Sunday afternoon’s loss is one that will definitely sting for the UNC women’s basketball program.
In a hard-fought battle between two very good teams, the UNC women’s basketball program was upset by Florida State on their home floor. The game was ultimately decided by a buzzer-beater from Ta’Niya Larson, a player who made a major impact in this game.
Florida State got going early, but North Carolina had their fair share of success. The two teams would essentially trade leads throughout, especially in the second-half, as there were multiple times where both sides held five point leads that seemed to be quickly erased by the opposing side.
The final sequence of the game was a crazy one, as there were four lead changes over the last 18 seconds of play. Maria Gakdeng gave the Tar Heels a brief lead, one that was erased by a Sydney Bowles three-pointer with eight seconds remaining.
Looking to at least force overtime, Reniya Kelly came up clutch, knocking down a jumper with just over four seconds left in regulation.
Unfortunately, that was too much time for Larson and Florida State to work with.
Larson, who came in averaging a staggering 26.6 points per game, capped off a 25-point outing by knocking down a short floater at the buzzer to secure the victory.
The Tar Heels had five players in double-figures, led by an outstanding performance from Maria Gakdeng. She finished with 21 points, as Florida State didn’t have many answers in their effort to slow down her efforts in the post.
Kelly added 16 points, while Alyssa Ustby had another double-double performance (14 points, 10 rebounds) playing all 40 minutes of the game. Lanie Grant (13 points) and Lexi Donarski (12 points) added double-digit efforts in the loss.
This loss is one that will sting for sure, especially during Alumni Weekend in Chapel Hill. However, it is one that they will look to shake quickly as they head to the West Coast to begin a three-game road trip.