Keeping It Heel
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UNC Women’s Basketball suffers loss to Kansas State

By Nick Delahanty

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 02: Head coach Courtney Banghart of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts during the second half of their game against the Clemson Tigers in the second round of the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 02, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 02: Head coach Courtney Banghart of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts during the second half of their game against the Clemson Tigers in the second round of the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 02, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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The UNC women’s basketball program fought hard but couldn’t overcome an early deficit as they suffered their first loss of the 2023-2024 season.

Sometimes, it just isn’t in the cards.

463. Final. 56. 441. 63

After mounting a comeback on Friday against Vermont, the UNC women’s basketball program wasn’t able to do it again on Saturday afternoon, as they suffered their first loss of the season to No. 16-ranked Kansas State.

The story for the Tar Heels was the struggles making shots, as once again Courtney Banghart’s team struggled shooting from the floor. Three-point shooting and free throw shooting were the two biggest issues, as North Carolina made just two of 20 attempts from beyond the arc while missing five attempts at the line.

Although you never want to lose, there are some positives you can take away from this one:

-North Carolina’s defense was very good, as they made life difficult for Kansas State star Ayoka Lee. The senior forward scored just 14 points (seven under her season average) as the Tar Heels threw multiple looks at her in an attempt to slow her down offensively.

-In her second game back from injury, Anya Poole played a major role off the bench. With Maria Gakdeng in foul trouble, Poole played 19 minutes (including all of the fourth quarter) as she did a great job on both sides of the floor.

-With Gakdeng and Poole having early foul trouble, Alexandra Zelaya was called upon to play some crucial minutes, and although she struggled shooting the basketball, she provided a strong defensive effort that truly made a difference.

-The defensive effort overall got stronger as the game went along, as it was the main reason why the Tar Heels were able to stay in the game. They cut the lead to just three after being down double-digits, as this group is one that has shown over the last few days that they won’t simply fold.

-The starting lineup looked different once again, as Kayla McPherson and Lexi Donarski were inserted into the most recent starting unit. McPherson was one of two Tar Heels in double figures (along with Deja Kelly who led North Carolina with 14 points) as she provided some dynamic plays that showed why the Tar Heels are so excited to have her healthy and active on the court.

Of course, there’s quite a few things to improve on, especially on the offensive side of the ball. However, games like these are learning experiences that should definitely help the UNC women’s basketball improve as we get deeper into the 2023-2024 season.

Before heading home, the UNC women’s basketball program will play in the third-place game on Sunday night against the loser of the upcoming matchup between Iowa and Florida Gulf Coast. Tip-off for the contest is scheduled for 5:00 PM EST.

Next. UNC Basketball defeats Arkansas. dark

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