DALLAS — In a commanding performance, Lexi Donarski scored 15 points, while Alyssa Ustby contributed 12 points and equaled her personal best with 18 rebounds as the No. 14 North Carolina women’s basketball team secured a decisive 64-33 win over SMU on Thursday evening.
Donarski excelled from beyond the arc, hitting 5 of her 6 attempts in this game for the Tar Heels, who now hold a record of 16-3 and 3-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Ustby notched her seventh double-double of the season, with five of those occurring within the last six games.
Indya Nivar added 11 points to the scoring effort while Maria Gakdeng contributed 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds. North Carolina has now achieved victory in three consecutive games and five of their last seven outings.
Kaysia Woods led the SMU Mustangs with 12 points, but her team’s overall performance fell short.
Nivar was particularly impactful in the first half, scoring nine points and helping North Carolina transform a slim 13-6 lead after the first quarter into a dominant 31-14 lead by halftime. Despite shooting only 39.4% from the floor in the first half, the Tar Heels’ shooting was a stark contrast to SMU’s struggles, as the Mustangs managed to shoot just 13.8% overall (4 for 29).
During the third quarter, Donarski focused her scoring efforts primarily behind the 3-point line, connecting on her only two shots of the period, both from long distance, which pushed the Tar Heels’ lead to 44-22 as they entered the final quarter.
Woods managed to be the standout in the final period for SMU, scoring five points that allowed the team to finally surpass the 10-point mark in a single quarter.
In their previous matchup, SMU faced a devastating defeat, allowing the largest comeback in NCAA women’s basketball history by surrendering a 32-point lead against Pittsburgh, ultimately losing 72-59. The Mustangs were outscored 28-0 in the third quarter and tallied only 10 points in the fourth.
North Carolina’s next challenge will be against Pittsburgh on Sunday, while SMU will travel to face No. 3 Notre Dame on the same day.
