By R.L. Bynum
After two home ACC victories last week, North Carolina jumped five spots in the AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll to No. 14 to tie the Tar Heels’ highest rank of the season.
UNC (15–3, 3–2 ACC) knocked off Duke 53–46 in overtime on Thursday and surged past Boston College 80–67 on Sunday, earning their 15th victory, the fastest to 15 since the 2021–22 Tar Heels went 25–7 and made the NCAA Sweet 16.
Carolina was No. 14 on Nov. 11 in the first regular-season poll of the season but fell two spots the next week after the Tar Heels’ 69–58 loss to UConn in Greensboro on Nov. 15. The Tar Heels were last ranked higher than that when they were No. 11 on Jan. 30, 2023.
Carolina is also 14th in the all-important NET rankings, with a 2–3 record in Quad 1 games, 4–0 in Quad 2 games, 2–0 in Quad 3 games and 7–0 in Quad 4 games. UNC is 15th in The Athletic’s power rankings and 19th in the Massey Ratings.
UNC plays two road games this week, facing SMU (10–7, 2–2) at 8 p.m. ET Thursday (ACC Network Extra) and Pittsburgh (9–9, 1–4) at 2 p.m. Sunday (ACC Network).
Duke was one of five teams ranked within six spots above UNC in last week’s poll to lose.
Previously undefeated Georgia Tech (15–2, 3–2), which lost to Virginia Tech 105–94 in overtime Thursday and 69–60 to Louisville on Sunday, fell four spots to No. 17. The Blue Devils (13–4, 4–1) dropped two positions to No. 16 after rebounding with a 60–55 win Sunday at Virginia.
Other teams just ahead of UNC in last week’s poll to lose were Tennessee (14–2), which moved up one spot after an 89–87 loss to LSU (which moved up one spot to No. 5), and West Virginia, which dropped three spots to No. 20 after a 64–57 setback against Oklahoma State.
California (16–2, 4–1) jumped six spots to No. 18 after beating N.C. State 78–71 and Florida State 82–70. The Wolfpack (12–4, 4–1) stayed at No. 21 after rebounding to beat Stanford 81–67.
The only other ACC team in the poll is first-place Notre Dame (14–2, 5–0), which remained at No. 3 and received two first-place votes.
AP Top 25
| Rank | Team (1st-place votes) | Record | Poll points | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UCLA (29) | 16–0 | 773 | 1 |
| 2 | South Carolina | 16–1 | 740 | 2 |
| 3 | Notre Dame (2) | 14–2 | 710 | 3 |
| 4 | Southern Cal | 16–1 | 680 | 4 |
| 5 | LSU | 18–0 | 625 | 6 |
| 6 | UConn | 15–2 | 599 | 7 |
| 7 | Texas | 16–2 | 580 | 5 |
| 8 | Maryland | 15–1 | 556 | 8 |
| 9 | Ohio State | 16–0 | 553 | 9 |
| 10 | TCU | 17–1 | 501 | 11 |
| 11 | Kansas State | 17–1 | 492 | 12 |
| 12 | Kentucky | 15–1 | 428 | 15 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | 14–3 | 383 | 10 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 15–3 | 360 | 19 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 14–2 | 327 | 16 |
| 16 | Duke | 13–4 | 313 | 14 |
| 17 | Georgia Tech | 15–2 | 248 | 13 |
| 18 | California | 16–2 | 240 | 24 |
| 19 | Alabama | 16–2 | 235 | 18 |
| 20 | West Virginia | 13–3 | 178 | 17 |
| 21 | N.C. State | 12–4 | 131 | 21 |
| 22 | Michigan State | 13–3 | 117 | 20 |
| 23 | Utah | 13–3 | 91 | 22 |
| T24 | Minnesota | 16–1 | 45 | NR |
| T24 | Oklahoma State | 14–2 | 45 | NR |
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Michigan 43, Mississippi St. 22, Indiana 14, Creighton 12, Nebraska 11, Baylor 8, Louisville 5, Harvard 3, Mississippi 3, Florida St. 2, Iowa 1 and Vanderbilt 1.
ACC standings
| Team | League | Overall | NET |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 6 Notre Dame | 16–2 | 25–4 | 4 |
| No. 7 N.C. State | 16–2 | 24–5 | 19 |
| No. 11 Duke | 14–4 | 23–7 | 7 |
| No. 14 North Carolina | 13–5 | 25–6 | 18 |
| No. 22 Florida State | 13–5 | 23–7 | 23 |
| Louisville | 13–5 | 20–9 | 36 |
| California | 12–6 | 24–7 | 39 |
| Georgia Tech | 9–9 | 21–9 | 29 |
| Virginia Tech | 9–9 | 18–11 | 48 |
| Virginia | 8–10 | 16–14 | 75 |
| Stanford | 8–10 | 16–13 | 49 |
| Boston College | 6–12 | 15–16 | 70 |
| Clemson | 6–12 | 13–16 | 65 |
| Syracuse | 6–12 | 12–17 | 91 |
| Pittsburgh | 5–13 | 13–18 | 141 |
| Miami | 4–14 | 14–15 | 82 |
| SMU | 2–16 | 10–20 | 124 |
| Wake Forest | 2–16 | 9–20 | 98 |
Sunday’s games
Virginia 78, No. 14 North Carolina 75
No. 6 Notre Dame 72, Louisville 59
No. 7 N.C. State 69, SMU 45
Pittsburgh 79, Wake Forest 63
Virginia Tech 78, Clemson 76
Syracuse 82, Boston College 57
Stanford 87, Georgia Tech 82
California 81, Miami 61
No. 11 Duke 71, No. 22 Florida State 57
ACC tournament in Greensboro
Wednesday’s first round (ACC Network)
No. 12 Boston College (15–16) vs. No. 13 Syracuse (12–17), 1 p.m.
No. 10 Virginia (16–14) vs. No. 15 Pittsburgh (13–18), 3:30
No. 11 Stanford (16–13) vs. No. 14 Clemson (13–16), 6:30
Thursday’s second round (ACC Network)
No. 5 (No. 14 ranked) UNC (25–6) vs. BC-Syracuse winner, 11 a.m.
No. 8 Georgia Tech (21–9) vs. No. 9 Virginia Tech (18–11), 1:30
No. 7 California (24–7) vs. Virginia-Pittsburgh winner, 5 p.m.
No. 6 Louisville (20–9) vs. Stanford-Clemson winner, 7:30
Friday’s quarterfinals
No. 4 (No. 22 ranked) Florida State (23–7) vs. UNC, BC or Syracuse, 11 a.m., ESPN2
No. 1 (No. 7 ranked) N.C. State (24–5) vs. Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech winner, 1:30, ACC Network
No. 2 (No. 6 ranked) Notre Dame (25–4) vs. California, Virginia or Pittsburgh, 5 p.m., ESPN2
No. 3 (No. 11 ranked) Duke (23–7) vs. Louisville, Stanford or Clemson, 7:30, ACC Network
Saturday’s semifinals (ESPN2)
Winners of first two quarterfinals, noon
Winners of last two quarterfinals, 2:30
Sunday’s championship
Semifinal winners, 1 p.m., ESPN
UNC results
| Date | Day/month | Score | Opponent/event (current rank) | 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. 3 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. 13 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. 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 | W, 69–60 | at Miami | 13–2, 1–1 ACC |
| January | ||||
| 5 | Sunday | L, 76–66 | vs. No. 8 Notre Dame | 13–3, 1–2 |
| 9 | Thursday | W, 53–46, OT | vs. No. 7 Duke | 14–3, 2–2 |
| 12 | Sunday | W, 80–67 | vs. Boston College | 15–3, 3–2 |
| 16 | Thursday | W, 64–33 | at SMU | 16–3, 4–2 |
| 19 | Sunday | W, 75–58 | at Pitt | 17–3, 5–2 |
| 23 | Thursday | W, 76–51 | vs. Wake Forest | 18–3, 6–2 |
| 26 | Sunday | L, 86–84 | vs. No. 22 Florida State | 18–4, 6–3 |
| 30 | Thursday | W, 65–52 | at California | 19–4, 7–3 |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Sunday | W, 69–67 | at Stanford | 20–4, 8–3 |
| 9 | Sunday | W, 53–51 | at Clemson | 21–4, 9–3 |
| 13 | Thursday | W, 67–62 | vs. Virginia Tech | 22–4, 10–3 |
| 16 | Sunday | W, 66–65 | vs. No. 9 N.C. State | 23–4, 11–3 |
| 20 | Thursday | W, 68–58 | at Syracuse | 24–4, 12–3 |
| 23 | Sunday | W, 79–75 | at Louisville | 25–4, 13–3 |
| 27 | Thursday | L, 68–53 | at No. 7 Duke | 25–5, 13–4 |
| March | ||||
| 2 | Sunday | L, 78–75 | vs. Virginia | 25–6, 13–5 |
| ACC tournament Greensboro | ||||
| 6 | Thursday | W, 78–71 | Third round: Boston College | 26–6 |
| 7 | Friday | W, 60–56 | Quarterfinals: vs. No. 22 Florida State | 27–6 |
| 8 | Saturday | L, 66–55 | Semifinals: vs. No. 9 N.C. State | 27–7 |
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| 22 | Saturday | W, 70–49 | First round in CH: vs. Oregon State | 28–7 |
| 24 | Monday | W, 58–47 | Second round in CH: vs. No. 16 West Virginia | 29–7 |
| 28 | Friday | L, 47–38 | Birmingham Regional 2 Sweet 16: vs. No. 7 Duke | 29–8 |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
tarheeltribune.com 