Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Women’s Basketball looks to defeat crosstown rival Duke

By Drew Garrett

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 25: Head coach Courtney Banghart of the North Carolina Tar Heels directs their team during the first half against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 Round at Greensboro Coliseum Complex on March 25, 2022 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 25: Head coach Courtney Banghart of the North Carolina Tar Heels directs their team during the first half against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 Round at Greensboro Coliseum Complex on March 25, 2022 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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The UNC women’s basketball program looks to defend their home court as rival No. 13 Duke visits Carmichael Arena Thursday night

The UNC women’s basketball program is rolling.

After losing four straight and starting 0-3 in ACC play, North Carolina has been fantastic in their last three games.

Big wins over Notre Dame, Virginia, and most recently NC State, have given this team a ton of momentum as they finish out conference play.

However, this Thursday the Tar Heels face another red-hot team, and it’s one they know all too well.

The Duke Blue Devils have had a great start to their season. Starting unranked, the Blue Devils are 16-1 and riding an 11-game win streak and a perfect conference record.

This big-time Thursday night matchup is set to be a great all-around game. Two teams who have been playing elite basketball get to face off in a historic rivalry. It is safe to assume that Carmichael Arena will be a hostile environment.

To pull off a win against the Blue Devils, here is what Courtney Banghart and her squad need to do.

Key to Victory

Duke’s offense consists of a lot of transition buckets. The Blue Devils take advantage of turnovers and missed shots and immediately push the ball in transition.

The Tar Heels can not afford to give up these easy buckets.

Taking care of the ball and good shot selections will be very important offensively.

There should also be an emphasis on perimeter defense, as Duke regularly knocks down both three-pointers and deep mid-range shots.

Taking away these two assets of Duke’s offense will be huge for North Carolina, and perhaps the difference between a win and a loss.

Something to Watch

The Tar Heels love to win it in the fourth quarter.

In their last three wins, the Tar Heels dominated in the final quarter to either take the lead or extend it.

Against Duke Thursday night, will they be able to continue their success late in the game? And if so, who will step up for this UNC squad?

Could it be a star like Deja Kelly or Kennedy Todd-Williams, or someone off the bench like Paulina Paris or Destiny Adams?

Hopefully, the Tar Heels won’t need a miraculous comeback tomorrow night, but if they are down in the fourth quarter, don’t be surprised if they continue their strong finish to games.

Last Meeting

North Carolina beating Duke, is something that seems to happen a lot.

In their last meeting, the Tar Heels (once again) defeated the Blue Devils 74-46. It was the final regular season game of the 2021-2022 season where they went 23-5.

Alyssa Ustby and Anya Poole led the game in scoring with 15 apiece.

All time, however, the series is tied 51-51. This makes Thursday’s game even more important.

Projected Starting Lineup

F-Anya Poole

G-Kennedy Todd- Williams

F-Alyssa Ustby

G-Deja Kelly

G-Eva Hodgson

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