WBB Falls To No. 19 Michigan In Final Non-Conference Contest

Tuesday, December 20

Charlotte, N.C.

7 PM

North Carolina

9-2,0-0ACC

Michigan

11-1,1-0Big Ten

North Carolina

Michigan

The Tar Heels fell to Michigan Tuesday in Charlotte.

Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI

December 20, 2022 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The sixth-ranked North Carolina women's basketball team fell to No. 19 Michigan Tuesday in the opening game of the inaugural Jumpman Invitational, 76-68 at the Spectrum Center. After Michigan led for nearly all of the game and was up by as many as 23 points in the second quarter, the Tar Heels closed the gap to single digits late but couldn't get closer than six points.

UNC (9-2) wrapped up non-conference play with the loss and now heads into a holiday break. The team returns to action on Dec. 29 with the Atlantic Coast Conference opener, hosting Florida State at Carmichael Arena.

Five Tar Heels finished in double figures, led by Deja Kelly's 15 points, 11 of which came at the foul line. Eva Hodgson scored 13, Destiny Adams came off the bench for 12, and Alyssa Ustby and Kennedy Todd-Williams added 11 each.

Ustby led all players in rebounding with 11 for her fifth double-double of the season and fourth consecutive double-digit rebounding game.

The Wolverines (11-1) had two players top the 20-point mark, with Leigha Brown scoring 25 and Laila Phelia 20.

Both teams were hot early, each making their first two shots and first two free throws. The Wolverines kept up the torrid pace, shooting 75.0 percent in the first quarter, while the Tar Heels cooled off to 31.9 percent for period and trailed by 15 after 10 minutes, 35-20.

Michigan took its biggest lead of the game midway through the second quarter when a three-pointer by Alyssa Crockett made it 47-24. The Tar Heels cut into the lead after that, with an 8-0 scoring run that included seven Michigan turnovers.

The Wolverines were up 49-32 at the half and again increased their lead to 20 points early in the third quarter. After that the Tar Heels chipped away and continued to slowly close the gap. With 2:30 to play in the quarter, Kelly was fouled while shooting a three and sank all three of her free throws. Thirty-five seconds later she drew another foul and made two to improve to 9-9 for the game and make the margin 12. (She would finish 11-13 on the night.)

Carolina still trailed by 12 heading into the fourth quarter, and the Wolverines scored first to go up by 14. But after that the Tar Heels used a 5-0 run with a pair of Kelly free throws and a three by Hodgson to get within nine. They would cut it to single digits several times in the fourth quarter but never got closer than six.

The Tar Heels finished at a season-low 32.4 percent shooting for the game but found a bright spot at the foul line where they shot a season-best 85.0 (17-20).

It marked just the third time this season that Carolina has failed to score at least 70 points, with two of those instances team's two losses. UNC's five three-pointers marked the team's second-lowest total of the season.

Michigan was UNC's fourth ranked opponent in the season's first 11 games. The Tar Heels have gone 2-2 in those games, beating No. 5 Iowa State and No. 18 Oregon but falling to No. 5 Indiana and No. 19 Michigan.