By R.L. Bynum
Regardless of the opponent, winning on the road in the ACC is a challenge, and teams don’t worry too much about style points as long as they can get a win.
That was the case for No. 23 North Carolina on Thursday, which weathered some rough offensive stretches but rode tough defense and finished strong to escape Atlanta with a 73–68 victory over Georgia Tech on Thursday at McCamish Pavilion.
How hard is it to win on the road in the ACC? On Thursday, No. 4 N.C. State lost 73–49 at Miami for only the Canes’ second conference win, Syracuse upset No. 15 Florida State 79–73 and Duke stunned No. 14 Virginia Tech 63–46. All three winners are unranked.
“Super-thrilled to come out with a win,” said UNC coach Courtney Banghart, who thanked the many UNC fans who made the trip for the game to make it feel like a home game. “Very tough place to play a very, very good team that can shot-make. We knew this was going to be a really big challenge.”
UNC (13–5, 4–1 ACC) didn’t score a field goal in the final 5½ minutes, and Tech nearly erased a 14-point lead during that stretch. Rusne Augustinaite’s four-point play cut it to two for the Jackets (12–6, 3–3) with 29 seconds left, and Ines Noguero’s 3-pointer with 12 seconds left sliced it to two.
But Deja Kelly, who has been on an offensive tear of late and was 10 of 12 from the free-throw line, scored eight of her game-high 27 points at the free-throw line in the final 2:51 to fend off the Jackets.
“I think it was really just us getting stops and getting the rebounds and really valuing our possessions on the offensive end,” Kelly told ACC Network. “We didn’t make all our shots, but I think that we got the looks that we wanted, and we ended up getting stops on the defensive end.”
The 5–1 league start is Carolina’s best since the 2013–14 season.
“Really proud. It’s not easy to win, and I think this league is really strong. These are really good teams that we play night in and night out,” Banghart said. “Our non-conference schedule prepared us really well. This group has been through a lot, and we’ve been sharpening as we go. I give a lot of credit to our seniors. They’ve just stayed the course and trusted that if we do things the right way, it will pay off.”
Kelly, who scored three 3-pointers, has scored at least 20 points six times this season and has done it in three consecutive games for the first time in her career. But it was a good all-around game, with five rebounds, four assists and terrific defense.
“People are kind of settled into how we need to play, and she’s allowing herself to get into her groove,” Banghart said of Kelly, who is shooting 46.3% from the floor and averaging 25.7 points in the last three games after hitting only 26.2% in the previous three.
“She really spent a lot of time making sure that the pieces were connected and getting everybody on the floor what they needed,” Banghart said. “So, she was more distributing and, then a little bit out of rhythm with her own shot.”
Reniya Kelly started for the first time since Nov. 24 with Paulina Paris (lower-body injury) day-to-day and not making the trip. That allowed Deja Kelly to play more off the ball and concentrate more on scoring.
Deja Kelly said working through the shooting slump was just about staying the course.
“I know there’s going to be ups and downs in basketball,” said Kelly, who is 20 of 25 (80%) from the free-throw line in the last three games after making only 4 of 12 (33%) in the previous three games. “That’s what happens. My biggest thing in those moments is just staying the course and continuing to have confidence and believing in myself and continuing to put in the work. I knew it was going to show eventually.”
Alyssa Ustby, again battling foul trouble, played most of the fourth quarter with four fouls but delivered another good all-around game with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists.
The breakout game, though, was from redshirt sophomore forward Teonni Key, who showed her versatility in collecting 10 points and five rebounds. She displayed a consistent jump shot, and went end-to-end with a steal at one end and a layup at the other in the third quarter.
“She was huge tonight,” Banghart said. “We sort of expect it. She just keep stacking moments, and when we needed her, she was there for us.”
Key scored eight consecutive UNC points in the fourth quarter.
“It all just came from work and preparation,” Key said. “I’m staying in the gym, leaning on my people, letting my coaches and teammates boost confidence in me. It’s really good having everyone trust me. These are all things that everyone knows I can do.”
Lexi Donarski’s perimeter shooting struggles continued (0 of 4 from 3-point range and 2 of 13 in the last three games), but her torrid defense did as well, holding Kara Dunn, the Jackets’ leading scorer, to 14 points.
“As a coach, I trust them to give me what they’ve got all the time, and she’s someone who does that,” Banghart said of Donarski. “She’s vocal, she’s accountable, she defends. It’s easier when she makes shots. But when she doesn’t, she’s still very valuable to us.”
Banghart credited Georgia Tech’s tough defense for making UNC’s offense sputter for long stretches.
“They defended us totally differently than we’ve been seeing for three weeks,” Banghart said. “They switched on screens, they hugged, hugged, hugged all over the perimeter. We’ve been really getting used to playing with everyone sagging off, and they changed that. So, our guys had to play through that.”
UNC was 13 of 15 from the free-throw line, for a season-high 84.2% shooting at the line (previous best was 77.8% against UNCG on Dec. 6). It was only the Tar Heels’ seventh game shooting better than 70% at the line.
“These hard tests and adversity in each individual game and strings of games is where we learn about who we are and what we want to accomplish with this group,” Ustby said. “This is a special group and, speaking as a senior, I’m just so proud of all the girls on this team, especially the younger ones that have stepped up. “
Deja Kelly scored Carolina’s first nine points as UNC got off to an otherwise skittish offensive start before gradually taking control. Donarski connected on a long outlet pass to Ustby, whose layup at the buzzer gave UNC a 17–11 lead heading into the second quarter.
That bucket was part of a 14–4 run over two quarters that gave UNC a 10-point lead after three consecutive layups from Maria Gakdeng (eight points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks) in 67 seconds.
By the time UNC scored another field goal six minutes later, it was an Indya Nivar layup that was part of a 6–0 Tar Heels run. In between, two Ariadna Termis 3-pointers sparked a 10–0 Tech run to tie it on a Tonie Morgan layup with 3:35 left in the first half.
Carolina led 30–28 at halftime despite making only 2 of 9 second-quarter shots because of tough defense, forcing 10 first-half turnovers against 11 Tech field goals.
Ustby scored a pair of layups on a 6–2 run to stretch the UNC lead to nine. The Heels took a 54–46 edge into the final quarter after finishing the third period with a 4–1 run.
Key’s steal and layup put UNC up 13 after the Heels scored the first five fourth-quarter points.
Carolina had two 14-point leads in the fourth quarter, but Georgia Tech sliced its deficit to six on Ines Noguero’s jumper with 2:36 left before the late shots from Augustinaite and Noguero.
Morgan led the Jackets with 15 points. Termis had 11 points and three 3-pointers and Augustinaite had 11 points and two 3-pointers.
NOTES — Carolina returns home at 2 p.m. Sunday (ACC Network) to face league-leading No. 13 Louisville (16–2, 5–0), which won 81–64 at Clemson on Thursday night. With a win, UNC would be tied for the league lead. … Blanche Alverson was the acting head coach for Georgia Tech, with head coach Nell Fortner home sick. … Carolina has won six of the last seven meetings with Georgia Tech and leads the all-time series 62–21, including 25–13 in Atlanta. … UNC outrebounded Georga Tech 32–30. Since the Kansas State game on Nov. 25, no opponent has outrebounded the Tar Heels (the tied at 41 with Florida State), a stretch of 12 games.
No. 23 UNC 73, Georgia Tech 68
| Team | League | Overall | NET* |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 7 Louisville | 10–0 | 20–3 | 9 |
| No. 20 Duke | 10–0 | 15–6 | 14 |
| N.C. State | 8–2 | 15–6 | 28 |
| Syracuse | 7–3 | 17–4 | 40 |
| Virginia Tech | 7–3 | 16–4 | 43 |
| Virginia | 7–3 | 15–6 | 37 |
| North Carolina | 6–3 | 17–5 | 21 |
| Clemson | 6–4 | 15–7 | 39 |
| Notre Dame | 5–5 | 13–8 | 32 |
| Stanford | 4–5 | 15–7 | 36 |
| California | 4–5 | 13–9 | 54 |
| Miami | 4–6 | 12–9 | 48 |
| Georgia Tech | 4–6 | 9–13 | 93 |
| Florida State | 2–7 | 7–14 | 108 |
| Wake Forest | 2–8 | 12–10 | 120 |
| SMU | 1–9 | 8–14 | 182 |
| Pittsburgh | 1–9 | 8–15 | 260 |
| Boston College | 0–10 | 4–19 | 250 |
* — Through Thursday games
Thursday’s results
Virginia 109, Wake Forest 103, 3 OTs
Virginia Tech 67, Pittsburgh 50
Syracuse 95, Georgia Tech 70
N.C. State 106, Boston College 84
Clemson 83, SMU 54
No. 7 Louisville 84, Stanford 66
No. 20 Duke 74, Miami 58
California 80, Notre Dame 69
Sunday’s games
Wake Forest at No. 20 Duke, noon, ACC Network
No 7 Louisville at California, 1 p.m.
Virginia at Virginia Tech, 2 p.m., ACCN Extra
Syracuse at Miami, 2 p.m., ACCN Extra
Boston College at Georgia Tech, 2 p.m., ACC Network
Notre Dame at Stanford, 4 p.m.
Florida State at Clemson, 4 p.m., ACC Network
Monday’s game
North Carolina at N.C. State, 6 p.m., ESPN2
Thursday, Feb. 5, games
Syracuse at Boston College, 6 p.m.
Stanford at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m., ACCN Extra
Clemson at North Carolina, 6 p.m., ACC Network
No. 20 Duke at No. 7 Louisville, 7 p.m., ESPN
Virginia Tech at Notre Dame, 7 p.m., ACCN Extra
Miami at Virginia, 7 p.m., ACCN Extra
California at Georgia Tech, 7 p.m., ACCN Extra
Wake Forest at SMU, 7:30, ACCN Extra
Florida State at N.C. State, 8 p.m., ACC Network
| Date | Day/month | Time | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV/ record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 30 | Thursday | L, 91–82 | No. 3 South Carolina in Atlanta | Exhib. |
| November | ||||
| 3 | Monday | W, 90–42 | vs. N.C. Central | 1–0 |
| 6 | Thursday | W, 71–37 | vs. Elon | 2–0 |
| WBCA Challenge Las Vegas | ||||
| 13 | Thursday | L, 78–60 | vs. No. 2 UCLA | 2–1 |
| 15 | Saturday | W, 82–68 | vs. Fairfield | 3–1 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 20 | Thursday | W, 85–50 | at N.C. A&T | 4–1 |
| 23 | Sunday | W, 94–48 | vs. UNCG | 5–1 |
| Cancun Challenge Cancun, Mexico | ||||
| 27 | Thursday | W, 83–48 | vs. South Dakota St. | 6–1 |
| 28 | Friday | W, 85–73 | vs. Kansas State | 7–1 |
| 29 | Saturday | W, 80–63 | vs. Columbia | 8–1 |
| December | ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge | |||
| 4 | Thursday | W, 79–64 | at No. 4 Texas | 8–2 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 82–40 | vs. Boston Univ. | 9–2 |
| 14 | Sunday | L, 76–66, OT | vs. No. 78 Louisville | 9–3, 0–1 ACC |
| 17 | Wednesday | W, 84–34 | vs. UNCW | 10–3 |
| 21 | Sunday | W, 93–74 | vs. Charleston Southern | 11–3 |
| 29 | Monday | W, 90–38 | at Boston College | 12–3, 1–1 ACC |
| January | ||||
| 1 | Thursday | W, 71–55 | vs. California | 13–3, 2–1 |
| 4 | Sunday | L, 77–71, OT | vs. Stanford | 13–4, 2–2 |
| 11 | Sunday | L, 73–50 | at Notre Dame | 13–5, 2–3 |
| 15 | Thursday | W, 73–62 | vs. Miami | 14–5, 3–3 |
| 18 | Sunday | W, 82–55 | at Florida State | 15–5, 4–3 |
| 22 | Thursday | W, 54–46 | at Georgia Tech | 16–5, 5–3 |
| 25 | Sunday | W, 77–71, OT | vs. Syracuse | 17–5, 6–3 |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | 6 p.m. | at N.C. State | ESPN2 |
| 5 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | vs. Clemson | ACCN |
| 8 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | vs. Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 12 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | vs. SMU | ACCN |
| 15 | Sunday | 1 p.m. | at No. 20 Duke | ABC |
| 19 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | at Virginia Tech | ACCN |
| 22 | Sunday | Noon | vs. Pittsburgh | ACCN |
| 26 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | at Virginia | ACCN Extra |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | Noon | vs. No. 20 Duke | ESPN |
| ACC tournament | ||||
| 4–8 | Wed.-Sun | Gas South Arena, Duluth, Ga. | ||
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| 20–24 | Fri.-Mon. | First, second rounds | ||
| 27–30 | Fri.-Mon. | Regionals Fort Worth, Texas, and Sacramento, Calif. | ||
| April | ||||
| 3, 5 | Fri., Sun | Final Four Phoenix |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
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