UNC women face Vermont in first round of Gulf Coast tourney, can’t meet Iowa until third day

R.L. Bynum,

By R.L. Bynum

Carolina’s women’s basketball team can’t face Iowa in the Gulf Coast Showcase until the event’s third day.

The Tar Heels, coming off a 22–11 season that ended in the second round of the NCAA tournament, meet Vermont in a first-round game at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 24, the day after Thanksgiving Day, in the event in Estero, Fla.

The Catamounts of the America East Conference, who went 24–7 last season and finished with a NET ranking of 147, lost 95–52 to UConn in the first round of the NCAA tournament. It will be the first time UNC has faced Vermont.

Iowa is the favorite in the event after Caitlin Clark led the Hawkeyes to the NCAA championship game last season and a 31–7 record.

UNC will face either Kansas State (19–17 last season, NET ranking of 58) or Western Kentucky (19–14, 123) on the second day, Saturday, Nov. 25, either at 5 p.m. with a first-round victory or 11 a.m. with a loss. Kansas State and Western Kentucky play in the initial first-round game at 11 a.m.

In first-round games in the other half of the bracket, Florida Gulf Coast (31–4, 37) faces Delaware (16–14, 182) at 5 p.m. on Nov. 24 and Iowa meets Purdue Fort Wayne (13–19, 243) at 7:30 p.m.

The championship game is at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 26. All games will stream on FloHoops, a subscription streaming service.

Florida Gulf Coast, which lost 76–57 in the second round of the NCAA tournament to Villanova, was added to the tournament field two weeks ago.

Kansas State, No. 24 in ESPN’s way-too-early Top 25, and Western Kentucky played in the Postseason WNIT. Neither Delaware nor Purdue Fort Wayne played in a postseason tournament.

DateDay/monthTimeOpponent/event
(current ranks)		TV/
record
October
30ThursdayL, 91–82No. 3 South Carolina
in Atlanta		Exhib.
November
3MondayW, 90–42vs. N.C. Central1–0
6ThursdayW, 71–37vs. Elon2–0
WBCA Challenge
Las Vegas
13ThursdayL, 78–60vs. No. 4 UCLA2–1
15SaturdayW, 82–68vs. Fairfield3–1
———————————
20ThursdayW, 85–50at N.C. A&T4–1
23SundayW, 94–48vs. UNCG5–1
Cancun Challenge
Cancun, Mexico
27ThursdayW, 83–48vs. South Dakota St.6–1
28FridayW, 85–73vs. Kansas State7–1
29SaturdayW, 80–63vs. Columbia8–1
DecemberACC/SEC
Women’s Challenge
4ThursdayW, 79–64at No. 2 Texas8–2
———————————
7SundayW, 82–40vs. Boston Univ.9–2
14SundayL, 76–66, OTvs. No. 13 Louisville9–3,
0–1 ACC
17WednesdayW, 84–34vs. UNCW10–3
21SundayW, 93–74vs. Charleston Southern11–3
29Monday8 p.m.at Boston CollegeACCN
January
1ThursdayNoonvs. CaliforniaACCN
4Sunday1 p.m.vs. StanfordESPN
11Sunday1 p.m.at No. 18 Notre DameESPN
15Thursday7 p.m.vs. MiamiACCN
Extra
18Sunday2 p.m.at Florida StateThe CW
22Thursday8 p.m.at Georgia TechACCN
25Sunday2 p.m.vs. SyracuseThe CW
February
2Monday6 p.m.at N.C. StateESPN2
5Thursday7 p.m.vs. ClemsonACCN
8Sunday2 p.m.vs. Wake ForestACCN
12Thursday6 p.m.vs. SMUACCN
15Sunday1 p.m.at DukeABC
19Thursday6 p.m.at Virginia TechACCN
22SundayNoonvs. PittsburghACCN
26Thursday7 p.m.at VirginiaACCN
Extra
March
1SundayNoonvs. DukeESPN
ACC tournament
4–8Wed.-SunGas South Arena,
Duluth, Ga.
NCAA tournament
20–24Fri.-Mon.First, second rounds
27–30Fri.-Mon.Regionals
Fort Worth, Texas,
and Sacramento, Calif.
April
3, 5Fri., SunFinal Four
Phoenix

YearNo.PlayersPos.Height
Freshman5Liza Astakhova (LEE-zah uh-STAH-koh-vuh)W6–2
Freshman7Nyla BrooksW6–1
Brooks brings dazzling skills,
confidence to UNC
Freshman3Taliyah HendersonW6–1
Long wait, journey for 5-star freshman Henderson after second knee surgery nearly over
Freshman26Taissa QueirozG6–1
Queiroz came to USA from Brazil to chase her dreams
Sophomore17Elina Aarnisalo (EH-lee-nah AHR-nee-sah-loh)G5–10
Aarnisalo brings flash, IQ and
pro experience to backcourt
Sophomore0Lanie GrantG5–9
Sophomore34Blanca Thomas C6–5
Sophomore1Jordan Zubich G5–11
RS sophomore21Ciera ToomeyF6–4
RS sophomore4Laila Hull W6–1
Junior10Reniya KellyPG5–7
Junior15Sydney BarkerPG5–6
Senior2Nyla HarrisF6–2
It was hard for Harris to
say ‘no’ to UNC again
Senior24Indya NivarG5–10

Class of 2025

PlayerRatingESPN rankPositionHeightHometown
Nyla BrooksFive starNo. 13Wing6–2Alexandria, Va.
Taliyah HendersonFive starNo. 27Wing6–1Vail, Ariz.
Taissa QueirozFour starNo. 77Guard6–1Santa Rosa, Calif.
Liza Astakhova——Wing6–1Moscow, Russia
DateDay/monthTimeOpponent/event
(current ranks)		TV/
record
October
30ThursdayL, 91–82No. 3 South Carolina
in Atlanta		Exhib.
November
3MondayW, 90–42vs. N.C. Central1–0
6ThursdayW, 71–37vs. Elon2–0
WBCA Challenge
Las Vegas
13ThursdayL, 78–60vs. No. 4 UCLA2–1
15SaturdayW, 82–68vs. Fairfield3–1
———————————
20ThursdayW, 85–50at N.C. A&T4–1
23SundayW, 94–48vs. UNCG5–1
Cancun Challenge
Cancun, Mexico
27ThursdayW, 83–48vs. South Dakota St.6–1
28FridayW, 85–73vs. Kansas State7–1
29SaturdayW, 80–63vs. Columbia8–1
DecemberACC/SEC
Women’s Challenge
4ThursdayW, 79–64at No. 2 Texas8–2
———————————
7SundayW, 82–40vs. Boston Univ.9–2
14SundayL, 76–66, OTvs. No. 13 Louisville9–3,
0–1 ACC
17WednesdayW, 84–34vs. UNCW10–3
21SundayW, 93–74vs. Charleston Southern11–3
29Monday8 p.m.at Boston CollegeACCN
January
1ThursdayNoonvs. CaliforniaACCN
4Sunday1 p.m.vs. StanfordESPN
11Sunday1 p.m.at No. 18 Notre DameESPN
15Thursday7 p.m.vs. MiamiACCN
Extra
18Sunday2 p.m.at Florida StateThe CW
22Thursday8 p.m.at Georgia TechACCN
25Sunday2 p.m.vs. SyracuseThe CW
February
2Monday6 p.m.at N.C. StateESPN2
5Thursday7 p.m.vs. ClemsonACCN
8Sunday2 p.m.vs. Wake ForestACCN
12Thursday6 p.m.vs. SMUACCN
15Sunday1 p.m.at DukeABC
19Thursday6 p.m.at Virginia TechACCN
22SundayNoonvs. PittsburghACCN
26Thursday7 p.m.at VirginiaACCN
Extra
March
1SundayNoonvs. DukeESPN
ACC tournament
4–8Wed.-SunGas South Arena,
Duluth, Ga.
NCAA tournament
20–24Fri.-Mon.First, second rounds
27–30Fri.-Mon.Regionals
Fort Worth, Texas,
and Sacramento, Calif.
April
3, 5Fri., SunFinal Four
Phoenix

Photo via @IowaWBB

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Published by R.L. Bynum

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