 lead.
Going to work in the paint, UNC utilized the inside as Gakdeng proved to be a reliable scoring option. Eliminating the deep ball as an option for the Wildcats, Carolina held the Tar Heels to a mere nine points in the second quarter to maintain its lead heading into the half, 36-25.
Both teams traded blows back and forth at the start of the second half, until quick back-to-back buckets from Ustby and Crisp extended the Carolina lead to double-figures once again.
With under six minutes to play, four triples from Kentucky in the opening of the fourth quarter cut the Carolina lead to nine. Kelly refused to let up, propelling the Tar Heels on a 6-0 run to shut the door on the Wildcats and earn its first ranked win of the season, 72-53.
The Tar Heels return to Carmichael Arena on Sunday, hosting Coppin State for Carolina's annual book drive. Tip against the Eagles is set for 2 p.m. ET, streaming on ACCNX.
