University of North Carolina Athletics
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Columbia
Women's Basketball Wraps Cancun Challenge With Showdown Against Columbia
November 28, 2025 | Women's Basketball
NO. 12/10 NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (7-1, 0-0 ACC)
Head Coach: Courtney Banghart (Dartmouth, 2000)
Record at North Carolina: 132-65 (7th season)
Career Record: 386-168 (19th season)
COLUMBIA LIONS (4-3, 0-0 IVY LEAGUE)
Head Coach: Megan Griffith (Columbia, 2007)
Record at Columbia: 150-94
Career Record: Same
TIPPING OFF
• The Tar Heels wrap up their time in Cancun taking on Ivy League power in Columbia on Saturday. The two schools meet for the first time, as Carolina looks to make it 10 straight wins over unranked opponents on a neutral floor.
• A balanced team attack led Carolina to a win over Kansas State on Friday, as UNC dished out 21 assists on 30 made field goals. Defeating the Wildcats, 85-73, Carolina picked up its first win over a Power Four team this season.
• Finding her footing from deep, Lanie Grant matched her career high with four made threes en route to a season and team-high 15 points.
• Nyla Harris got it done in the paint for Carolina against the Wildcats, scoring a season-best 12 points.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Coming off of a 2024-25 season where Columbia earned its first NCAA Tournament win, the Lions currently sit at 4-3 overall.
The Lions are currently 2-2 in their last four games with wins over Binghamton and South Dakota State.
Columbia was selected to finish second in the Ivy League preseason poll, earning three first place votes.
One of the best teams in the nation off the offensive glass, Columbia came into the weekend averaging 16.8 offensive boards per game to rank 22nd nationally.
SERIES HISTORY VS. COLUMBIA
Saturday marks the first meeting between the two schools in program history.
Carolina has not squared off against an Ivy League squad since taking on Yale in 2019.
CAROLINA IN MTE'S
For the second straight season, the Tar Heels grab their passports and head international for their MTE.
Under Banghart, the Tar Heels have claimed four multi-team event titles, the last being in 2024 at the Battle4Atlantis.
In MTE games in the Banghart era, UNC is 12-2 overall.
TAR HEELS IN MEXICO
Returning to Cancun for the first time since 2019, Carolina looks to continue its winning ways in Mexico.
In the first year under Banghart, the Tar Heels defeated Temple and Missouri to go 2-0 in paradise.
LAST TIME OUT
The three-ball powered Carolina past Kansas State, 85-73 on Saturday.
As a squad, the Tar Heels knocked down 14 triples with Nyla Brooks and Lanie Grant leading the way with four each.
Grant posted a season-high 15 points, while four Tar Heels wrapped the day in double figures.
THREES ON THREES ON THREES
When Carolina shoots from beyond the arc, there's a high chance its going in. Against Kansas State the Tar Heels knocked down 14 made triples.
The mark tied the program record, which had been previously set 11 times. By knocking down 14 triples against the Wildcats, it marked the third time under Banghart in which Carolina reached the threshold.
Carolina's performance against Kansas State from deep also set a new standard. With four straight games with 10 or more triples, its the first time dating back to at least 2003 where the Tar Heels have achieved the feat.
SHARING IS CARING
There's no I in team and the Tar Heels are certainly proving so.
Against Kansas State, Carolina matched its season high with 21 helpers.
In the last three games, Carolina has dished out 20 or more assists which tied the longest streak since the start of the 2011-12 season.
Indya Nivar dished out a career-high seven dimes, the most by any Tar Heel this season.
HISTORY - WRITTEN
In a historic performance, Indya Nivar's triple-double of 13 points, 12 rebounds and 10 rebounds marked the second triple-double in the rich history of Carolina women's basketball.
Nivar joins former teammate Alyssa Ustby as the only two Tar Heels to achieve the feat.
Her 10 steals also etched her name again in the Carolina record books, matching the program single-game record set by Pam Leake in 1995. Nivar is one of four players nationally this year to snag double-figure steals in a game.
Nivar is the first ACC player to record a triple-double this season, and the 49th in the the history of the conference.
By recording a triple-double with steals, Nivar is the fourth to accomplish the feat in the history of the league.
FIRING ON ALL cylinders
The offense is rocking and rolling for Carolina, scoring 80+ points in the last five games.
It's the longest 80+ scoring streak since the first five games of the 2020-21 season.
RAINING THREES
The three-ball is flying for the Tar Heels, as Carolina has knocked down 10 or more in each of their last three games.
Its the first time in the Banghart era that Carolina has achieved the feat.
Nyla Brooks is leading this charge, shooting 15-of-27 from deep in her last three outings.
SHE'S JUST A FRESHMAN
With the confidence Nyla Brooks brings to the court, she has already asserted herself as one of the nation's top freshmen.
Posting a performance of perfection against UNCG, Brooks scored a career-high 18 points while shooting 7-of-7 from the field and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.
Brooks' outing vs. the Spartans propelled her to earn her first ACC Freshman of the Week honors on Nov. 24. She's the first freshman to pick up the honor for Carolina since the 2023 season. Overall, Carolina leads the ACC with 84 Freshmen of the Week selections.
Her scoring has remained consistent, as she's the first freshman Tar Heel to score in double figures in five of her first six games since Jocelyn Jones and Janelle Bailey both did so in 2017.
CT'S COMING
The development of Ciera Toomey has been undeniable, as the redshirt-sophomore's work in the offseason is now shining.
Posting a career-high 19 points against UNCG, Toomey also dished out a career-best four assists.
Toomey's presence in the paint is assisting Carolina to post an average of 42.0 points per game in the paint.
RIGHT ON TARGET
The shots were falling against UNCG, as Carolina ended up shooting 39-of-59 from the field for a percentage of 66.1%.
This mark ranked No. 2 in a single-game field goal percentage at UNC and holds the record in the Banghart era.
WINNING IS A TRADITION
Throughout the history of North Carolina women's basketball, it has boasted 30 20-win seasons.
A win on over South Dakota State gave Carolina its 1,100 program victory. The Tar Heels became the 17th Division I women's program to reach the mark and the third in the ACC.
DEFENSE ON LOCK
Holding yet another opponent under 50 points in keeping South Dakota State to 48 points, Carolina has now held 456points under 50 in the Banghart era.
So far this year, Carolina has held four of its eight opponents under 50 points. Last season, UNC held 11 opponents under the mark.
BROOKS LOVES THE DEEP BALL
Making a strong impact during her freshman campaign, Nyla Brooks is proving her prowess from beyond the arc.
She currently leads the Tar Heels with 21 made triples and leads the ACC among freshman with an average of 2.65 per game.
AN EMERGING LEADER
In her final season in Carolina Blue, Indya Nivar is making it count as she has posted double-digits in each outing this year.
The Apex, N.C., native is currently riding a career-long streak of eight consecutive games in double-figure scoring.
She currently ranks second for Carolina with 12.3 points per game.
Not only is Nivar showing her leadership on the offensive end, but she is also shining on defense. Her 4.3 steals per game rank second in the ACC.
LET IT FLY
The three-ball has been good to the Tar Heels this season, as Carolina has knocked down 77 triples to date.
In the Courtney Banghart era, it's the most threes drained in the first eight games of a season.
Last year, the Tar Heels set a new program record with a total of 269 made threes in 2024-25.
LOCKDOWN FROM DEEP
While the Tar Heels were knocking down triples against N.C. A&T, the Aggies went 0-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Carolina made 12 more three-pointers than its opponent, the largest disparity since 2016.
NO I IN TEAM
In four of its eight games, Carolina has posed a balance scoring attack with at least five Tar Heels scoring 10+ points.
Eight different Tar Heels have tallied double-figure outings so far this season, with Indya Nivar scoring 10 or more points in every game.
YOUTH SHINING
A highly recruited freshman class came with expectations, and the group of four has sure delivered.
Through three games, Carolina's freshmen are averaging 19.1 points per outing. Nyla Brooks is leading the charge, averaging 12.4 points per game.
MAKIN' 'EM PAY
Forcing an average of 21.5 turnovers per game to rank No. 3 among ACC teams, the Tar Heels are making the most with their defense.
The Tar Heels are currently averaging 26.0 points per game off their opponents' miscues and have earned 20 or more in six out of eight games.
Carolina cashed in a season-high 40 points off turnovers against UNCG.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Tar Heels remain on the road, heading to Austin for the ACC/SEC Challenge. Thursday's meeting is Carolina's first time on the road in the three years of the challenge.
Carolina takes on the top ranked Longhorns on Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
