By R.L. Bynum
No. 21 Oklahoma vs. No. 12 North Carolina (Oui-Play Paris)
What: Oui Play Paris
When: 2:30 p.m. ET Monday (8:30 p.m. in Paris); No. 20 Maryland faces No. 1 South Carolina in the first game at noon ET on ESPN
Where: Adidas Arena, Paris
TV: ESPN2 | Ryan Ruocco play-by-play, Rebecca Lobo analyst, Holly Rowe reporter
Radio: Tar Heel Sports Network (WCHL 97.9 FM/1360 AM, streaming here; also streams on the Varsity Network app) | Matt Krause play-by-play
Coaches: Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk (sixth season at OU; 127–42; previously was 192–96 in nine seasons at Drake; 0–1 vs. UNC) and UNC coach Courtney Banghart (eighth season at UNC; 153–72 at Carolina and 407–175 in 20 seasons as a head coach; 1–0 vs. Oklahoma)
Series: UNC leads 3–2 and has won two straight. The Tar Heels won 61–52 on Dec. 19, 2023, at the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte. Other UNC wins: 80–79 on Nov. 23, 2008 and 68–61 on Nov. 28, 1997. Oklahoma’s wins were 66–63 on Nov. 30, 2002, and 94–77 on Jan. 21, 2001.
Exhibition results: UNC beat Davidson 76–66 on Oct. 18 and lost 72–68 at No. 20 Maryland on Oct. 24. Oklahoma beat Division II Southern Nazarene 124–39 on Oct. 25 in Norman.
Projected Oklahoma starters
No. 2 | G | Aaliyah Chavez (top photo) | 5–10 | sophomore
— The Lubbock, Texas, native was ESPN’s and CBS Sports’ National Freshman of the Year after leading Oklahoma with 18.4 points per game (4.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds) and earning All-SEC second-team honors.
— Scored in double figures in 33 of 34 games and had 12 games of 20 or more points, the most among true freshmen nationally.
— Her 625 points are the second-most by a freshman in Oklahoma history. She set an NCAA freshman record by shooting 92.9% at the free-throw line and made 62 in a row at one point (an OU and SEC record).
— Scored a career-high 33 points against N.C. State in the ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge on Dec. 3.
No. 6 | F | Sahara Williams | 5–11 | senior
— Averaged 12.4 points and 7.9 rebounds last season, a career year, and joined Chavez on the preseason All-SEC lists.
— Scored career-high 27 points on Feb. 2, 2025, in a 95–86 home loss to Kentucky.
— Had two points in 21 minutes of the Sooners’ 61–52 loss to UNC in Charlotte on Dec. 19, 2023.
No. 21 | F | Brooklyn Stewart | 6–3 | sophomore
— The Colorado Springs, Colo., native played in all 34 games as a freshman and averaged 6.6 points while playing behind All-SEC center Raegan Beers.
— Career-high is 13 points last season on Feb. 9 in a 102–86 loss to Vanderbilt.
No. 23 | G | Jordan Speiser | 6–1 | sophomore Kansas State transfer
— Averaged 10.2 points and made 73 3-pointers last season, earning a spot on the Big 12 All-Tournament team.
— Had seven points and four fouls in 23 minutes of an 85–73 loss to UNC last season on Nov. 28 at the Cancun Challenge.
— Career-high is 23 points (with five 3-pointers) last season on March 6 in a 74–73 Big 12 tournament victory over Oklahoma State in which Achol Akot had eight points in 37 minutes.
— Has 22 career games with multiple 3-pointers, 11 with at least three, six with at least four, and a career-high six on March 3 last season in a 91–66 Big 12 tournament victory over Cincinnati.
No. 9 | C | Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu | 6–3 | fifth-year Maryland transfer
— The London native averaged 8.0 points and 6.4 rebounds and shot 57.4% from the field at Maryland last season. She also played at Eastern Florida State and Gulf Coast State.
— Played three scoreless minutes in the Terps’ 74–66 loss at UNC in the second round of last season’s NCAA tournament.
— Scored career-high 18 points last season on Jan. 22 in an 85–78 overtime home loss to Iowa.
Other key Sooners
No. 4 | F | Caya Smith | 6–1 | junior
— The Oklahoma City native played in all 34 games in a reserve role and shot 49.5% from the field, the second-best mark on the team.
No. 5 | F | Sa’Myah Smith | 6–2 | fifth-year Virginia transfer
— Averaged 7.9 points and 6.8 rebounds for the Cavaliers. She spent three seasons at LSU and won a national championship there in 2022–23.
— Scored one point in 18 minutes of the Cavaliers’ 82–70 home loss last season to UNC on Feb. 26.
No. 26 | C | Daffa Cissoko | 6–4 | sophomore
— A native of Draveil, a Paris suburb, she is the first player from France in Oklahoma history and played in nine games last season.
No. 22 | G | Keziah Lofton | 6–0 | sophomore
— The Bethany, Okla., native played in all 34 games and averaged 4.0 points.
No. 10 | F | Emma Tolan | 5–11 | sophomore
— The Cavan, Ireland, native appeared in 22 games and shot 41.2% from 3-point range.
Newcomers to know: Keeley Parks (Kansas transfer; Norman native who averaged 5.1 points in 16 games) and freshmen LeeLee Bell (five-star forward from Minot, N.D.), Sina Höllerl (guard from Austria who played for BK Duchess) and Vienna Murray (four-star guard from Woodbury, Minn.).
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Notes
— Monday will be the first regular-season game in Europe in program history, and Carolina is the fifth ACC team to play in Oui-Play since the event began in 2023.
— UNC is 10–0 outside the United States under Banghart, including games in Mexico and the Bahamas, and the program is 19–2 all-time in such games.
— The Tar Heels follow it with a game against No. 1 South Carolina on Nov. 8 in Charlotte at the Ally Tipoff, their first season-opening stretch against consecutive power-conference opponents since the 1988–89 season (lost to Washington 72–60 and beat Illinois 94–72 in Honolulu at the Rainbow Wahine Classic).
— It is Carolina’s first season opener against a power conference school since losing 69–65 to UCLA in Lubbock, Texas, at the Four in the Fall Classic on Nov. 20, 1999.
— No. 20 Maryland and No. 1 South Carolina play the first game of the Paris doubleheader at noon ET. Carolina lost on the road to the Terps 72–68 in an Oct. 24 exhibition.
— Carolina opens at No. 12 in the AP poll and No. 11 in the coaches poll, and the ACC preseason poll picked the Tar Heels third for the second straight year. They went 28–8 and 14–4 in the ACC last season, then lost to top-ranked UConn 63–42 in the Sweet 16.
— Oklahoma was picked sixth in the SEC preseason media poll. The Sooners also went to the Sweet 16 last season, and Coach Jennie Baranczyk has won at least one NCAA tournament game in each of her first five seasons in Norman.
— Oklahoma returns seven players, led by Aaliyah Chavez and Sahara Williams, and added a seven-player class of four transfers and three freshmen. The Sooners lost Raegan Beers (15.8 points, 10.4 rebounds per game, All-SEC first team) and starters Zya Vann and Payton Verhulst.
— Carolina played its exhibitions without senior forward Ciera Toomey (8.8 points, 6.2 rebounds last season) and senior guard Sophie Burrows, while sophomore guard Gabby White only played in one exhibition. Coach Courtney Banghart said White and Burrows would have played in a regular-season game, while Toomey “probably” would not have but is getting “close.”
— Freshman Kate Harpring, the No. 1 prospect in the 2026 class according to 247Sports, averaged 23.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in the two exhibitions. She scored 29 on 12-of-22 shooting at Maryland, where Nyla Brooks added 14 points and three 3-pointers.
— Maryland outrebounded Carolina 44–33 in the exhibition, a concern against an Oklahoma team that has Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu (pronounced “ih-SEE-mem-eh AH-zee mom-OH-doo”) and Sa’Myah Smith in the post.
— Carolina scored a program-record and ACC-leading 295 3-pointers last season. In the 61–52 win on Dec. 19, 2023, at the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte, the Sooners shot 1-of-26 from beyond the arc and 26% overall.
— Oklahoma won its exhibition by 85 points, 124–39 over Division II Southern Nazarene, the largest margin in an exhibition under Baranczyk, with seven players in double figures.
— Pauline Love was Oklahoma’s associate head coach last season and is now Alabama’s head coach. Carolina plays the Crimson Tide on Nov. 21 at the WBCA Showcase in Kissimmee, Fla.
— Three players from each team are on national preseason award watchlists, with Harpring and Chavez among the 50 candidates for the Naismith Trophy, presented to the nation’s top women’s college basketball player. UNC forward Achol Akot is a candidate for the Cheryl Miller Award, which recognizes the nation’s top small forward, after averaging 12.4 points and 7.2 rebounds at Oklahoma State last season. Toomey made the Lisa Leslie Award watchlist for the nation’s top center after averaging 8.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks last season. She is UNC’s leading returning scorer and rebounder. Chavez also made the Nancy Lieberman Award watchlist for the nation’s top point guard. Williams joins Akot on the Cheryl Miller Award list, while Sa’Myah Smith is a candidate for the Katrina McClain Award, honoring the nation’s top power forward.
— Banghart is 3–6 against SEC teams, with the last win 72–53 in the 2024 SEC/ACC Women’s Challenge against Kentucky.
— Banghart is 23–34 against ranked teams, getting wins last season against No. 12 Duke and No. 17 Maryland.
— Carolina is 60–84 all-time against ranked teams on neutral courts.
Individual UNC preseason statistics
| Player | GP | Min | FG | FG% | 3P | 3P% | FT | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harpring | 2 | 63 | 20–41 | 48.8 | 4–9 | 44.4 | 2–5 | 40 |
| Akot | 2 | 48 | 8–18 | 44.4 | 0–1 | 0 | 8–14 | 57.1 |
| Brooks | 2 | 62 | 7–18 | 38.9 | 6–12 | 50 | 4–7 | 57.1 |
| Queiroz | 2 | 55 | 4–9 | 44.4 | 3–5 | 60 | 0–0 | |
| Kelly | 2 | 62 | 2–12 | 16.7 | 2–2 | 25 | 4–6 | 66.7 |
| White | 1 | 18 | 2–8 | 25 | 1–1 | 100 | 4–8 | 50 |
| Bofia | 2 | 14 | 4–4 | 100 | 0–0 | 0–0 | ||
| Hull | 2 | 42 | 3–9 | 33.3 | 1–5 | 20 | 0–0 | |
| Zubich | 2 | 15 | 1–3 | 33.3 | 1–3 | 33.3 | 0–0 | |
| Thomas | 2 | 16 | 1–2 | 50 | 0–0 | 0–0 | ||
| Clardy | 1 | 5 | 0–1 | 0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | ||
| Totals | 2 | 400 | 52–125 | 41.6 | 18–44 | 40.9 | 22 | 55 |
| Player | OR | DR | REB | PF | A | TO | B | S | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harpring | 4 | 10 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 46 |
| Akot | 7 | 7 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 24 |
| Brooks | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 24 |
| Queiroz | 1 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| Kelly | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| White | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| Bofia | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Hull | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Zubich | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Thomas | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Clardy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 22 | 47 | 69 | 45 | 24 | 25 | 10 | 15 | 144 |
Box scores from exhibitions
UNC 76, Davidson 66
Maryland 72, UNC 68
Oklahoma 124, Southern Nazarene 39
| Date | Day/ month | Times/ scores | Opponent/event (current rank) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | Exhibitions | |||
| 18 | Sunday | W, 76–66 | vs. Davidson | |
| 24 | Saturday | L, 72–68 | at No. 20 Maryland | |
| November | Regular season | |||
| 2 | Monday | 2:30 ET | Oui-Play in Paris vs. No. 21 Oklahoma | ESPN2 |
| 8 | Sunday | 5:30 | Ally Tipoff in Charlotte vs. No. 1 South Carolina | ESPN |
| 11 | Wednesday | 7 p.m. | vs. N.C. Central | ACCNE |
| 14 | Saturday | 4 p.m. | at Penn in Palestra | ESPN+ |
| WBCA Showcase | Orlando | |||
| 19 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | vs. Texas Tech | ESPN2 |
| 21 | Saturday | 5 p.m. | vs. Alabama | ESPN+ |
| ——— | ||||
| 24 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | vs. Gardner-Webb | ACCNE |
| 27 | Friday | 7 p.m. | vs. Army | ACCNE |
| 29 | Sunday | 4 p.m. | vs. Brown | ACCN |
| December | ||||
| 2 | Wednesday | 7:15 | ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge vs. No. 9 LSU | ESPN2 |
| 6 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | vs. Elon | ACCN |
| 9 | Wednesday | 11 a.m. | vs. Winthrop | ACCNE |
| 13 | Sunday | 6 p.m. | vs. No. 25 N.C. State | ESPN |
| 17 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | vs. Georgia Tech | ACCN |
| 21 | Monday | 7 p.m. | vs. Norfolk State | ACCN |
| 28 | Monday | 8 p.m. | vs. UNCW | ACCN |
| 31 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | at Syracuse | ACCN |
| January | ||||
| 3 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | at Clemson | The CW |
| 7 | Thursday | 8 p.m. | vs. Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 10 | Sunday | 3 p.m. | at No. 7 Louisville | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 17 | Sunday | 4 p.m. | vs. Boston College | ACCN |
| 21 | Thursday | 8 p.m. ET | at California | ACCN |
| 24 | Sunday | 2 p.m. ET | at Stanford | ESPN, 2 or U |
| 28 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | vs. No. 13 Notre Dame | ESPN |
| 31 | Sunday | 5 p.m. | vs. No. 4 Duke | ESPN |
| February | ||||
| 4 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | at Miami | ACCNE |
| 7 | Sunday | 6 p.m. | vs. Virginia Tech | ACCN |
| 14 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | at SMU | ACCNE |
| 18 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | at Pittsburgh | ACCN |
| 21 | Sunday | Noon | vs. Florida State | The CW |
| 25 | Thursday | 8 p.m. | vs. Virginia | ACCN |
| 28 | Sunday | 4 p.m. | at No. 4 Duke | ESPN |
| March | ||||
| 3–7 | Wed.-Sun. | ACC tournament | Spectrum Center, Charlotte |
Photo via soonersports.com
