By Bob Sutton

CHAPEL HILL — If this is what’s referred to as a tune-up, the North Carolina women’s basketball team is well-oiled for what’s to come.

The No. 19 Tar Heels operated in good order in their final non-conference game, blasting visiting Norfolk State 90–47 on Saturday afternoon at Carmichael Arena.

“It’s exactly what we wanted to do,” freshman guard Lanie Grant said. “We wanted to go out on a good win just so we could come back with some momentum, and we did that, and we’re going to keep capitalizing.”

Grant racked up 15 points off the bench, and Grace Townsend had 14 points. Lexi Donarski and Maria Gakdeng each scored 11 points, and Alyssa Ustby and reserve Ciera Tommey finished with 10 points apiece. For the most part, starters had the fourth quarter off.

Next for the Tar Heels (12–2) is a stretch of 17 consecutive ACC games, beginning Dec. 29 at Miami before three consecutive home games.

A team spokeswoman said that Tar Heels coach Courtney Banghart didn’t attend the media session as she had a flight to catch.

It turned into a nice shooting demonstration for the Tar Heels, with six players connecting on at least one 3-pointer. North Carolina was 14-for-31 on 3s despite missing its final three attempts. Grant hit four 3s.

“In these type of games, given the score what it was, I think we were able to focus on playing with one another, getting each other the best shot, even when they went zone,” Townsend said. “The way we were able to share the ball, we shot the ball extremely well. That was the big thing for us.”

Diamond Johnson’s 19 points paced Norfolk State (11–4), the two-time reigning MEAC champion.

North Carolina led 49–19 at halftime, with the Tar Heels shooting 50% the Spartans at 20% from the floor.

It took Norfolk State almost six minutes into the second half before scoring.

“It’s a testament to this team, we take a lot of pride in our defense,” Townsend said. “Even if our shots aren’t going in, we try to get stops every possession. I think a big key for this game, keeping them out [of the lane] — they were able to get into the paint on a lot of teams – so I think that’s just a testament to our defense.”

The Tar Heels had five reserves on the court to begin the fourth quarter.

Donarski went 3-for-3 on 3-pointers in the first six minutes as the Tar Heels built a 20-6 lead. The team’s other three first-half 3-pointers came with one apiece from Grant, Laila Hull and Trayanna Crisp.

Ustby had 11 of North Carolina’s 41 rebounds, and Towsend topped the assists chart with five.

Johnson, a former N.C. State guard, notched all except four of her points in the second half. The Spartans were 3-for-23 on 3-pointers in the game.

It was an abbreviated postgame session with media as team members were eager to depart on a holiday break.

NOTES — It was the first meeting between the programs. … Four of North Carolina’s victories this season have come against HBCUs (also N.C. A&T, N.C. Central and Coppin State are the others). … The Spartans lost for the second time against a nationally ranked opponent, falling at Alabama last month. … Announced attendance was a season-low for a home game at 2,211.

Bob Sutton is a veteran ACC sports writer who is the former North Carolina Sportswriter of the Year and was the sports editor of the Burlington Times-News for 25 years.

No. 19 UNC 90, Norfolk State 47

ACC standings

Team	League	Overall
No. 17 Georgia Tech	1–0	13–0
No. 24 California	1–0	12–1
Miami	1–0	11–1
Florida State	1–0	11–2
No. 9 Duke	1–0	10–3
No. 3 Notre Dame	1–0	8–2
No. 21 N.C. State	1–0	9–3
Boston College	1–0	10–4
Clemson	1–0	8–4
No. 19 North Carolina	0–1	12–2
Stanford	0–1	8–3
Virginia Tech	0–1	9–3
SMU	0–1	8–5
Virginia	0–1	8–5
Louisville	0–1	7–5
Wake Forest	0–1	7–5
Pittsburgh	0–1	8–6
Syracuse	0–1	6–6

Wednesday’s games
No. 19 North Carolina 77, Florida 57
No. 17 Georgia Tech 88, Rice 57
No. 9 Duke 93, Wofford 58
Syracuse 87, Binghamton 60
Thursday’s results
Pittsburgh 94, New Hampshire 39
Georgia 75, Clemson 68
Florida State 97, Jacksonville 74
No. 21 N.C. State 61, James Madison 47
SMU 74, North Texas 66
Friday’s games
Boston College 83, Central Connecticut 56
Wake Forest 54, UNCG 50
SMU 73, Chicago State 52
Clemson 72, Hawai’i 58
Stanford vs. No. 11 Ohio State in San Francisco, 8:30, FS1
Miami 61, Oregon State 56
Saturday’s games
No. 19 North Carolina 90, Norfolk State 47
Syracuse 87, Dartmouth 52
Virginia Tech 81, Campbell 46
South Florida 65, No. 9 Duke 56
Virginia 74, Coppin State 66
Pittsburgh 61, Utah Tech 52
Louisville 87, Memphis 68
No. 17 Georgia Tech 72, No. 23 Nebraska 61
No. 24 California 69, Fordham 53
Miami at Oregon State, midnight, YouTube
Sunday’s games
Loyola (Md.) at No. 3 Notre Dame, 2 p.m., ACCN Extra
Xavier or Temple at No. 24 California in B.A.R. Invitational, 6 p.m. or 8 p.m., ACCN Extra

Date	Day/month	Time/ score	Opponent/event (current rank)	TV/ record
	November
4	Monday	W, 83–53	vs. Charleston Southern	1–0
7	Thursday	W, 77–50	vs. UNCW	2–0
12	Tuesday	W, 66–47	at N.C. A&T	3–0
15	Friday	L, 69–58	vs. No. 4 UConn in Greensboro	3–1
			Battle 4 Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas
23	Saturday	W, 63–52	Ball State	4–1
24	Sunday	W, 53–36	Villanova	5–1
25	Monday	W, 69–39	Indiana	6–1
			———————————
29	Friday	W, 119–43	vs. N.C. Central	7–1
	December
			ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge
5	Thursday	W, 72–53	vs. No. 16 Kentucky	8–1
			———————————
8	Sunday	W, 72–46	vs. Coppin State	9–1
11	Wednesday	W, 80–56	vs. UNCG	10–1
15	Sunday	L, 82–76	vs. No. 17 Georgia Tech	10–2, 0–1 ACC
			Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte
18	Wednesday	W, 77–57	vs. Florida	11–2
			———————————
21	Saturday	W, 90–47	vs. Norfolk State	12–2
			ACC season
29	Sunday	4 p.m.	at Miami	ACCN
	January
5	Sunday	1 p.m.	vs. No. 3 Notre Dame	ESPN
9	Thursday	7 p.m.	vs. No. 9 Duke	TBA
12	Sunday	2 p.m.	vs. Boston College	ACCN
16	Thursday	8 p.m. ET	at SMU	ACCN Extra
19	Sunday	2 p.m.	at Pitt	ACCN
23	Thursday	7 p.m.	vs. Wake Forest	ACCN Extra
26	Sunday	Noon	vs. Florida State	ACCN
30	Thursday	TBA	at No. 24 Cal	ACCN Extra
	February
2	Sunday	3 p.m. ET	at Stanford	The CW
9	Sunday	2 p.m.	at Clemson	ACCN Extra
13	Thursday	7 p.m.	vs. Virginia Tech	ACCN Extra
16	Sunday	2 p.m.	vs. No. 21 N.C. State	ESPN
20	Thursday	6 p.m.	at Syracuse	ACCN
23	Sunday	2 p.m.	at Louisville	ESPN
27	Thursday	7 p.m.	at No. 9 Duke	ESPN
	March
2	Sunday	2 p.m.	vs. Virginia	The CW
5–9	Wed.–Sun.		ACC tournament Greensboro