WBB Faces Off Against No. 1 UConn In Sweet 16 Matchup In Fort Worth FORT WORTH, TEXAS -- The University of North Carolina Women’s Basketball team will face off against No. 1 seed UConn in a Sweet 16 matchup at Dickies Arena on Friday, marking the second consecutive season the Tar Heels have advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The game, set for 5 p.m. ET on ESPN, will be the second meeting between the two teams in NCAA Tournament history, with the previous encounter occurring in the 1994 Elite 8. North Carolina, seeded No. 4, aims to reach the Elite 8 for the first time since 2014, while UConn, the defending national champion, enters the game with an undefeated record of 36-0. The Tar Heels, led by head coach Courtney Banghart, secured their spot in the Sweet 16 with victories over Western Illinois and Maryland. Key players Lanie Grant and Nyla Harris dominated the tournament, averaging over 15.5 points per game. Grant scored 20 points in the win against Maryland, while Harris posted a double-double in tournament action. A win against UConn would mark Carolina’s eighth Elite 8 appearance and its first since 2014. UConn, coached by Geno Auriemma, has remained undefeated since February 2025, extending its winning streak to 52 games. The Huskies’ star duo of Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong leads the team, with Fudd averaging 3 triples per game at a 45.4% shooting rate and Strong tallying 18.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. The Huskies hold a 9-5 series advantage over Carolina, with their last two matchups at neutral sites resulting in victories. A Tar Heels win would end UConn’s seven-game winning streak against the program. North Carolina’s NCAA Tournament run includes a 33rd overall appearance, marking its sixth consecutive season in the tournament.#university_of_north_carolina #uconn #geno_auriemma #courtney_banghart #dickies_arena
UConn women’s basketball vs North Carolina live updates: Huskies face UNC in Sweet 16 UConn women’s basketball advanced to the Sweet 16 after a dominant 98-45 victory over Syracuse, showcasing their offensive prowess with an average of 1.8 points per possession and a 53-point halftime lead. North Carolina, meanwhile, overcame a tough Round of 32 matchup against Maryland, winning 74-66. The Huskies’ Sweet 16 showdown with the Tar Heels is set for Friday afternoon, with the game delayed slightly to tip off around 5:15 p.m. ET due to a dramatic finish between Notre Dame and Vanderbilt. Notre Dame secured a 67-64 win over Vanderbilt, with a 31-point triple-double from Hannah Hidalgo propelling the Fighting Irish. This game, featuring former UConn assistant coach Shea Ralph, was deferred due to scheduling conflicts. UConn and North Carolina will take the court in Fort Worth, Texas, with ESPN broadcasting the matchup. Tiffany Greene will handle play-by-play, joined by color commentator Carolyn Peck and rules analyst Dee Kantner. UConn is poised to break the program’s single-season assist record, needing just 10 more dimes to surpass the 2016-17 squad. The Huskies’ star, Sarah Strong, faces a local rival in North Carolina, as she admitted to a strong connection with UNC coach Courtney Banghart. Despite her ties to Durham, N.C., Strong chose UConn for its opportunities and support. North Carolina presents a formidable challenge, ranked No. 12 in adjusted efficiency rankings, the highest-rated opponent UConn has faced since November. The Tar Heels excel defensively, holding teams to 36.5% shooting and outrebounding opponents. Offensively, they rank No. 20 in effective field goal percentage, with six players averaging at least 8.5 points per game.#north_carolina #sarah_strong #fort_worth #uconn_womens_basketball #courtney_banghart
North Carolina Women's Basketball Aims for Historic Upset Against UConn in Sweet 16 The North Carolina women’s basketball team faces a monumental challenge as it prepares to take on top-ranked UConn in the Sweet 16, a matchup that could mark a historic upset. With the Tar Heels needing to play their best game yet to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2014, the stakes are high. The game, set for Friday night on ESPN, follows a weekend of contrasting performances: No. 4 North Carolina defeated No. 5 Maryland 74-66, while UConn dominated No. 9 Syracuse 98-45. A victory for the Tar Heels would propel them to the Elite Eight, a milestone they haven’t reached since their 2014 run. The two teams have followed vastly different paths this season. UConn, the 36-0 Huskies, have been nearly unstoppable in their pursuit of back-to-back championships, while North Carolina struggled to replace key players lost to graduation. Head coach Courtney Banghart described the team’s early-season struggles as “not good” during summer workouts, highlighting the challenges of rebuilding. Despite bringing in transfers Nyla Harris from Louisville and Elina Aarnisalo from UCLA, Banghart emphasized trust in her recruiting and development process. She admitted to being the “hardest she’s ever been” on a team in her 19 years as a head coach, a demanding approach that initially led to three early ACC losses. However, the Tar Heels have since turned their performance around, showing resilience and growth. Banghart credited her team’s progress to a focus on refining their strengths. “We showed them every day stuff they were doing wrong and stuff that they were doing right, and the right section was really small,” she said.#uconn #north_carolina_womens_basketball #courtney_banghart #lanie_grant #indya_nivar
