CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a dominant performance at the Jumpman Invitational, the No. 19 North Carolina Tar Heels triumphed over Florida with a score of 77-57 on Wednesday night. Maria Gakdeng was instrumental in the victory, contributing 14 points while Lanie Grant followed closely with 13 points to help guide a well-rounded team effort.

The game showcased a powerful first quarter for North Carolina as Grant connected on back-to-back 3-pointers. Trayanna Crisp also added a 3-pointer during the final moments of the quarter, fueling an impressive 11-0 run that established a significant 23-7 advantage.

As the second quarter came to a close, Grace Townsend hit a jumper just before the buzzer, positioning North Carolina ahead 41-20 at halftime. Florida tried to bounce back by assembling a 14-point run midway through the third quarter, which helped them reduce the Tar Heels’ lead from 27 to 51-38. However, Laila Hull quickly answered with a 3-pointer to ignite an 8-0 run for North Carolina, maintaining a comfortable lead that Florida couldn’t significantly challenge again.

Alyssa Ustby played a vital role for North Carolina, contributing 11 points in addition to the balanced scoring across the team, as all but one of the 13 players managed to score. For Florida, Liv McGill led the charge with 14 points, but the Gators were unable to carry their momentum forward after seeing their four-game winning streak come to an end. Laila Reynolds chipped in with 10 points, and Ra Shaya Kyle not only scored eight points but also secured 11 rebounds.

Florida, recognized as one of the top teams nationally with a field goal percentage of 50.1%, struggled right from the outset, finishing the first quarter with only three successful field goals out of 14 attempts. By halftime, their shooting efficiency had improved only slightly to 8 of 30, while North Carolina shot an impressive 55%. Despite showing some life during their run in the third period, the Gators’ scoring largely came from the free-throw line, where they made 12 of 13 attempts.

Overall, North Carolina posted a shooting percentage of 39% in the second half compared to Florida’s 32% across the entire game. This matchup marked the first encounter between the two schools since 1997, with North Carolina now holding a 4-1 lead in their all-time series.

Next up, North Carolina will host Norfolk State, while Florida is set to take on North Florida in their upcoming games.