Tar Heels Stave Off Maryland To Advance To Second Straight Sweet 16, 74-66

Sunday, March 22

Chapel Hill, N.C.

Noon

North Carolina

28-7,14-4ACC

Maryland

24-9,11-7Big Ten

Maryland

North Carolina

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

Tar Heels Stave Off Maryland To Advance To Second Straight Sweet 16, 74-66

March 22, 2026 | Women's Basketball

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Facing No. 5-seeded Maryland, No. 4 North Carolina controlled the Terrapins' offense en route to a 74-66 victory in Carmichael Arena on Sunday afternoon, sending the Tar Heels to their second straight trip to the Sweet Sixteen. Despite being tied up through three, Elina Aarnisalo and Lanie Grant each posted 20-point performances to book Carolina's trip to Fort Worth.

North Carolina (28-7,14-4 ACC) held one of the nation's top-10 offenses in Maryland (24-9, 11-7 Big Ten) to just a 32.4% shooting clip. Two Tar Heels tallied a 20-point piece, with Elina Aarnisalo leading the Tar Heels for the seventh time this season. Carolina has not had two 20-point scorers in a game since the 2023-24 season. North Carolina moves to 27-1 when hosting an NCAA Tournament game.

From the jump, Aarnisalo was shooting lights out, hitting four of her first five shots. Her 21-point performance marks her third game this season with 20 or more points. Shooting an efficient 8-for-14 from the floor, Aarnisalo also remained calm at the charity stripe, shooting four-for-four.

In tandem with Aarnisalo, Grant put up 20 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Grant battled in the paint, producing multiple and-1 plays to pace the Tar Heels offensively. Indya Nivar and Nyla Harris posted 14 and 11 points, to join the 20-point duo in double-figure scoring. Balanced scoring has proven effective for North Carolina, as the Tar Heels move to 10-1 when four players finish in double figures.

North Carolina put the Terrapins on the line 31 times, but Maryland only converted 17 of them. Off the glass, Harris and Nyla Brooks led North Carolina with eight rebounds each, contesting one of the nation's best rebounding teams. The Terrapins pulled down a total of 21 offensive rebounds to put up 21 second-chance points.

At the tip, Aarnisalo came out all gas and no brakes. Finding success on the dribble and drive, Aarnisalo racked up eight points in the first quarter, shooting four-for-five from the field. Down low, Grant was battling, drawing multiple three-point plays to propel the offense. Maryland did not make it easy at the other end of the floor, pulling down multiple offensive rebounds. Multiple Tar Heel fouls put the Terrapins on the line to keep Maryland within a striking margin. The three-point shot continues to be open for Brooks, extending the Carolina lead to seven, nearing the end of the quarter. Maryland wrapped the quarter, making only one of its last eight shots. At the end of the first quarter, North Carolina held a 22-17 advantage.

Into the second quarter, Grant continued to push the offense with a bucket from behind the arc and a score from the paint in the opening moments. Defensively, Laila Hull was causing disruptions for the Terrapins, forcing two back-to-back turnovers. Harris made her presence felt, grabbing offensive boards and putting the ball back up for a score. Aarnisalo continued to drive through the lane for scores, making it look easy. The North Carolina defense continued to hold Maryland to tough shots, forcing a 1-for-7 shooting stretch and a Terrapin timeout as the Tar Heels asserted its force. Holding the Terrapins to a 34.3% shooting clip in the first half against one of the best scoring offenses in the country, Hull picked up a block to end Maryland's last possession of the quarter to push North Carolina to a 42-33 lead at the half.

Out of the half, Maryland opened the scoring with a three-pointer to inch its way back into the game and cut Carolina's advantage to six points. Starting the third quarter, the Tar Heels struggled on the offensive end with multiple scoring lulls. It was Aarnisalo who woke the Tar Heels up by scoring back-to-back baskets to keep Carolina ahead. The Terrapin defense stepped up in the quarter, limiting North Carolina to just eight points and forcing five turnovers. At the end of the third frame, the Tar Heels and Terrapins were tied at 50-50.

Into the final quarter, the Tar Heels came out strong with a 7-0 scoring run to regain the lead with sights on Fort Worth feeling closer in view. Carolina began to draw fouls down low to reach the free-throw line and put up a few points to create breathing room. With 5:27 left in the quarter, North Carolina entered the bonus to put Aarnisalo on the line, converting both. Nivar continued to direct traffic on the offensive end and create space to allow for an easy basket to cap off an electric career in Carmichael. A Brooks transition three-point basket extended the Tar Heel lead, firing up the fans in Carolina blue. Grant drained the clock and found open space for the dribble and drive to put North Carolina up by eight with under a minute to go. In a team effort, North Carolina earned a 74-66 win to punch its second straight trip to the Sweet Sixteen for the third overall in the Courtney Banghart era.

The Tar Heels will face off against tomorrow's winner of No. 1 UConn vs. No. 9 Syracuse, meeting in the Sweet 16 in Fort Worth on Friday, March 27. Game time and television designations will be announced following all second round games of the NCAA Tournament.