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No. 22 WBB Squares Off Against Duke Sunday For Senior Day
February 28, 2026 | Women's Basketball
No. 21/19 NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (24-6, 13-4 ACC)
Head Coach: Courtney Banghart (Dartmouth, 2000)
Record at North Carolina: 149-70Â (7th season)
Career Record: 403-173 (19th season)Â
No. 12/14 DUKE BLUE DEVILS (21-7, 16-1 ACC)
Head Coach: Kara Lawson (Tennessee, 2003)
Record at Duke: 118-48 (6th season)
Career Record: Same
GAME COVERAGE
TV:Â ESPN
PxP:Â Courtney Lyle
Analyst:Â Brooke Weisbrod
Radio:Â Tar Heel Sports Network, WCHL 97.9/1360
• Matt KrauseÂ
TIPPING OFF
• The heated rivalry returns as North Carolina and Duke meet for the second time this season. The Tar Heels aim for a fifth consecutive home win over the Blue Devils at Carmichael.
• Carolina set a single-game record with 16 made three-pointers at Virginia, surpassing the previous mark of 14. Six Tar Heels contributed, led by Elina Aarnisalo's career-high four triples. The team shot 66.7% from deep, matching a Banghart-era best.
• Aarnisalo had herself a night in Charlottesville, with the sophomore posting a career-high 20 points to lead the Tar Heels in their first victory over UVA since 2023.
• Reaching 13 wins in ACC play, Carolina accomplished the feat for the first time in consecutive seasons in program history. A win over the Blue Devils would match the most ACC victories for Carolina since the 2012-13 season.
SERIES NOTES...
In Chapel Hill: UNC 32-16
In Durham: Duke leads 31-17
At Neutral Sites: Duke leads 9-7
Longest UNC Streak: 8 straight (2/22/80-1/11/84)
Longest Duke Streak: 12 straight (3/6/00-3/8/04)
Largest UNC Win: 31Â (3/2/08 - in Chapel Hill)
Largest Duke Win: 43 (1/27/00 - in Durham)
Most UNC Points: 95 (3/5/95 - in Rock Hill)
Most Duke Points: 102 (1/24/02 - in Durham)
Last 10 Meetings: Series tied 5-5
SCOUTING THE BLUE DEVILSÂ Â Â
Duke clinched the regular-season ACC title on Thursday night with an 80-52 win over Florida State at home.
Sitting at 16-1 in league action, the Blue Devils have won 14 out of their last 15 games and suffered their lone league loss last week due to a buzzer-beater at Clemson.
Duke's offense continues to run through Toby Fournier, as the sophomore is averaging 18.0 points per outing along with 8.3 boards.
Serving as Duke's primary ball distributor, Taina Mair is posting 5.6 assists per game to sit second overall among ACC players. A threat on the defensive end, Mair is snagging 2.46 steals per game for third overall among league players.
As a team, Duke's defense has shown success in shutting down its opponents from deep, ranking No. 1 among ACC teams in three-point percentage defense, holding teams to 26.5% from deep.Â
SERIES HISTORY VS. DUKE
There's nothing like the Tobacco Road Rivalry as North Carolina and Duke meet for the 113th time on Sunday afternoon.Â
In the series dating back to 1976, the two teams are locked in a stalemate with 56 victories each.
The Tar Heels have thrived in the series in Chapel Hill, boasting a 32-16 lead over the Blue Devils. Winning four straight in Carmichael, Kara Lawson and Co. have not defeated Carolina on its home court during her tenure.
Sunday's meeting is the 54th when both teams are ranked within the AP Poll's Top-25.
LAST TIME OUT
Jumping on Virginia from the tip, Carolina led wire-to-wire in Charlottesville in an 82-70 victory over the Cavaliers on Thursday night.
Six Tar Heels combined to knock down a program record 16 made triples, with Elina Aarnisalo firing off a career-best four.
Overall, five for UNC reached double-figures in scoring with Aarnisalo tallying a career-high 20 points. The sophomore was aggressive off the glass, earning a team-high seven rebounds.
Sharing the ball, Carolina recorded 21 assists on 29 made field goals. Indya Nivar matched her career-high with seven helpers while Ciera Toomey dished out five assists for her personal best.
VS. RANKED TEAMS
Under Banghart, the Tar Heels are 22-33 overall against AP Top-25 teams.
Carolina's ranked foes of the season include its previous meeting against Duke, No. 22 Louisville at home, No. 2 Texas in Austin, and No. 3 UCLA in Las Vegas.Â
At home against ranked foes, Carolina is 77-76 all-time.Â
RECORDS ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN
After tying the previous record of 14 single-game threes twice this season, Carolina finally broke through with 16 made triples at Virginia.
Six Tar Heels combined to shatter the record, with Elina Aarnisalo knocking down a team-high of four.
Not only did the Tar Heels break the record, but they shot an efficient 16-of-24 beyond the arc at a clip of 66.7%. Its field goal percentage from deep tied the single-game record in the Banghart era.
DON'T LET CAROLINA GET HOT
Shooting the ball on-point and on-target at Virginia, Carolina went 29-of-50 from the field en route to a 58.0% clip from the floor.
It marked the best field goal percentage in an ACC game since 2006, where Carolina shot 58.3% at Georgia Tech.
Against ACC foes this season, Carolina has shot at a 55% clip or higher from the floor in three ACC games. This is the first time the feat has happened in available stats dating back to the 2002-03 season.
SEE YOU IN DULUTH!
With the win over Virginia, Carolina clinched a third-place finish in the ACC standings and the three seed for the 2026 Ally ACC Women's Basketball Tournament in Duluth, Ga.
A third-place finish in the league is the best for the program under Banghart and overall since 2013.Â
WALK IN & TAKE OVER
Over the past two seasons, Carolina has gone into numerous rowdy road environments and come away with wins as the Tar Heels are 17-4 during the stretch on the road.
With nine road victories in 2024-25 and eight this season, the Tar Heels have notched eight-plus road wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2006-07 & 2007-08 seasons.
Overall, Carolina has picked up seven or more road wins in 20 seasons, including this year.
A win at Virginia gave Carolina eight road wins for the 10th time in school history.
EVERY ACC WIN MATTERS
Each game in ACC action is primed to be a battle, in which the Tar Heels have made sure to take advantage of.
Defeating Virginia gave Carolina its 13th overall league win, to match the best in the Banghart era. The Tar Heels have now posted consecutive 13 ACC win seasons for the first time in school history.
The win over Pitt gave Carolina is in its second-straight season with 12 or more ACC wins, the first time the Tar Heels have done so since the 2004-05 & 2005-06 seasons.
Previously, Carolina has picked up 12 or more ACC wins in 10 total seasons, including twice under Courtney Banghart.
Earning 11 wins marked another milestone for the program, as it reached its fifth straight season with the mark. The last time Carolina had five consecutive seasons with 11 ACC wins was a seven-year run from 2002 to 2008.
A victory over Duke on Sunday would give Carolina 14 ACC victories for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
POINTS COME AT A PREMIUM
When squaring off against Carolina, points are hard to come by, with its defense renowned as one of the best in the nation.
This season, the Tar Heels have limited 12 opponents to 50 points or less to rank No. 3 in a single-season in school history.
Banghart owns three of the five total seasons at Carolina in holding 10 or more opponents below the mark.
Opponents Held to 50 Points or Less
1.   2021-22    14 games
2.   2006-07   13 games
3.   2025-26   12 games
4.   2024-25   11 games
5.   1994-95    10 games
Carolina has thrived on the defensive end against ACC foes, holding league opponents under 50 points to match the program's best.
ACC Opponents Held to 50 Points or Less
1.   2025-26   5 games
    2021-22   5 games
3.   2022-23   3 games
    2003-04   3 games
THREES ON THREES ON THREES
When Carolina shoots from beyond the arc, there's a high chance it's going in. At Virginia, Carolina finally broke through and drained a school record 16 threes.
This season, Carolina has knocked down 10-plus triples in 13 games, which sets the best in a single season in statistics available through 2002-03. It's also the first time the Tar Heels have drained 10-plus threes in 10 games or more.
One of the best three-point shooting teams nationally, Carolina leads the ACC from beyond the arc at a 36.3% clip and also sits first with 8.5 triples per game.
Lanie Grant is a big factor in Carolina's success from deep, with the Tar Heel No. 2 overall in the ACC from beyond the arc at a 41.9% clip.Â
R E J E C T E D
All over the ball against Virginia Tech, Carolina swatted an ACC game-high eight shots against the Hokies.
Four Tar Heels recorded a block, with rookie Nyla Brooks a menace on the defensive end with three rejections.
The eight blocks were the most for Carolina against an ACC foe since January of 2024.
Ciera Toomey has rejected a team-high 48 blocks this year and is two rejections away from becoming the first Tar Heel with 50 or more since 2024. In ACC action, Toomey ranks No. 5 in the league with 1.71 rejections per outing.
BROOKS IS A BUCKET
There's no doubt that Nyla Brooks has made a splash in her rookie campaign, with the freshman averaging 8.6 points per game and having knocked down a total of 57 triples to date.
Brooks is the first freshman with 50 or more threes in her debut season since Stephanie Watts drained 76 triples in 2015-16.
DEFENSE IN OUR DNA
For any team going against the Tar Heels, there's a high chance that most of the shots won't go through the net.
This season, Carolina has held 17 opponents under 40% from the field and is undefeated while doing so.
In each of the last five seasons, the Tar Heels have held 15 or more opponents under to 40% from the field. In league action, Carolina has held 10 teams below the mark.
Overall, Carolina is holding its opponents to 36.6% from the field to lead the league.Â
FREE BASKETBALL
By knocking off Syracuse and Virginia Tech in overtime, Carolina has now come away with a win in extra time for the second year in-a-row.
Under Banghart, the Tar Heels have picked up five wins when extra time is needed.
The two wins in extra time match the most for Carolina since the 2017-18 season.
Four overtime games in a year is the most in a season for Carolina since 2000-01.
Luckily, the Tar Heels have not played in a double-overtime contest since December of 2014.
ANYONE'S NIGHT
It's no secret that the Tar Heels boast a balanced attack, with three averaging over 10.0 points per game and six averaging 8.5 points per game or more.
With five players scoring in double-figures at Virginia, Carolina has had three or more double-figure scorers in 27 games this season. The mark ranks second overall in the ACC.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE NET
The metrics come into play more and more as we draw closer to March, with Carolina at 18 overall in the NET prior to Sunday's showdown against Duke. A victory against the Blue Devils would be Carolina's first Quad 1 home win of the year.
The win at Virginia gave Carolina its third Quad 1 win of the season, with all coming on the road.Â
The Tar Heels are 11-6 against teams in Quads 1 and 2.
BOUNCE BACK
This season, Carolina is 5-1 in its next game when coming off a loss.
Overall, the Tar Heels are 39-25 under Courtney Banghart off a loss and 29-12 since the start of the 2021-22 season.
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
Scoring early and often against SMU, the 52-point victory set a new best as the largest margin of victory in an ACC game in program history.
The 94-point outing is now the most points scored against an ACC foe in the Courtney Banghart era and the most in a conference game since 2015.
Dating back to the 2000 season, North Carolina has scored 90-plus points in an ACC game 31 times.
NYLA SQUARED
The rookie and the vet combo of Nyla Brooks and Nyla Harris make quite the pair as the two posted a combined 40 points in the win at Wake Forest.
This season, the Tar Heels are 9-1 when the freshman and the senior each score in double-figures.
LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, INDYA IS THERE
Always there when you need some help, Indya Nivar is tallying up the assists this season as the senior posted back-to-back games with a career-high tying seven dimes against Clemson and Wake Forest.
Nivar has already bested her previous season-career best with 68 assists as the senior hit 100 assists against the Demon Deacons. She is currently averaging 4.3 helpers per game in ACC action.
Dishing out five or more dimes in 12 games to date this season, Nivar is the first Tar Heel to do so since Alyssa Ustby during the 2023-24 season.
Nivar is the fifth Tar Heel in the Courtney Banghart era to eclipse 100 or more assists in a season.
Sitting at 118 total assists, Nivar is on track to become the first Tar Heel to dish out 120 or more assists since the 2019-20 season.
20-WINS SECURED
A win in Winston-Salem against Wake Forest gave Carolina its 34th 20-win season and its fifth straight.
A fifth consecutive 20-victory season matches Carolina's longest streak since the 2010-11 through the 2014-15 seasons.
THE JOURNEY TO 400
In her 19th season as a head coach, Courtney Banghart hit the 400-career win mark in the triumph over SMU.
Reaching the threshold, Banghart is now one of 52 active coaches in Division I women's basketball with 400 or more wins.
D-E-F-E-N-S-E, D-E-F-E-N-S-E
Good luck scoring against the Tar Heels, as Carolina has limited five ACC opponents to under 50 points in league action. It matches the most league teams held under 50 points in the Courtney Banghart era, last occurring during the 2021-22 season.
During Carolina's eight-game win streak during ACC play, the Tar Heels held two opponents under the 50-point mark. Â
As a team, the Tar Heels rank second among ACC teams in limiting their opponents to 58.1 points per game and also lead the league in holding teams to 36.6% from the field.
Carolina held both Clemson and Georgia Tech to its ACC low in scoring.
PACK THE PAINT
Finding open shots on the inside has been key in Carolina's success in the recent stretch of conference play in a combined team effort.
Against Boston College and SMU, the Tar Heels posted their ACC-high with 52 points on the inside. Carolina has tallied 50+ points in the paint in five games this year, including three in league play.
Overall, this season, Carolina is averaging 35.7 points per game in the paint overall and 32.4 in ACC action.
DYNAMIC DUO
The pair of Nyla Harris and Lanie Grant has been electrifying throughout ACC play for Carolina, with the duo posting a combined 23.1 points per game in league play.
In the stretch, Harris scored a season-high 21 points against Syracuse and is shooting a hot clip of 56.9% from the floor. She's also averaging a smooth 7.3 rebounds per game.
Grant has been shooting lights out from beyond the arc, draining 37 threes at a clip of 43.0%. Against Syracuse, the sophomore drained a career-high five triples.
THRIVING IN THE THIRD
Coming out of the half, the Tar Heels love to make an impact in the third quarter. Carolina is averaging a quarter-best 20.2 points per game in the frame.
The Tar Heels have earned five come from behind wins this season when trailing at the half and can be attributed to its success in the third quarter.
This season, Carolina is 22-1 overall when leading through three.
STUFF THE STAT SHEET
As Carolina's leading distributor, Indya Nivar has racked up five or more assists in 12 games. The senior has matched her career-best four times with seven assists against Kansas State, Clemson.at Wake Forest and at Virginia.
This season, Nivar has tallied six games with at least five points, five rebounds, and five assists. Throughout her career, she's totaled eight games with the mark.
GOING STREAKING
Rattling off eight consecutive wins in conference play, the Tar Heels hit their stride to match the longest streak against ACC foes since 2023.
Under Banghart, the Tar Heels have ridden three streaks in conference play with five or more wins, the longest being eight straight against conference opponents during theÂ
2022-23 season.
Carolina has posted seven straight ACC wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
SHOOT YOUR SHOT
The three-ball has clearly been flying at a high rate for the Tar Heels, as Carolina has drained 139 total triples in ACC action to date. The total of triples marks a new ACC single-season best under Banghart.
Grant paces the Tar Heels against all foes with 57 total triples this season. In ACC action, the sophomore is shooting the three-ball at a blistering 43.0% clip.
MAKE 'EM MISS
Known for an aggressive defensive presence, the Tar Heels lead all ACC teams in conference play by holding their opponents to 35.1% from the field.
Against ACC foes, the Tar Heels have held 10 teams below 40% from the field. Carolina has held nine of its last 11 opponents below the threshold.Â
Prior to the win at Wake Forest, Carolina had held six straight opponents to under 40% from the field
In forcing four ACC teams under 30% shooting, Carolina has accomplished the feat for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
On the defensive end, Carolina has limited five teams to under 50 points. Through 17 conference games, the Tar Heels are holding teams to 59.41 points per game to rank second in the league.
1K CLUB
Scoring six points against Georgia Tech, Nyla Harris eclipsed the 1,000 career point threshold in Atlanta.
The senior is averaging 8.3 points per game throughout her career, and 10.9 in her lone season as a Tar Heel.
Against Syracuse, Harris came alive in the paint to score a career-high 21 points. Her presence was felt on the defensive side, with a season-high 11 rebounds.
This season, Harris boasts four double-doubles with three coming in ACC action.
She's scored 10 plus points in 13 out of 17 conference games.
DOMINATE THE GLASS
Not only did the Tar Heels grab a season-high 55 rebounds at Georgia Tech, but they also bullied the Yellow Jackets off the glass with a rebounding margin of +21. The Tar Heels bodied Pitt as well with 55 rebounds for another margin of +21.
Carolina's largest rebounding margin in an ACC game this season came against SMU at +30.
Ciera Toomey was dominant in Atlanta against Georgia Tech, collecting a career-high 15 rebounds. Her rebounds also marked the most in a single game by a Tar Heel this year.
Under Banghart, Carolina has tallied 50-plus rebounds against ACC foes in 14 total games.
12 out of 13 of Carolina's ACC wins have come when outrebounding its opponent. Overall, Carolina is 22-2 this season when outrebounding its opponents.
GRIT OVER QUIT
Points came at a premium in Carolina's victory at Georgia Tech, with the Tar Heels grinding away to earn the 54-46 victory. The same proved to be a factor in the 53-44 win over Clemson.
Under Banghart, the Tar Heels have won eight games when scoring under 55 points.
SECOND CHANCE - TAKEN
Taking advantage, Carolina tallied a season-high 21 second-chance points in the victory at Wake Forest.
The Tar Heels tallied 15+ second-chance points in the stretch against Miami, Florida State, and Georgia Tech for the longest stretch since December of 2023.
This season, Carolina is averaging 12.6 second-chance points per outing.
HERE COMES RK
With the third 20-point outing of her career, Reniya Kelly was unstoppable against Miami. The junior came out strong with nine points in the first quarter en route to a career-high 24 points.
Kelly was the first Tar Heel to eclipse the 20-point threshold in a game this season.Â
Hot from all over the floor, Kelly shot 9-of-14 from the field and knocked down four of five triples.
In ACC action, Kelly is currently averaging 9.4 points per game.
STEALS ON STEALS ON STEALS
Always having her eye on the ball, Indya Nivar has proven to be one of the most tenacious defenders in the nation.
Nivar currently ranks No. 35 overall nationally with a total of 74 steals and No. 48 with 2.55 steals per game. She's snagged three or more steals in 13 total games this season.
The senior is the first Tar Heel to snag 70 steals in a season since 2012-13.
KEEPING IT 100
Despite its past struggles from the charity stripe this season, Carolina locked in against Miami and Florida State to knock down all 10 and then nine of its free-throw attempts.
Carolina followed up its performance against the Hurricanes, shooting 9-of-9 from the charity stripe in Tallahassee. The Tar Heels have now shot perfectly from the line in five games under Banghart.
Both games set a new mark as the most attempted without a miss in a game during the Banghart era, marking the only such occurrence dating back to the 2002-03 season. Carolina has never shot 100% from the line in two straight games in a season, going back to 2002-03.
BATTLING ON THE BOARDSÂ
The rebounding battle is key to Carolina's success this season, as the Tar Heels are 22-2 when winning the boards.
In Carolina's 12 ACC wins, the Tar Heels have outrebounded their opponents by an average of +7.0 boards per game.
Overall, Carolina owns a rebounding margin of +7.8 this season.
CLICKING IN CONFERENCE
Scoring in double figures in the first four conference games, Nyla Harris rattled off a career-long streak in league action.
Harris was the first Tar Heel to start off league action riding a five-game double-digit scoring streak since Alyssa Ustby did so at the start of 2022-23 ACC play.
The senior forward has posted double-figures in 13 out of 17 conference games.
Currently, Harris is shooting 56.9% from the floor en route to 12.2 points per outing in ACC games.
WELCOMING NOELLE TO THE FOLD
After graduating early from Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix, Ariz., Noelle Bofia has joined the Tar Heels for the Spring of 2026.
A four-star recruit and rated as the No. 52 overall prospect in the Class of 2026 by ESPN, Bofia is set to redshirt and practice with the Tar Heels this semester.
B A L A N C E
In any given game, any Tar Heel has the chance to shine with three currently averaging double-figures in scoring for Carolina.
So far this season, nine different Tar Heels have led in scoring in a game, with nine overall posting double-figure outings.
Lanie Grant has paced the Tar Heels as the leading scorer in 11 games.
SNEAK ATTACK
It's no secret that the Tar Heels love to defend, as UNC currently ranks No. 6 among ACC teams with an average of 9.1 steals per game.
Against Boston College, California, and Stanford, Carolina posted double-figure steals with an ACC game-high 12 steals against California. Nyla Harris led the Tar Heels with a career-high five swipes against the Bears.
PASS THE BALL
Dishing out the ball at a high rate, 24 assists at Boston College and against SMU marked a new season-high for UNC. Carolina has dished out 20 or more assists in nine games this season.
Lanie Grant dropped a new career-high with five assists at Boston College, while overall 11 Tar Heels dished out an assist in the road victory.
Against SMU, 10 Tar Heels dropped a helper with Elina Aarnisalo setting her season-high with five.
Overall, Carolina has dished out 15+ assists in 20 games this year. Indya Nivar currently paces Carolina with 4.1 dimes per game and has dished out five or more helpers in 12 games.
ALL HANDS IN
As all 14 Tar Heels entered the game against UNCW, Carolina's reserves made a strong impact against the Seahawks.
The Carolina bench posted 49 points against the Seahawks, the most in a game this season.
45 bench points against SMU set a Banghart era best against an ACC team.
Averaging 25.9 points per game from its reserves, Carolina ranks No. 2 in the ACC and No. 23 nationally in bench points per game.
21 out of 24 wins this season have come when the Tar Heel bench outscores their opponent.
COUGH IT UP
Forcing 20 or more turnovers in 10 games this season, Carolina is averaging 16.73 per game from its opponents to rank seventh overall in the ACC.
Last year, Carolina forced 13 teams to turn the ball over 20 or more times.Â
Currently, Carolina is averaging 17.9 points per game off opponent miscues.
The Tar Heels scored an ACC high 30 points against SMU due to Mustang turnovers.
LOCK DOWN DEFENSE
Aggressive defense is a focal point under head coach Courtney Banghart, and her teams have proven so.Â
In year seven of the Banghart era, the Tar Heels have held 53 opponents under the 50-point threshold. This season, UNC has kept 1 opponents under the mark.
The Tar Heels are 51-2 under Banghart when holding opponents to fewer than 50 points.
By limiting Boston College to 39 points, Carolina has now held 15 teams under Banghart below the 40-point threshold.
LET IT FLY
The three-ball has been good to the Tar Heels this season, as Carolina has knocked down 256 triples to date.
Last year, the Tar Heels set a new program record with a total of 269 made threes in 2024-25.
TAR HEELS AND NCAA TOURNAMENT FOES
Prepping for March all throughout November and December, Carolina is set to take on eight NCAA Tournament squads between its exhibition and the regular season during its non-conference slate.
- South Carolina - 2025 Final Four
- UCLA - 2025 Final Four
- Fairfield - 2025 First Round
- UNCG - 2025 First Round
- South Dakota State - 2025 Second Round
- Kansas State - 2025 Sweet 16
- Columbia - 2025 First Round
- Texas - 2025 Final Four
MILESTONE WATCH
• Courtney Banghart -Â
  - 149 wins at Carolina
  - 1 away from 150 - would be fastest coach in Carolina Women's basketball history to reach mark.
• Reniya Kelly -Â
  - 146 career assists.
  - 4 away from 150.
• Ciera Toomey -
  - 49 blocks this season
  - 1 away from 50
WHAT'S NEXT
The 2026 Ally ACC Tournament Quarterfinals await, as Carolina will play its first game in Duluth on Friday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Carolina will await for the full tournament bracket to be released to determine its opponent.
