STANFORD, Calif. — Reniya Kelly made a significant impact for No. 15 North Carolina, scoring five of her total 10 points in a crucial one-minute span late in the fourth quarter. This effort enabled the Tar Heels to fend off a late charge from Stanford, culminating in a tight 69-67 victory, marking their 20th win of the season on Sunday.

The Tar Heels initially built a comfortable lead, extending it to as much as 15 points during the second half. However, the Cardinal staged a comeback, igniting a 14-3 run in the final quarter to level the score at 62-62 with under four minutes remaining. Grace Townsend had earlier made a three-pointer, pushing North Carolina ahead by 12 points at 62-50. Yet, Stanford responded with a renewed energy, spurred on by Brooke Demetre’s basket.

Following on from Demetre, teammates Nunu Agara and Chloe Clardy each converted two free throws, and Elena Bosgana connected on a three-pointer from the wing, narrowing the gap to three points for the Cardinal. After a missed layup, Kennedy Umeh hustled to grab the loose ball and scored, also drawing a foul in the process. Her ensuing free throw with 3:52 left on the clock tied the game at 62.

North Carolina quickly countered with Kelly hitting a critical jumper just seven seconds later, followed by a three-pointer that helped the team regain the advantage. Lexi Donarski added a layup, stretching the lead back to seven points for the Tar Heels. Agara responded with a three-point play, and her final layup with just 37 seconds remaining brought Stanford to within two points, yet the Cardinal’s chance to tie slipped away when Agara missed a jumper with only three seconds left.

With this win, North Carolina improved to 20-4 overall and 8-3 in conference play, while Stanford fell to 11-10, holding a record of 3-7 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. This matchup marked only the second encounter between these two teams during regular season play. North Carolina has now achieved the milestone of 20 wins for the 30th time in the history of its program.

Looking ahead, North Carolina is set to face Clemson next Sunday, while Stanford will travel to take on No. 3 Notre Dame this Thursday.