North Carolina certainly didn't back away from the challenge they faced on Thursday night.
One of the youngest teams in the country, the UNC women's basketball program faced a tough task in Las Vegas, matching up with the No. 3-ranked UCLA Bruins in the WBCA Challenge.
It was a battle of two opposites: a very young North Carolina squad against a very experienced UCLA team, one that is coming off a national championship game trip a season ago.
The Tar Heels went punch for punch with the Bruins in the first half, a span of 20 minutes that featured 12 lead changes and five ties. However, UCLA did what elite-level teams do: build as the game goes along and find a way to separate themselves from the pack.
That stretch came in the third quarter, as a 10–0 Bruins run just about sealed the deal in this top-25 clash.
North Carolina lost the game by a score of 78-60, but the score doesn't indicate how tough the Tar Heels played. Sure, shooting 30% from the floor in the second half isn't ideal by any means, but there are some very positive things to take away from this game.
Elisa Aarnisalo came to play against her former team, leading the Tar Heels with 13 points. Ciera Toomey continues to show that she is in the midst of a breakout season, contributing 11 points and six rebounds while taking on the task of trying to slow down 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts (an All-American). Indya Nivar caused havoc on the defensive end as she typically does, adding 11 points of her own on the other side of the floor.
There's no "moral victories" in sports. You don't get a gold star for competing with the nation's best. The UNC women's basketball program is well-aware of that, but this game is one that serves as a good measuring stick for just where this team is at this current point in time,
Yes, one game doesn't change the idea that this team is top-25 caliber good. In fact, the first half showed that they can compete with the best of the best on any given night.
On the other hand, it showed that there's still plenty of work to be done, as the UNC women's basketball program goes back to the drawing board, using this experience as a prime example for what this team needs to do in order to reach that elite level they strive for moving forward.
Don't worry- Courtney Banghart and her team know there's work to be done. Rest assured, they are on it and are ready to rebound on Saturday afternoon against Fairfield.