UNC Women’s Basketball dominates in season opener

Courtney Banghart and the UNC women’s basketball program started its season with a dominant victory over Gardner-Webb on Wednesday night.

The UNC women’s basketball program’s season opener was just a taste of just how good this team could be during the 2023-2024 season.

Courtney Banghart’s squad dominated Gardner-Webb, securing a 53-point victory in front of the home crowd at Carmichael Arena.

Of course, Gardner-Webb isn’t the best team Carolina will see this season (no disrespect to them whatsoever), but you have to be encouraged to see so many Tar Heels contributing at such a high level on opening night.

Banghart used all 11 of her available players, 10 of whom scored in this contest. Six scored in double-figures, as North Carolina’s top two scorers both came off the bench.

Let’s start with Indya Nivar, the sophomore transfer from Stanford. Nivar’s first three-pointer as a Tar Heel was a very memorable one, as she knocked down a buzzer-beater from beyond half-court to end the first quarter.

Nivar recorded a double-double, scoring a game-high 17 points to go along with 11 rebounds. Her 23 minutes of action proved that she should be a very big part of the Tar Heels rotation this season.

Paulina Paris, who also came off the bench in this one, scored 15 points and recorded five assists, as the sophomore guard played very confidently over her 30 minutes of work. Now with a full season of collegiate experience under her belt, Paris has the makings of being a breakout star for this year’s squad.

Grad transfer Lexi Donarski’s shot wasn’t falling early, but her tenacity on the defensive side of the ball was well on display. She heated up in the second half, finishing the night with 14 points. Fellow transfer Maria Gakdeng was a force in the paint, recording 13 points and six rebounds of her own.

Of course, you can’t forget Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby, as they combined for 26 points. Ustby, who was honored prior to the game for scoring her 1,000th career point last season, finished the night with a double-double effort.

It was an impressive showing for the UNC women’s basketball program, as they simply got stronger as the game went on. They made life difficult for Gardner-Webb, forcing 33 turnovers, as their 40-point third-quarter performance really put the final touches on this one.

The No. 16-ranked Tar Heels return to action on Sunday night, as they’ll host Davidson to continue non-conference play.

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