Miami WBB falls to North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Despite being down by as much as 19 in the first half, Miami (12-6, 2-5 ACC) outscored the Tar Heels (15-5, 7-1 ACC) over the final 28 minutes to get within one before coming up just short of a remarkable comeback Thursday, Jan. 25. UNC would hold on for a 66-61 victory as the Canes capped off a stretch of four-straight games against ranked-ACC teams.
FINAL | No. 20 UNC 66, Miami 61
UNC established a 12-3 lead, until Shayeann Day-Wilson drained her 100th-career three-pointer. Ja’Leah Williams scored minutes later, putting the Canes on a quick 5-0 run. The Tar Heels closed the quarter on a 10-1 run as the first frame finished with UNC up, 22-8.
North Carolina opened up a 19-point lead, but the Canes got a shot clock-beating trey from Lashae Dwyer to ignite a hot stretch from beyond the arc. Ally Stedman answered with two corner three-pointers and Day-Wilson brought rain on another, cutting UNC’s lead to eight. North Carolina got the last bucket of the half as UM trailed, 38-28, through 20 minutes.
Miami started fast in the second half, getting four points in a flash to cut the deficit to six points. North Carolina steered itself to a 17-point lead through the third quarter media timeout, with a Jaida Patrick three-pointer stopping UNC’s run. Lazaria Spearman gathered a miss and made it, cutting the deficit to 51-39 with just over two minutes left in the third.
Down 13 to start the fourth, Dwyer found herself beating the buzzer once again, sinking a shot clock-beating three to cut the deficit to ten. UNC brought its lead to 13 again, but Miami rattled off an 8-2 run to shorten UNC’s lead to 57-50. Down eight with 2:06 to go, Day-Wilson came up clutch with a three-pointer and a three-point play, getting Miami with three with 54.7 left. Dwyer then scooped up a loose ball and scored at the other end, bringing Miami within one with 28.5 to go. The Tar Heels converted a pair of free throws to widen the lead to three. With a chance to tie, UNC got a stop and finished it out at the line.
Trinton is the owner of CanesToday. He writes for all sports, with a focus on football and recruiting, he is a freshman in high school and wants to graduate from the University of Miami
