Covering Carolina sports beyond just men's basketball and football — with the most complete women's basketball coverage
Carolina fell two spots to No. 5 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 women’s poll after losing Saturday night at Virginia Tech 2–1. The Tar Heels (9–3–0, 2–2–0 ACC), were top-ranked before losing 2–1 to UCLA on Sept. 4, and the Bruins have remained No. 1 since then. Carolina lost to Virginia 3–2 on Sept. 17 and the Cavaliers (10–1–1, 3–1) remain No. 2.
As basketball season gets closer, the anticipation grows for Tar Heels fans, with the expectations high for Carolina’s men’s and women’s basketball teams. Bracket projections in October are, of course, ridiculous, but ESPN’s projections that came out Tuesday confirm that national observers think highly of both teams.
Recruiting can take crazy and sometimes unexpected turns. Paulina Paris, the only freshman on UNC’s women’s basketball team, wore No. 23 in high school because she is a big Michael Jordan fan, making Carolina a natural destination. But the four-star 5–9 guard’s route to becoming a Tar Heel — which nearly led to N.C. State — was circuitous.
CHAPEL HILL — Carolina always knew that the offense would be prolific and that the Tar Heels have plenty of potential if they can somehow get it together on defense.
That beleaguered unit did that for one day against a struggling Virginia Tech offense, and the test from here will be how much they can build on that against a quality opponent. UNC’s defense produced easily its best performance of the season in a 41–10 victory Saturday in its ACC opener at Kenan Stadium.
Live Action With Carolina Basketball, scheduled for this Friday, has been postponed until Friday, Oct. 7, because of the forecast for remnants of Hurricane Ian to move through the Triangle area early Friday. The event will be the first public appearance for both the UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams. Numerous recruits were scheduled to attend the event.
The higher the expectations, the more likely a team will play games that start later, which is the case for Carolina’s women’s basketball team. After playing only two ACC games that started at 8 p.m. last season, the Tar Heels have four such games this coming season, including home games against Florida State (Dec. 29), Duke (Jan. 19) and Virginia Tech (Feb. 23) and a road game against N.C. State (Feb. 16). There could potentially be a fifth since the time for the Jan. 15 home game against the Wolfpack hasn’t been set.
Carolina’s field hockey team is back in a familiar place atop the NFHCA national coaches poll. The Tar Heels (8–0, 2–0 ACC), who have won nine NCAA titles, ascended to No. 1 in the latest poll released Tuesday after they beat Wake Forest at home 2–0 and the previously top-ranked Northwestern lost 2–0 to Iowa in Friday action. Four of UNC’s victories have come against teams ranked in the Top 10.
You’ll get your first look at UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams that both have high expectations at Live Action with Carolina Basketball at 7:30 Friday night. The name comes from one of Coach Hubert Davis’ frequently used phrases, “live action,” which fans first learned about during a halftime television interview during the Final Four. While “Late Night” was the traditional name of the event, it never really happened late in the evening.
CHAPEL HILL — After a tough two-match stretch and a frustrating first 43 minutes against Boston College on Sunday, No. 3 North Carolina showed why it’s one of the best women’s soccer teams in the country. At the wrong end of that, as is usually the case in this series, were the Eagles. The Tar Heels scored late in the first half and turned up the heat in the second half on their way to a 3–0 victory at Dorrance Field to shut out BC for the ninth time in the last 11 meetings.
CHAPEL HILL — The final season of the Erin Matson Show is becoming wildly popular. An overflow crowd estimated at 1,150, one of the largest in UNC program history, turned out for the latest episode on a sun-splashed Friday afternoon at Karen Shelton Stadium. Many fans were standing or sitting on the grass to watch a legend of Carolina’s storied field hockey program.
While the unstoppable Carolina field hockey team held on to its No. 2 ranking, the UNC women’s soccer team fell a spot, and both cross country teams moved up in their polls. Coach Karen Shelton’s field hockey team is 7–0 after blanking No. 4 Louisville 3–0 Friday in its ACC opener. The Tar Heels, who have won their last four games by a combined score of 20–0, face No. 15 Wake Forest in their league home opener at 4 p.m. Friday (ACC Network Extra/ESPN3).
Could the one-and-done era be about to end, with players such as Coby White, Cole Anthony, Day’Ron Sharpe and Nassir Little never playing for Carolina? It could happen. According to The Athletic’s sources, eligibility for the NBA draft could be lowered from 19 years old to 18 as early as the 2024 draft.
CHAPEL HILL — When No. 2 North Carolina lost defenders Maycee Bell and Kaleigh Herr for the season to knee injuries, the elite women’s soccer teams figured to challenge the Tar Heels’ thin backline. After UNC controlled the first half, No. 7 Virginia made the most of its chances with three goals on six shots. Talented junior midfielder Lia Godfrey rallied the Cavaliers from a two-goal halftime deficit for a 3–2 victory at Dorrance Field in the ACC opener for both teams.
By R.L. Bynum Along with the high expectations for North Carolina’s women’s basketball team will come an upgrade in the … More
North Carolina faces a demanding ACC men’s basketball schedule as the Tar Heels try to follow up last season’s run to the NCAA tournament championship game.
The schedule, which the ACC released Tuesday, opens at the Smith Center on Monday, Nov. 7 against UNCW, with the first league game on Sunday, Dec. 4 at reigning ACC champion Virginia Tech. It will be the fourth time in the last five seasons that Carolina has opened ACC play on the road.
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