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AUSTIN, Texas — The Carolina defense that generated so many turnovers through nine games couldn’t ignite the transition game against No. 2 Texas. Without that card to play, it was a challenge for the Tar Heels, who committed a season-high 20 turnovers and forced a season-low eight. UNC led by seven early but faced its largest deficits of the season Thursday in a 79–64 loss, its sixth in a row against top-five teams.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — North Carolina didn’t just survive in Rupp Arena. The No. 16 Tar Heels imposed their will on the glass and inside, turning a hostile road environment into a showcase of toughness in Tuesday night’s 67–64 win over No. 18 Kentucky.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — It didn’t matter that Derek Dixon had never played in the high-pressure moments that kept coming in a battle of Blue Bloods on national TV at a classic college basketball venue. The freshman not only came through in No. 16 North Carolina’s 67–64 victory Tuesday night over No. 18 Kentucky at Rupp Arena, but he may also have signaled a changing of the guard in the Tar Heels’ backcourt.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Derek Dixon was on point with poise down the stretch in the best game of his freshman season on a night when outstanding rebounding produced a huge road win for No. 16 North Carolina.
After losing 70% of North Carolina’s offense from last season, Coach Courtney Banghart’s team was picked to finish third in the ACC. Now her No. 11 Tar Heels are the highest-ranked team in the league and getting plenty of national attention.
Here’s a look at Thursday’s ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge game between No. 11 North Carolina and No. 2 Texas.
There were more amazing passes for Drake Maye, more “MVP” chants in the New England Patriots’ 10th consecutive victory. It bookended nicely a long Week 13 that included a solid Thanksgiving Day game for Javonte Williams in a Dallas Cowboys victory.
Here’s a look at Tuesday’s ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge road matchup for North Carolina against Kentucky at Rupp Arena.
North Carolina held onto the No. 16 spot in the AP Top 25 men’s poll after splitting two games at the Fort Myers Tip-Off last week.
North Carolina moved up one spot to No. 11 in the the latest AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll and is 13th in the first NET ranking after three impressive victories on successive days to win the Cancun Challenge last week. But it faces a considerable challenge ahead this week.
The NET rankings at the beginning of December are less reliable, but the first release on Monday shows that North Carolina has plenty of work to polish its NCAA tournament resume.
RALEIGH — Jordan Shipp stood in the small visitor’s press conference room in Carter-Finley Stadium after Carolina’s fifth straight loss to rival N.C. State and spoke like someone ready to lead the turnaround.
It’s always interesting to see how a team that has been eliminated from postseason contention plays its final game, especially against a rival. Does it play inspired, or does it just show up to play out the string? It was the latter that showed up for the annual renewal of the UNC-N.C. State clash on Saturday night in Raleigh, as the Tar Heels put up a mostly uninspired effort in a generally demoralizing 42–19 loss.
RALEIGH — The undisciplined penalties, costly mistakes and lapses that have made Bill Belichick’s first season at North Carolina a flop all came together on one cold night.
Carolina finished off a dominant week at the Cancun Challenge with another one-sided victory on Saturday, led by huge days from Lanie Grant and Ciera Toomey. After winning their first two games by 35 points and 12 points, the Tar Heels pulled away from a close game in the second half. The 80–63 victory over Columbia at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, earned UNC the tournament title.
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