University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Boston University
WBB Returns To Carmichael, Welcomes Boston University Sunday
December 6, 2025 | Women's Basketball
NO. 11/10 NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (8-2, 0-0 ACC)
Head Coach: Courtney Banghart (Dartmouth, 2000)
Record at North Carolina: 133-66Â (7th season)
Career Record: 387-169Â (19th season)Â
BOSTON UNIVERSITY TERRIERS (3-5, 0-0 PATRIOT LEAGUE)
Head Coach: Melissa Graves (Notre Dame, 2008)
Record at BU: 76-59 (5th season)
Career Record: Same
TIPPING OFF
• After two weeks on the road, Carolina returns to Chapel Hill to begin a four-game home stretch before the holidays. First up, the Tar Heels welcome Boston University to Carmichael on Sunday.
• The Tar Heels remain dominant at home in non-conference play, riding a 12-game win streak. Against unranked non-conference foes, the Tar Heels have tallied 31 straight victories in a streak dating back to 2019.
• During this streak, Carolina boasts a 38.5-point margin of victory. This season, the Tar Heels have won all three of their home games by a margin of 42.7 points.
• At No. 2 Texas, Indya Nivar remains hot as she matched her career-high with 17 points. She continues to lead the country with 42 steals.
SCOUTING THE TERRIERS
BU enters Sunday's meeting at 3-5 overall and is currently on a two-game losing streak. This season, the Terriers have wins over Northeastern, New Haven, and UMass Lowell.
The Terriers were selected to finish ninth overall in the Patriot League in year five under head coach Melissa Graves.
Anete Adler currently leads the Terriers with 12.2 points per game. Off the glass, Allison Schwertner paces BU with 5.1 rebounds per game.
SERIES HISTORY VS. BU
The Tar Heels and Terriers meet for the first time on Sunday in Carolina's first game against a Patriot League squad since 2019.
Carolina is 12-1 all-time against Patriot League squads, last facing Navy in an 80-40 win in Chapel Hill in November of 2019.
LAST TIME OUT
Carolina could not fend off No. 2 Texas in the ACC/SEC Challenge, falling 79-64 in Austin on Thursday night.
Despite a career-best performance from Indya Nivar, the Tar Heels struggled to hold onto the ball as Texas capitalized on Carolina miscues.
Starting off hot, Carolina shot its best in a first quarter this year, hitting 76.9% from the field.
Carolina could not keep up with Texas in the second and third quarters as the Longhorns outscored UNC, 47-25.
Elina Aarnisalo scored a season-high 16 points as Carolina attempted to piece together a comeback, while Ciera Toomey posted 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
KEEPING ALL INVOLVED
Already proving to be one of Carolina's best offenses under Courtney Banghart, Carolina's scoring options are plentiful, as eight different Tar Heels have recorded double-figure games.
All of Carolina's wins this season have come when four or more Tar Heels record double-figures in scoring.
Indya Nivar paces this trend, scoring 10 or more points in each game this season.
STEALS ON STEALS ON STEALS
Always having her eye on the ball, Indya Nivar has proven to be one of the most tenacious defenders in the nation.
Nivar currently ranks No. 1 overall nationally with a total of 42 steals and No. 7 with 4.20 steals per game.
The single-season program record at Carolina is 127 steals, set by Linda Matthews in 1979. If Nivar were to break the mark, she would need to average 4.0 steals per game in the remainder of Carolina's 21 regular-season games.
GOING STREAKING
Riding a 31-game winning streak at home against unranked non-conference opponents, Carolina is taking care of business and earning wins.
During this streak, Carolina boasts a margin of victory of 38.5 points in the 31 consecutive wins dating back to 2019.
THRIVING IN PARADISE
Rattling off three wins in three days at the 2025 Cancun Challenge, North Carolina picked up its second straight multi-team event title and its fifth under Banghart.
Indya Nivar took home Cancun Challenge Tournament MVP honors, while Lanie Grant earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
NOTHING BUT NET
In the first edition of the 2025-26 NCAA Women's Basketball NET, North Carolina came in at No. 13 overall.
The Tar Heels have already earned two quad-two wins this season, defeating No. 41 Fairfield and No. 57 South Dakota State.
CAN'T STOP HER
Lately, opponents can't stop Indya Nivar from scoring or scoring on her. In Cancun, Nivar stuffed the stat sheet and averaged 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.7 steals, and 6.0 assists per game while shooting 56.3% fromthe floor.
Nivar is the first player in the Banghart era to snag four or more steals in three straight games.
Her seven assists against Kansas State were the most by any Tar Heel in a single-game this season and set a new career-high for the senior.
Her play in Cancun earned her ACC Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career. Reniya Kelly joins her as the only two active Tar Heels to earn the distinction.
THREES ON THREES ON THREES
When Carolina shoots from beyond the arc, there's a high chance it's going in. Against Kansas State, the Tar Heels knocked down 14 made triples.
The mark tied the program record, which had been previously set 11 times. Knocking down 14 triples against the Wildcats marked the third time under Banghart in which Carolina reached the threshold.
Carolina's performance against Kansas State from deep also set a new standard. With four straight games with 10 or more triples, it's the first time in available program records that Carolina has achieved the feat.
SHARING IS CARING
There's no I in team, and the Tar Heels are certainly proving so.
Against Kansas State, Carolina matched its season high with 21 helpers.
In the last three of five games, Carolina dished out 20 or more assists, which tied the longest streak since the start of the 2011-12 season.
Indya Nivar dished out a career-high seven dimes, the most by any Tar Heel this season.
HISTORY - WRITTEN
In a historic performance, Indya Nivar's triple-double of 13 points, 12 rebounds and 10 steals marked the second triple-double in the rich history of Carolina women's basketball.
Nivar joins former teammate Alyssa Ustby as the only two Tar Heels to achieve the feat.
Her 10 steals also etched her name again in the Carolina record books, matching the program single-game record set by Pam Leake in 1995. Nivar is one of four players nationally this year to snag double-figure steals in a game.
Nivar is the second ACC player to record a triple-double this season, and the 50th in the history of the conference.Â
By recording a triple-double with steals, Nivar is the fourth to accomplish the feat in the history of the league.
RUNNING DEEP
Depth is a huge factor for the Tar Heels this season, as they currently average 30.6 points per game from their reserves. Carolina's bench scoring ranks No. 25 nationally and third overall in the ACC.
Coming off the bench, Nyla Brooks leads the reserves with 10.1 points per game.
RAINING THREES
The three-ball is flying for the Tar Heels, as Carolina knocked down 10 or more against UNCG, South Dakota State, and Columbia.
It's the first time in the Banghart era that Carolina has achieved the feat.
Nyla Brooks led the charge, shooting 15-of-27 from deep during the stretch.
SHE'S JUST A FRESHMAN
With the confidence Nyla Brooks brings to the court, she has already asserted herself as one of the nation's top freshmen.
Posting a performance of perfection against UNCG, Brooks scored a career-high 18 points while shooting 7-of-7 from the field and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.
Brooks' outing vs. the Spartans propelled her to earn her first ACC Freshman of the Week honors on Nov. 24. She's the first freshman to pick up the honor for Carolina since the 2023 season. Overall, Carolina leads the ACC with 84 Freshmen of the Week selections.
Her scoring has remained consistent, as she's the first freshman Tar Heel to score in double figures in five of her first six games since Jocelyn Jones and Janelle Bailey both did so in 2017.
CT'S COMING
The development of Ciera Toomey has been undeniable, as the redshirt-sophomore's work in the offseason is now shining.
Posting a career-high 19 points against UNCG, Toomey also dished out a career-best four assists.
Toomey's presence in the paint is assisting Carolina to post an average of 41.0 points per game in the paint. The Tar Heels have posted 50+ point games in the paint twice this season.
RIGHT ON TARGET
The shots were falling against UNCG, as Carolina ended up shooting 39-of-59 from the field for a percentage of 66.1%.
This mark ranked No. 2 in a single-game field goal percentage at UNC and holds the record in the Banghart era.
WINNING IS A TRADITION
Throughout the history of North Carolina women's basketball, it has boasted 30 20-win seasons.
A win over South Dakota State gave Carolina its 1,100 program victory. The Tar Heels became the 17th Division I women's program to reach the mark and the third in the ACC.
DEFENSE ON LOCK
Holding yet another opponent under 50 points in keeping South Dakota State to 48 points, Carolina has now held 46 opponents under 50 in the Banghart era.
So far this year, Carolina has held four of its 10 opponents under 50 points. Last season, UNC held 11 opponents under the mark.
BROOKS LOVES THE DEEP BALL
Making a strong impact during her freshman campaign, Nyla Brooks is proving her prowess from beyond the arc.
She currently leads the Tar Heels with 21 made triples and leads the ACC among freshmen with an average of 2.10 per game.
AN EMERGING LEADER
In her final season in Carolina Blue, Indya Nivar is making it count as she has posted double-digits in each outing this year.
The Apex, N.C., native is currently riding a career-long streak of eight consecutive games in double-figure scoring.
She currently leads Carolina with an average of 12.6 points per game.
Not only is Nivar showing her leadership on the offensive end, but she is also shining on defense. Her 4.2 steals per game rank second in the ACC, and her 42 total rank first nationally.
LET IT FLY
The three-ball has been good to the Tar Heels this season, as Carolina has knocked down 84 triples to date.
In the Courtney Banghart era, it's the most threes drained in the first 10 games of a season.
Last year, the Tar Heels set a new program record with a total of 269 made threes in 2024-25.
LOCKDOWN FROM DEEP
While the Tar Heels were knocking down triples against N.C. A&T, the Aggies went 0-for-6 from beyond the arc.Â
Carolina made 12 more three-pointers than its opponent, the largest disparity since 2016.
NO I IN TEAM
In five of its 10 games, Carolina has posed a balance scoring attack with at least five Tar Heels scoring 10+ points.
Eight different Tar Heels have tallied double-figure outings so far this season, with Indya Nivar scoring 10 or more points in every game.
YOUTH SHINING
A highly recruited freshman class came with expectations, and the group of four has sure delivered.
Through three games, Carolina's freshmen are averaging 16.2 points per outing. Nyla Brooks is leading the charge, averaging 10.3 points per game.
MAKIN' 'EM PAY
Forcing an average of 20.1 turnovers per game to rank No. 4 among ACC teams, the Tar Heels are making the most with their defense.
The Tar Heels are currently averaging 23.5 points per game off their opponents' miscues and have earned 20 or more in seven out of 10 games.
Carolina cashed in a season-high 40 points off turnovers against UNCG.
ROCKIN' AND ROLLIN'
The offense wasted no time getting going against NC Central, with Carolina scoring 90 points for the sixth time in a season opener under Banghart.
The 48-point margin of victory was also the second-best in a season opener under Banghart.
Carolina is now 19-0 under Banghart when scoring 90 or more points.
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
With plenty of noise surrounding Nyla Brooks, the true freshman sure delivered against NC Central. The Waldorf, Md., product led all scorers with 15 points, while shooting 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Brooks became the first freshman to lead Carolina in scoring in its opening game since Deja Kelly scored 19 points against Radford in 2020.
Following up her opening day performance with 10 points against Elon, Brooks continues the streak by Kelly set in 2020.
DOMINATE THE GLASS
The glass was sure kept clean against the Eagles, with the Tar Heels outrebounding NC Central by a margin of +28, with UNC grabbing 48 rebounds.
The feat marked the second-best margin by any ACC squad on the opening day of college basketball and No. 15 overall nationally.
Ciera Toomey and Nyla Harris led this charge, with each recording a double-double against NC Central. Toomey tallied a career-high 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Harris added 12 points and 10 boards.
It was the 11th game under Banghart in which two players posted double-doubles.
SHOW UP AND SHOW OUT
Opening the season on a loud note, Carolina packed Carmichael on its Field Trip Day with a total of 6,336 in attendance.
The number broke the attendance record in Carmichael during the Banghart era.
NO PLACE LIKE CARMICHAEL
In the only home in the history of Carolina women's basketball, the Tar Heels have traditionally held home-court advantage. Carolina is 38-2 under Banghart in home non-conference games and has won 31 straight games against unranked non-conference teams at home.
NEW LOOK, SAME MISSION
Back for year seven with Courtney Banghart at the helm, the Tar Heels bring back eight returners from last season's Sweet 16 squad.
Despite losing mainstays in Lexi Donarski, Maria Gakdeng, and Alyssa Ustby to graduation, Carolina reloaded with the addition of two transfers and four freshmen.
HOME SWEET HOME
The confines of Carmichael Arena have been friendly to the Tar Heels throughout non-conference action, as Carolina has won 31 straight games at home against unranked non-conference teams.
This streak dates back to the 2019 season.
MILESTONE WATCH
• Nyla Harris -Â
  - 886 career points
  - 114 away from 1,000.
• Indya Nivar -
  - 173 career steals
  - 27 away from 200.
  - 186 career assists
  - 14 away from 200.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Tar Heels continue their homestand, hosting Louisville for the ACC opener on Sunday, Dec. 14 at Carmichael Arena.
Carolina looks to make it two wins in a row against the Cards, tipping off at 4 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
