UNC Basketball: Tar Heels struggle after three-week hiatus

UNC women’s basketball program resumes play after three-week hiatus, struggles at home against Miami Hurricanes

North Carolina senior center Janelle Bailey recorded an 18-point, 15-rebound double-double against the Miami Hurricanes on Sunday afternoon, but the Tar Heels lost by a final score of 69-59 in their first game action since December 20.

Petra Holešínská was the only other Tar Heel to score in double-figures on Sunday, but she notched just 10 points on a difficult 3-for-11 shooting performance. Three other North Carolina starters — Alyssa Ustby, Deja Kelly and Malu Tshitenge — combined to score just 20 points on 9-for-27 shooting and 1-for-10 from three-point range. The UNC starting five also had as many turnovers as they did assists (10), and committed 19 personal fouls that put the Hurricanes on the free throw line 19 times.

Despite winning the rebounding battle by 15 (50-35), the Tar Heels simply couldn’t get over the hump against the Canes. That was due in large part to their collective struggles to shoot the ball. For the game, they shot 24-of-76 (31.6 percent) overall, and an ice-cold 6-of-34 (17.6 percent) from beyond the arc. In addition to that, they got to the foul line just 10 times for the game, and only converted five.

Miami was led by Kelsey Marshall, who scored a game-high 19 points on a 5-for-13 shooting performance that included a 4-for-9 mark from long-range. Endia Banks added 14 points and eight assists for Miami, which shot better than 45 percent for the game and 41.7 percent (10-of-24) from three-point range. Miami improves to 6-4 overall, and 3-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

North Carolina drops to 7-3 on the season, and 2-3 in league play. The Tar Heels will look to get back on track in a Thursday night game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Carmichael Arena.

Check back with Keeping It Heel for all of the latest on the UNC women’s basketball program.