By R.L. Bynum

CHAPEL HILL — After several challenging opponents, No. 16 North Carolina returned home for the first time in 22 days for some post-Thanksgiving feasting against a winless team.

N.C. Central was helpless to hold off the onslaught as the Tar Heels gorged on perimeter-shooting prowess, inside domination, tough defense and board dominance in a 119–43 victory Friday afternoon over the Eagles in Carmichael Arena.

“It was lopsided pretty early, and I really praise our guys for respecting the game and respecting our journey to stay locked into our process,” said UNC coach Courtney Banghart after her team scored the most points and won by the largest scoring margin in her tenure in Chapel Hill. “And we got a lot of good things came from it.”

Carolina (7–1), with 65.2% of its field goals (30 of 46) layups, eclipsed 100 points with 8:02 left in a game that provides a brief respite from the schedule gauntlet. No. 14 Kentucky (7–0) comes to Carmichael for an ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge game Thursday.

“Definitely a fun game; we all had a blast,” said wing Alyssa Ustby (season-high 24 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals), who scored more than a point a minute for her 39th career double-double.

All 12 Tar Heels who played scored, and a season-high six Tar Heels had double-figure points, the first time UNC has done that or reached triple-digit points since the 102–49 win last season over Gardner-Webb on Dec. 6. It was UNC’s best scoring output since a 124–41 win over New Orleans on Dec. 16, 2013, in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

After playing some teams on its way to winning the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas who tried to slow the tempo, there were no such limitations against the Eagles (0–9). Combining that with UNC forcing 27 turnovers, the Heels had a 40–2 edge in points off turnovers and a 20–2 advantage in fast-break points.

“I think the pace of our offense was very poor in the last few games, and I think we really wanted to focus on that, and it opens up a lot of different options,” said sophomore point guard Reniya Kelly, who had nine points and six assists and has been a good floor leader.

Banghart said improving screen angles and dealing with the attention opposing defenses give to Ustby helped boost the offense on Friday.

“I thought Reniya really managed the game really well,” Banghart said. “Not only were we able to play fast, but we were also able to play fluidly when we were playing against a set defense, because she didn’t hold it long. Tactically, these guys are just growing together.”

It took Carolina a few games to consistently shoot down opponents even though the Heels have several talented 3-point shooters. That’s changed, with UNC scoring 11 3-pointers in each of the last two games and shooting 41.5% from outside the arc combined in the two games (11 of 30 vs. NCCU).

“I think this year I’ve had the most fun and just been the most comfortable I’ve ever been playing,” Kelly said. “I have so many shooters around me, and it opens up so much drive for me.”

Ustby’s fifth season didn’t start up to the standard she’s set at Carolina — with single-digit points in four games and single-digit rebounds in four — but this was her fourth straight double-digit rebounding game, and she’s back to deploying her Swiss army knife versatility.

Ustby said she shook off the tough start by buying into the process and approaching each practice with purpose.

“Coming to practice with the attitude that I’m going to get better at different finishes, and trusting my teammates,” she said. “Just continuing to play within the flow of how we want to play offense because I know, ultimately, then I’m going to get the ball in places that I like to score from. In turn, I can also help my teammates get better looks as well.”

Senior center Maria Gakdeng returned after sitting out the Battle 4 Atlantis while nursing a lower-body injury, notching her eighth career double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

“Maria is just a force to be reckoned with, and we’re so happy every time that we’re on the court together,” Ustby said. “She, deservingly, draws a lot of attention, she posts up hard, she finishes well, and she’s somebody that’s always bought into a defensive game plan.”

Free-throw shooting is the big negative that must change for Carolina, particularly against more talented opponents. After UNC shot 60% or poorer 10 times last season, it’s already happened three times this season, including Friday’s 55.2% free-throw shooting (16 of 29, including 8 of 18 from the starters).

“I think there’s an element of a mental aspect to free throws that, again, as we continue to find our rhythm [will get better],” Banghart said. “Just like we didn’t shoot the ball well to start the year, I think these are the kind of things you hope work itself out over time.”

From a layup by Lexi Donarski (11 points, three 3-pointers, two assists and two blocks) in the first four seconds, it was a rout as UNC jumped out to a 13–2 lead in the first four minutes and rolled from there. Six players had already scored by the end of the first quarter, with UNC leading 34–12.

“Instead of taking contested twos, we’re getting open threes, whether that’s off an O board or through a collapse,” Banghart said. “So, we’re just getting better shots. And I think with that, there’s just a more fluidity to it.”

The lead ballooned to 42 on an Ustby layup with 2:23 left before Carolina led 65–25 at halftime with the most points in a half under Banghart. The third quarter was more of the same — with a Tray Crisp layup ballooning the lead to 61 with 54 seconds left before taking a 94–35 lead into the final quarter.

The lead peaked at 77 on a Laila Hull 3-pointer with 1:03 left.

Also scoring in double figures for the Tar Heels were Crisp (13 points, two rebounds, two asissts and two steals), Indya Nivar (11 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals) and Ciera Toomey (10 points, four rebounds).

Guard Shakiria Foster scored 18 points to lead NCCU, which visits No. 7 LSU at 3 p.m. Sunday.

NOTES — Carolina’s game with Kentucky at 5 p.m. Thursday (ESPN2) is the second of five consecutive home games. It will be a homecoming for former UNC forward Teonni Key, a redshirt junior who has started every game for the Wildcats, averaging 12.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 blocks and 2.4 assists. … It was Carolina’s highest scoring output since a 107–46 win over UNC Asheville on Dec. 12, 2021. … UNC has won all eight meetings with N.C. Central. … Former Carolina player N’Dea Bryant (2012–16) is an NCCU assistant coach. … UNC guards Kayla McPherson (knee) and Sydney Barker (recovering from broken thumb) weren’t in uniform.

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No. 16 UNC 119, N.C. Central 43

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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. 4 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. 2 Texas	8–2
			———————————
7	Sunday	W, 82–40	vs. Boston Univ.	9–2
14	Sunday	L, 76–66, OT	vs. No. 16 Louisville	9–3, 0–1 ACC
17	Wednesday	W, 84–34	vs. UNCW	10–3
21	Sunday	Noon	vs. Charleston Southern	ACCN Extra
29	Monday	8 p.m.	at Boston College	ACCN
	January
1	Thursday	Noon	vs. California	ACCN
4	Sunday	1 p.m.	vs. Stanford	ESPN
11	Sunday	1 p.m.	at No. 20 Notre Dame	ESPN
15	Thursday	7 p.m.	vs. Miami	ACCN Extra
18	Sunday	2 p.m.	at Florida State	The CW
22	Thursday	8 p.m.	at Georgia Tech	ACCN
25	Sunday	2 p.m.	vs. Syracuse	The CW
	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 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. 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

Photos courtesy of UNC Athletics