The North Carolina women’s basketball (7-4, 2-4 ACC) team fell to Virginia Tech (7-4, 2-4) on Thursday, 66-54, despite stand out performances by first-year Deja Kelly and senior Janelle Bailey. The Hokies' win gave them their first since Dec. 10.
What happened?
After opening the first quarter with a quick four points, the Tar Heels did not score again until midway through the frame. Graduate student Stephanie Watts picked up two fouls in the first three minutes of the game, sending her to the bench. An eight-point run by the Hokies forced UNC to call a timeout with six minutes left in the quarter. A 3-pointer by graduate student Petra Holešínská and a pair of free throws by Bailey helped the Tar Heels get back in the game, and a 3-pointer from first-year Kennedy Todd-Williams with less than a minute left in the quarter tied the game at 15.
Todd-Williams kept her momentum, starting the second quarter with a fast break layup and another 3-pointer. Virginia Tech went on a six-point run halfway through the second quarter and successfully held North Carolina off of the scoreboard. Kelly snapped this scoring drought with a jumper, but the Tar Heels went on a three minute drought to close out the quarter. A 3-pointer from the Hokies at the buzzer brought the third quarter score to 27-24 entering the break.
Virginia Tech put UNC in foul trouble early in the third quarter, with the Tar Heels tallying three fouls in the first three minutes. Resulting free throws followed by a 3-pointer from the Hokies extended their lead.
After more than three minutes, Watts scored the Tar Heels’ first two points of the half, bringing the score to 33-26. The Hokies responded with another 3-pointer, putting them ahead by double-digits for the first time in the game. A pair of free throws by Bailey and a fast break layup by first-year Anya Poole kept the Tar Heels in the game, but the Hokies quickly responded with points at the free throw line. Virginia Tech went on a 10-0 run near to close the third quarter, bringing their lead to 52-36 entering the final frame.
The fourth quarter began with back-to-back 3-pointers by sophomore Ariel Young and Holešínská. The Tar Heels held the Hokies to just one field goal in the first half of the period, and consecutive layups by Kelly and first-year Alyssa Ustby brought the score to 56-48, cutting was was once a 16-point deficit in half.
With UNC in the bonus, Kelly made a pair of free throws, but Virginia Tech answered with a 3-pointer. Kelly sank two more sets of free throws, but after each set Virginia Tech responded with another basket. Down 10 with less than two minutes to go, the Tar Heels were held off by the Hokies and lost 66-54.
Who stood out?
