By R.L. Bynum
No. 12 North Carolina continued to rain in the 3-pointers, but it felt like a storm of them Friday at the Cancun Challenge.
Lanie Grant scored a season-high 15 points and a career-high four 3-pointers as UNC tied the program single-game record of 14 3-pointers. The Tar Heels eased to an 85–73 victory over Kansas State at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya to extend their win streak to five.
“She’s someone we just keep breathing confidence into because we trust her,” Carolina coach Courtney Banghart said.
Banghart noted that the team is still adjusting with Grant and Indya Nivar playing multiple positions and Reniya Kelly having more ball-handlers around her.
“It’s early. We’re still kind of finding our rhythm. But a lot of good things you’re starting to see,” Banghart said
It was the 12th time game in program history with 14 3-pointers for the Tar Heels, who have scored double-digit 3-pointers in four consecutive games (48 of 111; 43.2%).
UNC (7–1) has scored at least 80 points for five consecutive games for the first time since the first five games of the 2020–21 season. Kansas State (5–4) was more competitive after trailing by 18 at halftime.
Nivar (team-high seven assists), Nyla Harris (team-high seven rebounds; below photo) and Nyla Brooks (four 3-pointers for the third time this season) each scored 14 points. Carolina shared the ball well, with 21 of 30 field goals assisted.
Despite the perimeter fireworks, Banghart lamented that the offense could still play with better rhythm.
“We weren’t quite on it,” she said. “So, to be able to just keep finding ways — get 10 steals, have a full team, have everyone who played contributed offensively — it’s nice when your defense isn’t as great as you want it to be, your offense still goes, and that hasn’t always been the case.”
The teams traded 5–0 runs to start the game, with Nivar’s 3-pointer tying it at 5. Harris capped a 7–0 run with an inside bucket to give UNC its first lead at 12–10 at 4:01 of the first quarter. After a pair of Kansas State buckets, the Tar Heels went on a 10–0 first-quarter ending run to lead 22–15.
Banghart said the key stretch came when UNC responded to an early deficit.
“I thought we were able to be a little bit better at the point of the ball, so we played out better out of the collapse,” Banghart said. “[Our hands and feet were] ready on shot attempts. Of course, when you’re making threes, that really helps. You’re putting a lot of numbers up on the board quickly.”
A 10–2 UNC run pushed the lead to 12 with 3-pointers from Brooks and Harris and a Harris layup at 6:43 of the second quarter. The Tar Heels finished the first half with an 8–1 run, with Grant scoring their ninth 3-pointer to give them a 50–32 halftime lead.
“When we were able to get the defense to contract, we did that and we were able to shoot with confidence,” Banghart said. “Typically, we’ve been a team that when we don’t play well defensively, we sort of shut down, and we showed some growth that we can actually do a little bit of both.”
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The Wildcats pulled within 15 while UNC scored only one field goal in the first 3:20 of the second half before Grant fired in a corner 3-pointer. On a Harris jumper with two seconds left, UNC took a 70–51 lead into the final quarter.
Kansas State scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to pull within 13 points, but UNC responded with a 9–0 run, including Grant’s fifth 3-pointer and her three-point play, to shove the lead to 21 points.
Izela Arenas led the Wildcats with 15 points, and they got 13 points from Nastja Claessens, Jenessa Cotton and Taryn Sides.
Notes
—Carolina plays its third and final Cancun Challenge game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday against Columbia (4–3), which beat South Dakota State 80–67 in Friday’s second game.
—UNC evened the series after Kansas State won the only other meeting 63–52 in the 2023 Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla.
—Carolina scored double-digit 3-pointers eight times last season and has already done it four times this season (all in the last four games).
—The Tar Heels started four guards, with Grant starting instead of Harris.
—UNC’s Taissa Queiroz, Blanca Thomas, Jordan Zubich and Sydney Barker didn’t play.
—The 50 first-half points were the second-most in a half this season after the 53 the Tar Heels scored in the 90–42 opening-game victory over N.C. Central.
—Carolina is 1–1 against power conference teams after losing to No. 3 UCLA in Las Vegas 78–60 on Nov. 13.
—UNC was 11 of 17 from the free-throw line (64.7%), its fourth time in eight games shooting 64.7% or poorer.
No. 12 UNC 85, Kansas State 73
| Team | League | Overall | NET* | WAB* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 13 Duke | 16–2 | 21–8 | 10 | 13 |
| No. 12 Louisville | 15–3 | 25–6 | 13 | 10 |
| No. 16 North Carolina | 14–4 | 25–6 | 19 | 14 |
| N.C. State | 13–5 | 20–9 | 23 | 27 |
| Syracuse | 12–6 | 22–7 | 40 | 31 |
| Virginia Tech | 12–6 | 22–8 | 41 | 34 |
| Notre Dame | 12–6 | 20–9 | 24 | 23 |
| Clemson | 11–7 | 20–10 | 44 | 40 |
| Virginia | 11–7 | 19–10 | 36 | 49 |
| California | 9–9 | 18–13 | 53 | 60 |
| Stanford | 8–10 | 19–12 | 42 | 56 |
| Miami | 8–10 | 16–13 | 58 | 65 |
| Georgia Tech | 7–10 | 12–17 | 76 | 109 |
| Florida State | 5–13 | 10–20 | 107 | 138 |
| Wake Forest | 4–14 | 14–16 | 121 | 134 |
| SMU | 2–16 | 9–21 | 220 | 209 |
| Pittsburgh | 1–17 | 8–23 | 262 | 238 |
| Boston College | 1–17 | 5–26 | 247 | 283 |
* — Through Sunday games
Thursday’s results
No. 16 North Carolina 82, Virginia 70
No. 12 Louisville 69, Georgia Tech 50
Notre Dame 72, Syracuse 62
Miami 79, Pittsburgh 58
N.C. State 65, Wake Forest 58
No. 13 Duke 80, Florida State 52
Stanford 87, SMU 57
Clemson 70, California 63
Sunday’s results
No. 16 North Carolina 74, No. 13 Duke 69
Virginia Tech 83, Virginia 82
Georgia Tech 79, Miami 49
N.C. State 93, Pittsburgh 43
Stanford 85, Clemson 50
Syracuse 90, Boston College 65
Notre Dame 65, No. 12 Louisville 62
Florida State 77, Wake Forest 74, OT
California 78, SMU 34
End of regular season
ACC tournament
Gas South Arena
Duluth, Ga.
March 4–8
| Date | Day/month | Scores | Opponent/event (current ranks) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 30 | Thursday | L, 91–82 | No. 4 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. 2 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. 3 Texas | 8–2 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 82–40 | vs. Boston Univ. | 9–2 |
| 14 | Sunday | L, 76–66, OT | vs. No. 13 Louisville | 9–3, 0–1 ACC |
| 17 | Wednesday | W, 84–34 | vs. UNCW | 10–3 |
| 21 | Sunday | W, 93–74 | vs. Charleston Southern | 11–3 |
| 29 | Monday | W, 90–38 | at Boston College | 12–3, 1–1 ACC |
| January | ||||
| 1 | Thursday | W, 71–55 | vs. California | 13–3, 2–1 |
| 4 | Sunday | L, 77–71, OT | vs. Stanford | 13–4, 2–2 |
| 11 | Sunday | L, 73–50 | at No. 22 Notre Dame | 13–5, 2–3 |
| 15 | Thursday | W, 73–62 | vs. Miami | 14–5, 3–3 |
| 18 | Sunday | W, 82–55 | at Florida State | 15–5, 4–3 |
| 22 | Thursday | W, 54–46 | at Georgia Tech | 16–5, 5–3 |
| 25 | Sunday | W, 77–71, OT | vs. Syracuse | 17–5, 6–3 |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | W, 61–59 | at N.C. State | 18–5, 7–3 |
| 5 | Thursday | W, 53–44 | vs. Clemson | 19–5, 8–3 |
| 8 | Sunday | W, 84–56 | vs. Wake Forest | 20–5, 9–3 |
| 12 | Thursday | W, 94–42 | vs. SMU | 21–5, 10–3 |
| 15 | Sunday | L, 72–68 | at No. 8 Duke | 21–6, 10–4 |
| 19 | Thursday | W, 66–63, OT | at Virginia Tech | 22–6, 11–4 |
| 22 | Sunday | W, 78–50 | vs. Pittsburgh | 23–6, 12–4 |
| 26 | Thursday | W, 82–70 | at Virginia | 24–6, 13–4 |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | W, 72–69 | vs. No. 8 Duke | 25–6, 14–4 |
| ACC tournament | Gas South Arena, Duluth, Ga. | |||
| 6 | Friday | W, 85–68 | Quarterfinal vs. Va. Tech | 26–6 |
| 7 | Saturday | L, 65–57 | Semifinal vs. No. 13 Louisville | 26–7 |
| NCAA tournament Fort Worth 1 Regional | ||||
| 21 | Friday | W, 82–51 | First round in Chapel Hill: vs. Western Illinois | 27–7 |
| 23 | Sunday | W, 74–66 | Second round in Chapel Hill: No. 17 Maryland | 28–7 |
| 27 | Friday | L, 63–52 | Sweet 16 in Fort Worth, Texas: vs. No. 1 UConn | 28–8 |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
