UNC fights to take Hokies into OT, but Tech pulls away from there

CHAPEL HILL — A hard-fought game isn’t always rewarded in the gauntlet that is ACC women’s basketball. That was the case for No. 24 North Carolina, which battled No. 17 Virginia Tech into overtime. But the Hokies took control in the extra period on their way to a 70–61 victory Sunday before 5,618 fans at Carmichael Arena for the Tar Heels’ third consecutive loss.

Determined Bacot and versatile Ingram lead No. 3 UNC to huge win over Duke

CHAPEL HILL — Armando Bacot rediscovered his offensive game, which was bad news for Duke, with Harrison Ingram putting on another dazzling display. After combining for 19 points in the previous three games, Bacot’s vintage aggressiveness returned with 25 points and Ingram scored a season-high 21 points to lead No. 3 North Carolina to a huge 93–84 win Saturday night over No. 7 Duke at the Smith Center.

Even with ‘GameDay’ visits to Triangle routine, Smith Center was festive

CHAPEL HILL — GameDay coming to the Triangle for a Carolina-Duke battle is as predictable as sky-high ticket prices for the greatest rivalry in sports. Aside from when ESPN didn’t go to campuses during the pandemic, it has taken the show to Chapel Hill and Durham for every matchup since 2011. Even though it’s become routine, fans filled most of 12 lower-level sections in the Smith Center on Saturday morning for the latest visit, with many there an hour before the show began.

At players-only meeting when UNC returned from Atlanta, the Heels talked about what went wrong

CHAPEL HILL — After No. 3 North Carolina arrived at the Smith Center about midnight after the first conference loss of the season, the Tar Heels still couldn’t believe they had lost at Georgia Tech. Rather than head back to their apartments, the players had a players-only meeting in the locker room that lasted about 90 minutes, ending a little before 2 a.m.