By R.L. Bynum
With No. 8 North Carolina’s first back-to-back losses all season, the short-handed Tar Heels lost a chance to earn a double-bye in the ACC women’s tournament.
The Tar Heels’ 78–75 upset loss to Virginia, playing without stars Reniya Kelly and Alyssa Ustby, means that they open play with an 11 a.m. Thursday second-round game at Greensboro’s First Horizon Coliseum. UNC (25–6) will face the winner of Wednesday’s 1 p.m. first-round game between No. 12-seed Boston College (15–16) and No. 13 Syracuse (12–17).
Carolina beat BC 80–67 at home on Jan. 12 and won at Syracuse 68–58 on Feb. 20.
With a Thursday win, the Tar Heels would meet No. 4-seed Florida State (24–6) in a quarterfinal game at 11 a.m. Friday. The Seminoles won at UNC 86–84 on Jan. 26.
While UNC coach Courtney Banghart said that Kelly (right knee) and Ustby (left knee) will definitely play in the NCAA tournament, she wasn’t sure about their status for the ACC tournament, adding that they are progressing.
In other Wednesday’s first-round games, No. 10 Virginia (16–14) takes on No. 15 Pittsburgh (13–18) at 3:30 and No. 11 Stanford (16–13) plays No. 14 Syracuse (12–17) at 6:30.
After UNC’s game on Thursday, No. 8 Georgia Tech (21–9) meets No. 9 Virginia Tech (18–11) at 1:30, No. 7 California (24–7) takes on the Virginia-Pittsburgh winner at 5 p.m., and Louisville faces the Stanford-Syracuse winner at 7:30.
No. 1-seed N.C. State (24–5) opens play at 1:30 Friday against the Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech winner. At 5 p.m. Friday, No. 2 Notre Dame (25–4) faces either California, Virginia or Pittsburgh. In the final quarterfinal matchup at 7:30, No. 3 Duke (23–7) takes on the Stanford-Syracuse winner.
Saturday’s semifinals start at noon. UNC would play at noon if it advances that far. The championship game is at 1 p.m. Sunday
ACC tournament
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 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 Florida State (23–7) vs. UNC, BC or Syraucse, 11 a.m., ESPN2
No. 1 N.C. State (24–5) vs. Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech winner, 1:30, ACC Network
No. 2 Notre Dame (25–4) vs. California, Virginia or Pittsburgh, 5 p.m., ESPN2
No. 3 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
| 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. 5 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. 15 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. 3 Notre Dame | 13–3, 1–2 |
| 9 | Thursday | W, 53–46, OT | vs. No. 16 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. 24 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. 16 Duke | 25–5, 13–4 |
| March | ||||
| 2 | Sunday | L, 78–75 | vs. Virginia | 25–6, 13–5 |
| ACC tournament Greensboro | ||||
| 6 | Thursday | 11 a.m. | Third round: BC or Syracuse | ACCN |
| 7 | Friday | 11 a.m. | Quarterfinals (with Thursday win): vs. No. 24 Florida State | ESPN2 |
Photo by Smith Hardy
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