In a late night battle between two top 25 teams on Thursday night, the UNC women's basketball program found a way to get the job done.
With their victory over No. 19-ranked California, the UNC women's basketball program have started ACC play on road with a perfect 4-0 for first time since the 2011-2012 season. Their true road 5-0 start marks the first time the program has accomplished this since the 2006-2007 campaign.
The Tar Heels came into this game knowing the importance of slowing down the Golden Bears offense, especially from beyond-the-arc. California averages over 9 three-point field goals made per game, but only connected on five of 17 attempts on Thursday night.
North Carolina's strong defensive effort, plus a stellar fourth-quarter performance from Reniya Kelly, was enough to seal the victory.
Leading by two heading into the final quarter of play, Kelly took over from there. The sophomore guard scored eight of her 16 points in the final frame, as her and Maria Gakdeng sparked a 13-4 run to begin the quarter that helped the Tar Heels pull away for good.
Kelly has now scored 16 points and recorded five rebounds in back-to-back contests. Gakdeng fell just one point shy of a double-double, as her 13 rebounds made a major difference in the battle within the post.
Alyssa Ustby contributed 11 points and seven rebounds, while freshman Lanie Grant scored in double-figures for the fourth consecutive game. Courtney Banghart only used three reserves in this game, as she was able to rely more on her starting unit, as none of the Tar Heels faced significant foul trouble.
The UNC women's basketball program will conclude it's two-game trip to the West Coast on Sunday as they visit Stanford for an afternoon clash. This game will be a return game for Indya Nivar, a player who spent her first college season at Stanford.
After a heartbreaking loss to Florida State, the UNC women's basketball program bounced back nicely on Thursday afternoon. They did what great teams are able to do: learn from the loss and use it as motivation moving forward.