NASSAU, Bahamas — In an impressive display of skill, Lanie Grant achieved a personal best, scoring 15 points, while teammate Alyssa Ustby recorded a double-double, contributing to No. 16 North Carolina’s 63-52 victory over Ball State in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament on Saturday evening.

North Carolina (4-1) started strong, finishing the first quarter with a 19-10 lead after scoring the final nine points of the period. Although Ball State managed to close the gap to 39-34 with 7:31 remaining in the third quarter thanks to Madelyn Bischoff’s three-pointer, they were unable to bridge the score further.

Freshman Grant, standing 5 feet 8 inches tall and hailing from Midlothian, Virginia, showcased her talent by making 3 of 6 field goal attempts, along with converting 6 of 7 free-throw attempts. Supporting her, Ustby and Trayanna Crisp each contributed 12 points for the Tar Heels, with Ustby also achieving 11 rebounds, marking her 1,000th career rebound.

For Ball State (4-1), Bischoff led the scoring with 19 points, including five three-pointers. Although Marie Kiefer did not attempt any field goals in the second half, she excelled in the first half, going 5 of 6 from the field and totaling 13 points.

In the first quarter, Grant and Lexi Donarski helped secure North Carolina’s early lead with five points each. The Cardinals fought back in the second quarter, with Bischoff and Kiefer each netting eight points, allowing Ball State to narrow the deficit to 35-29 by halftime. At that point, Kiefer had recorded 12 first-half points while Grant led the Tar Heels with 10.

Looking ahead, North Carolina is set to face either Texas A&M or Villanova in their next game on Sunday. The squad aims to secure their fourth title in a multi-team event under head coach Courtney Banghart, with their previous title dating back to 2022.

This match acknowledged the inaugural encounter between the two teams.