Harpring Drops 29, As Carolina Falls By Four In Exhibition At Maryland

Saturday, October 24

College Park, Md.

1 PM

North Carolina

0-0,0-0ACC

Maryland - Exhibition

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Team	1	2	3	4	F
North Carolina	16	17	15	20	68
Maryland	19	13	22	18	72

October 24, 2026 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

COLLEGE PARK, MD. – Hitting the road for its second game of preseason action, North Carolina women's basketball saw familiar faces Saturday afternoon with a visit to former Atlantic Coast Conference foe in Maryland, falling 72-68 in a tight battle from the XFINITY Center.

Kate Harpring scored 29 points on 12-of-22 shooting, while also leading Carolina with six rebounds and three steals. A Maryland native, Nyla Brooks added 14 points while knocking down three triples and dishing out four assists.

Sharing is caring, with the Tar Heels dishing out 15 assists on 26 made field goals.

Feeling it from deep early, Brooks drained three triples to show off in front of the hometown crowd in the opening minutes. Despite the Tar Heels gaining a quick advantage, Maryland stormed back with four straight made field goals to even the score at 13. Queiroz halted an 8-0 Maryland one to cut the Tar Heel deficit to three through the first.

As the Terrapins began to find their footing beyond the arc, Zubich responded for Carolina with a triple of her own to close the gap. Carolina regained the lead midway through the second off a 6-0 run, with Harpring scoring back-to-back buckets. Tied once again, a Hull three provided Carolina a one-point advantage heading into the break at 33-32.

With Harpring taking control on offense, Maryland fired back by pounding the ball in the paint to re-take the advantage in the opening minutes of the third. The Terrapins had no answer for Harpring, as the freshman continued to pour it on with 13 points in the quarter to even the score once again. Back-to-back Maryland triples gave it a six-point lead at 54-48 with one quarter remaining.

Working to catch up, Noelle Bofia's first bucket of the day forced a one-possession game with six minutes remaining. Another Maryland three-pointer, along with capitalizing at the charity stripe, extended Carolina's deficit by as many as X in the final frame. A huge Harpring block gave Carolina possession, down by three with a minute on the clock, yet the Tar Heels couldn't convert. A Harpring three brought Carolina within two at 70-68 with 30 seconds remaining, forcing the Terrapins to call a timeout. Despite limiting Maryland without a field goal for over the last four minutes, Carolina could not find additional buckets to complete the comeback, falling 72-68.

The regular season opener awaits, as Carolina hops the pond for the 2026 Oui-Play on Nov. 2 in Paris, France, against No. 21 Oklahoma. The overseas matchup against the Sooners will air on ESPN2 at 2:30 p.m. ET.