UNC women open ACC play in mid-December, only play N.C. State in Raleigh

By R.L. Bynum

North Carolina’s women’s basketball team already knew its nonconference schedule and, on Tuesday, the ACC announced the league schedule.

It’s the second season of an 18-game conference schedule in which the Tar Heels play Duke home-and-home and only play the other ACC teams once.

Coach Courtney Banghart’s Tar Heels will still have two more nonconference games left when they open ACC play on Dec. 14 with a home game against Louisville. It’s all league games after Christmas, starting with the Dec. 29 game at Boston College.

UNC has four home games and three road games in January, playing host to California on Jan. 1, Stanford on Jan. 4, Miami on Jan. 15, and Syracuse on Jan. 25. The Tar Heels are on the road against Notre Dame on Jan. 11, Florida State on Jan. 18, and Georgia Tech on Jan. 22.

The Tar Heels start February with their only meeting with N.C. State on Feb. 2, one of five road games that month, including at Wake Forest on Feb. 8, at Duke on Feb. 15, at Virginia Tech on Feb. 19 and at Virginia on Feb. 26. Coming to Carmichael Arena in Feburary are Clemson on Fe. 5, SMU on Feb. 12 and Pittsburgh on Feb. 22.

UNC finishes the regular season with a senior day matchup against Duke on March 1.

The Tar Heels play South Carolina in an exhibition game on Oct. 30 in Atlanta before opening the season at home on Nov. 3 against N.C. Central.

See the complete schedule below.


YearNo.PlayersPos.Height
Freshman5Liza Astakhova (LEE-zah uh-STAH-koh-vuh)W6–2
Freshman7Nyla BrooksW6–1
Brooks brings dazzling skills,
confidence to UNC
Freshman3Taliyah HendersonW6–1
Long wait, journey for 5-star freshman Henderson after second knee surgery nearly over
Freshman26Taissa QueirozG6–1
Queiroz came to USA from Brazil to chase her dreams
Sophomore17Elina Aarnisalo (EH-lee-nah AHR-nee-sah-loh)G5–10
Aarnisalo brings flash, IQ and
pro experience to backcourt
Sophomore0Lanie GrantG5–9
Sophomore34Blanca Thomas C6–5
Sophomore1Jordan Zubich G5–11
RS sophomore21Ciera ToomeyF6–4
RS sophomore4Laila Hull W6–1
Junior10Reniya KellyPG5–7
Junior15Sydney BarkerPG5–6
Senior2Nyla HarrisF6–2
It was hard for Harris to
say ‘no’ to UNC again
Senior24Indya NivarG5–10

Class of 2025

PlayerRatingESPN rankPositionHeightHometown
Nyla BrooksFive starNo. 13Wing6–2Alexandria, Va.
Taliyah HendersonFive starNo. 27Wing6–1Vail, Ariz.
Taissa QueirozFour starNo. 77Guard6–1Santa Rosa, Calif.
Liza AstakhovaWing6–1Moscow, Russia

DateDay/monthTimeOpponent/event
(current ranks)
TV/
record
October
30ThursdayL, 91–82No. 3 South Carolina
in Atlanta
Exhib.
November
3MondayW, 90–42vs. N.C. Central1–0
6ThursdayW, 71–37vs. Elon2–0
WBCA Challenge
Las Vegas
13ThursdayL, 78–60vs. No. 4 UCLA2–1
15SaturdayW, 82–68vs. Fairfield3–1
———————————
20ThursdayW, 85–50at N.C. A&T4–1
23SundayW, 94–48vs. UNCG5–1
Cancun Challenge
Cancun, Mexico
27ThursdayW, 83–48vs. South Dakota St.6–1
28FridayW, 85–73vs. Kansas State7–1
29SaturdayW, 80–63vs. Columbia8–1
DecemberACC/SEC
Women’s Challenge
4ThursdayW, 79–64at No. 2 Texas8–2
———————————
7SundayW, 82–40vs. Boston Univ.9–2
14SundayL, 76–66, OTvs. No. 16 Louisville9–3,
0–1 ACC
17WednesdayW, 84–34vs. UNCW10–3
21SundayNoonvs. Charleston SouthernACCN Extra
29Monday8 p.m.at Boston CollegeACCN
January
1ThursdayNoonvs. CaliforniaACCN
4Sunday1 p.m.vs. StanfordESPN
11Sunday1 p.m.at No. 20 Notre DameESPN
15Thursday7 p.m.vs. MiamiACCN
Extra
18Sunday2 p.m.at Florida StateThe CW
22Thursday8 p.m.at Georgia TechACCN
25Sunday2 p.m.vs. SyracuseThe CW
February
2Monday6 p.m.at N.C. StateESPN2
5Thursday7 p.m.vs. ClemsonACCN
8Sunday2 p.m.vs. Wake ForestACCN
12Thursday6 p.m.vs. SMUACCN
15Sunday1 p.m.at DukeABC
19Thursday6 p.m.at Virginia TechACCN
22SundayNoonvs. PittsburghACCN
26Thursday7 p.m.at VirginiaACCN
Extra
March
1SundayNoonvs. DukeESPN
ACC tournament
4–8Wed.-SunGas South Arena,
Duluth, Ga.
NCAA tournament
20–24Fri.-Mon.First, second rounds
27–30Fri.-Mon.Regionals
Fort Worth, Texas,
and Sacramento, Calif.
April
3, 5Fri., SunFinal Four
Phoenix

Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics Communications

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