Syracuse, N.Y.
— In a thrilling matchup on Thursday night, the No. 9 North Carolina Tar Heels triumphed over Syracuse with a final score of 68-58, fueled by Maria Gakdeng’s impressive performance that included 21 points and 14 rebounds.
Despite the absence of Alyssa Ustby, who is sidelined with a lower-body injury incurred during a game against North Carolina State on Sunday, the Tar Heels continued their winning streak. Coach Courtney Banghart reassured fans that Ustby is expected to return soon.
With this victory, North Carolina improved to 24-4 overall and 12-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, marking their sixth consecutive win. Meanwhile, Syracuse’s record dropped to 10-16, with four wins against eleven losses in conference play, leaving them in a precarious position as they face the possibility of not qualifying for the ACC Tournament.
The Tar Heels demonstrated their dominance in the paint, outscoring the Orange 40-20, showcasing their ability to capitalize on interior scoring opportunities. In addition to Gakdeng, Trayanna Crisp and Indya Nivar contributed significant points, netting 12 and 11 respectively.
Syracuse’s Georgia Woolley was a standout for her team, scoring 17 points and showcasing her shooting prowess with a 4-of-5 success rate from beyond the arc. Sophie Burrows also added 12 points.
North Carolina established a commanding 40-25 lead late in the third quarter following a 16-3 run. Although Syracuse made a brief push, narrowing the gap to five points thanks to a three-pointer from Burrows, they could not bridge the deficit any further.
**Key Takeaways**:
For North Carolina, the team initially struggled to adapt without Ustby but ultimately overcame the challenge against a less formidable opponent. On the flip side, Syracuse faces an uphill battle to secure a spot in the ACC tournament, currently sitting just half a game ahead of Miami for the last qualifying position.
A pivotal moment during the game came when Woolley drained a three-pointer, reducing Syracuse’s deficit to 24-22. However, Gakdeng quickly responded by scoring North Carolina’s next 13 points, largely from inside the paint and on put-backs.
A noteworthy statistic from the game was that North Carolina took advantage of Syracuse’s 17 turnovers, converting them into 19 points.
Looking ahead, North Carolina is set to conclude their two-game road series this Sunday against Louisville, while Syracuse will face a challenging matchup on the road against No. 11 Duke.