UNC Women's Basketball gets revenge against rival Duke to close regular season

The UNC women's basketball program found a way to get it done, finishing the regular season with a win over rival Duke.
North Carolina v Virginia Tech
North Carolina v Virginia Tech / Ryan Hunt/GettyImages
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As expected, another North Carolina vs. Duke game came down to the wire.

Unlike the first meeting in Durham, the UNC women's basketball program found a way to come out on top in the rematch.

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North Carolina capped off its 'Senior Night' with a win over its biggest rival on Sunday afternoon at Carmichael Arena. With the win, the Tar Heels finish the regular season with a 19-11 record as they now head to the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina.

With the lineup of seniors starting the game, the UNC women's basketball program got off to a very strong start. Behind six early points from Alyssa Ustby, the Tar Heels held a 17-7 lead after one quarter of play.

Similar to the "Sunday Scaries," the second quarter has been that for North Carolina this season, as Duke outscored the Tar Heels 24-13 over the second quarter of action.

Just like the first matchup, these two teams battled back-and-forth throughout, but this time, the Tar Heels finished strong. They were able to generate a lead as much as 9, but the Blue Devils weren't going away easily.

Deja Kelly scored 12 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter to solidify the win, as fellow senior Alyssa Ustby finished with 17 points of her own. Lexi Donarski (9 points) and senior Alexandra Zelaya (six points) knocked down some big (and timely) shots to help pick up the victory.

If you're the Tar Heels, you would love to have played better defensively in the second quarter and do a much better job at the free-throw line (6-13 overall), but hey, a win is a win, and you'll take it any way you can against your biggest rival!

It's a fitting end to the regular season for the UNC women's basketball program, especially for the four seniors who have meant so much to this program since they arrived in Chapel Hill. Now, postseason play is ahead for the Tar Heels, as they will take on Miami on Thursday afternoon in the ACC Tournament Quarterfinals.

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