By R.L. Bynum
For the second ACC/SEC Challenge, Carolina’s women will play at home again and this time, they face one of their former teammates.
Kentucky, featuring former UNC forward Teonni Key, will visit Carmichael Arena on Thursday, Dec 5. The Wildcats will be in their first season under former Virginia Tech coach Kenny Brooks. It will be the first meeting between the schools since 2018.
Key, one of six players who transferred from UNC after last season, redshirted for the 2021–22 season, her first in Chapel Hill, recovering from a torn ACL. In the last two seasons, she scored 130 points and pulled down 125 rebounds in 51 games, starting once.
Key scored in double figures four times: 13 points on Nov. 13, 2022, against South Carolina State, 11 points on Feb. 15, 2024, against Pittsburgh, and 10 points each at Indiana on Dec. 1, 2022, and at Georgia Tech on Jan. 18, 2024.
Last season, the Tar Heels, who made the second round of the NCAA tournament and finished 20–13 last, played eventual national champion South Carolina a tough game before losing 65–58 at Carmichael Arena in the inaugural Challenge.
The Gamecocks will play host to Duke in next season’s Challenge on Dec. 5.
UNC’s men also play at home, taking on Alabama on Wednesday, Dec. 4.
In Dec. 4 women’s matchups, Florida State is at Tennessee, Georgia Tech at Mississippi State, Louisville at Oklahoma, Miami at Vanderbilt, Syracuse at Texas A&M and Virginia Tech at Georgia. The other Dec. 5 matchups have Boston College at Arkansas, Cal at Alabama, Clemson at Florida, N.C. State at Ole Miss, Notre Dame at Texas, SMU at Missouri, Stanford at LSU and Virginia at Auburn.
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Projected roster if all players with eligibility other than Elina Aarnisalo, Lanie Grant,, Taliyah Henderson and Liza Ashtakhova and Liza Ashtakhova return, with years listed for next season (UNC is one below the 15-player limit)
| Year | No./ Stars | Players | Pos. | Height | |
| Freshman | 5 star | Kate Harpring | PG | 5–10 | |
| Freshman | 52/4 star | Noelle Bofia | F | 6–4 | |
| Sophomore | 3 | Gabby White — W | G | 5–10 | |
| Sophomore | 7 | Nyla Brooks | W | 6–1 | |
| Sophomore | 26 | Taissa Queiroz | G | 6–1 | |
| Junior | 34 | Blanca Thomas | C | 6–5 | |
| Junior | 1 | Jordan Zubich | G | 5–11 | |
| RS junior | 21 | Ciera Toomey | F | 6–4 | |
| RS junior | 4 | Laila Hull | W | 6–1 | |
| Senior | Sophie Burrows — X | G | 6–2 | ||
| Senior | 11 | Achol Akot — Y | F | 6–1 | |
| Senior | 10 | Reniya Kelly | G | 5–7 | |
| Senior | 15 | Sydney Barker | G | 5–6 | |
| Graduate | 13 | Chloe Clardy — Z | G | 5–9 |
WW — Virginia transfer; — Virginia transfer; X — Syracuse transfer; Y — Oklahoma State transfer; X — Stanford transfer
Entered transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elina Aarnisalo | Junior | G | 5–10 | UCLA |
| Lanie Grant | Junior | G | 5–9 | TCU |
| Taliyah Henderson | Sophomore | W | 6–1 | |
| Liza Astakhova | Sophomore | G | 6–2 |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
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