WBB Season Ends With 69-61 Loss To No. 1 South Carolina

Friday, March 25

Greensboro, N.C.

7 PM

North Carolina

25-7,13-5ACC

South Carolina (NCAA Regional Semifinal)

32-2,15-1SEC

North Carolina

South Carolina

The Tar Heels reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015 and finished the season 25-7.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

March 25, 2022 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The North Carolina women's basketball team saw its season come to an end on Friday night with a 69-61 loss to No. 1 South Carolina in an NCAA Tournament regional semifinal game at the Greensboro Coliseum. The Tar Heels finished the year 25-7, reaching the Sweet 16 and winning 20 games for the first time since 2015.

Sophomore Deja Kelly led UNC against the Gamecocks with 23 points. It was her eighth 20-point game of the season and her second in Carolina's three NCAA Tournament games. Alexandra Zelaya joined her in double figures with a career-high 10 points.

Not the final score we're looking for, but lots of bright spots. Thank you to everyone rooting for us tonight and all season! 👣🏀#GoHeels x #InPursuit pic.twitter.com/894lsIHRkQ — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) March 26, 2022

Aliyah Boston scored South Carolina's final 13 points and finished with 28 points and 22 rebounds, both season highs for a UNC opponent. Also in double figures for USC were Zia Cooke 15 points and Destanni Henderson (13), who each hit three three-pointers.

The Tar Heels led 23-22 after the first quarter when they shot 55.6 percent from the field.

South Carolina clamped down defensively in the second, holding the Tar Heels to 1-9 shooting from the field. UNC scored eight points in the period, with six coming from the free throw line, and trailed 39-31 at the half.

The Gamecocks increased their advantage and led by as many as 11 late in the third quarter and they were up 56-45 heading into the fourth. They edged out to a 13-point lead on a second-chance bucket by Boston 44 seconds into the period. But Kelly answered with a three and the Tar Heels started to chip away. They pieced together a 7-0 run to trim the margin to six. After Boston made one of two free throws, Kelly drained a jumper to get the margin to five.

With just under four minutes to play, Carlie Littlefield hit a three from the right corner, assisted by Kelly, to make it a four-point game, 63-59. After two free throws by Boston, Carolina's Anya Poole made a lay-up to again pull the Tar Heels within four, 65-61, with 2:02 to play. Boston scored her team's final 13 points as South Carolina advanced to the Elite Eight for the fifth time in the past eight years.

UNC had outrebounded its last 11 opponents, but South Carolina, which ranks second in the nation in rebounds per game, won the battle on the boards 48-33.