UNC women's basketball eliminated from ACC tournament after surrendering 14-point lead

GREENSBORO — As the No. 9 seed Miami women's basketball team ate dinner the night before their first game in the ACC tournament, they watched their own failed comeback in Chapel Hill six weeks prior.

During the atypical meal, the Hurricanes replayed their fourth quarter effort from January. Facing a 13-point deficit, Miami eventually crept within one point of North Carolina with 28 seconds remaining. But just four successful free throws from senior guard Deja Kelly later, the effort proved to be for nothing.

So, as her team sat eating their meal, Miami head coach Katie Meier turned on the game film. 

“Just y’all watch this,” Meier said. “Get your confidence up, know what special plays you made, know what defensive stops you made.” 

The regular season matchup proved to be an early preview for the second round of the ACC tournament. But this time, No. 8 seed North Carolina fell to the Hurricanes, 60-59, on Thursday afternoon. UNC was up 14 points in the first half, but the Hurricanes clawed back and held onto a one-point lead for the final two minutes of the game.

With Kelly’s game-winning free throws seared in the back of the Miami players’ minds, Meier gave her team one difficult instruction: keep Kelly off the free throw line. In a game decorated with 47 fouls, the nation’s leading player in free throw attempts only saw the charity stripe once. 

And if they could keep the senior guard off the free throw line, why not contain her elsewhere? 

So, with a one-point lead in the final minutes of the game, the Hurricanes worked to ensure that Kelly never touched the ball. That the guard never got the chance to deliver the final blow. 

With attention on Kelly, other Tar Heels attempted to make those late-game plays. 

“Our general job as teammates is to make each other better and to get each other open shots," UNC senior guard Alyssa Ustby said, "because just one-on-one basketball for any team is really tough to sustain."

But a miscue between junior center Maria Gakdeng and graduate guard Lexi Donarski caused a critical turnover with 16 seconds remaining. As Gakdeng looked to clear the lane for Donarski to attack, the guard passed to the previously open center. The ball landed in the hands of Miami's Jaida Patrick.

Once the Hurricanes’ Lazaria Spearman missed her free throws, however, the Tar Heels still had a chance to erase the late-game mishaps. With seven seconds left to play, senior forward Anya Poole attempted to set a high ball screen. Without her feet planted, Poole drew the offensive foul with it. Turnover.

But after a seemingly miraculous travel turnover from Miami’s Ja'Leah Williams on the next play, North Carolina had one last chance. Following the series of mistakes, a reliable Kelly became the answer.

Off the inbound pass, Kelly cut from the paint to the right side of the court. The senior looked to drive to the left side of the basket with three seconds remaining.

“We were not gonna let Deja Kelly get the last shot,” Meier said. 

Two Miami defenders suffocated Kelly. She attempted to battle through a failing effort. The buzzer sounded. While wearing a black hoodie that hid her UNC uniform following the game, the senior guard didn't have much to say. 

“I guess you can say it’s one of those days,” Kelly said. 

But what else is there to say? The Tar Heels had several ample late-game opportunities. They never converted on one. 

“There’s no like, ‘Oh good, we’re up 10, game over,’” UNC head coach Courtney Banghart said. “That just doesn’t exist in March. So this felt more like a heavy-weight fight.” 

And with Kelly on the minds of an eager Miami team from 24 hours prior, the final plan failed before it ever reached the court. 

“Carolina did the right thing to go to Deja," Meier said, "and Miami did the right thing to say no."

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