Behind a strong three-point shooting performance, the UNC women's basketball program defeated Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon to conclude the Tar Heels' two-game road trip.
North Carolina got out to an early edge and maintained a double-digit lead for most of the game. Pittsburgh found ways to keep the game within reach, as it just felt like a 10-12 point lead would stay throughout.
However, the Tar Heels got HOT in the fourth quarter, extending their lead to as many as 30 points.
This, in large part, was due to stellar three-point shooting. Six different Tar Heels connected from three-point range, led by five triples from Lexi Donarski. Lanie Grant (3) and Indya Nivar (2) each connected from deep more than once, while Ciera Toomey, Grace Townsend and Jordan Zubich also joined the three-point shooting contest.
While North Carolina had its starters on the sidelines, Pittsburgh started to heat up late in the game. With 2:05 remaining, the Panthers connected on five, yes, five, three pointers over the games final minutes, making the score look a lot more respectable than it was just a few minutes prior.
Donarski led the Tar Heels with 15 points, while Grant had another outstanding effort off the bench, scoring 13 points of her own. Nivar had 12 points but what she did otherwise was very notable, filling the stat sheet with eight rebounds, seven steals (a career high) along with five assists.
The UNC women's basketball program heads home for a mini two-game home stand, one which starts on Thursday night against Wake Forest. North Carolina looks to keep the Demon Deacons winless in conference play this season.