CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Virginia made a dramatic comeback to defeat No. 8 North Carolina 78-75 on Sunday, thanks to crucial late free throws by Paris Clark and Kymora Johnson.
Virginia’s victory marked its third consecutive win, with Latasha Lattimore leading the team by scoring 23 points. Clark contributed 17 points to the effort, while Johnson was impressive with 15 points, 11 assists, and narrowly missing a triple-double with nine rebounds.
In the final moments, Indya Nivar fouled Clark, who then capitalized on the opportunity by making two free throws, granting her team a 76-75 advantage. In the final three seconds, Johnson secured the win with two additional foul shots. Even though North Carolina had a chance to level the game again, Lexi Donarski’s attempt at a three-pointer fell short as time expired.
Virginia faced an uphill battle, trailing by up to 18 points earlier in the game, but they managed a significant turnaround by outscoring North Carolina 22-15 in the decisive fourth quarter.
Maria Gakdeng was a standout performer for the Tar Heels, delivering a career-high 25 points along with nine rebounds and five assists. Helping her efforts, Donarski scored 18 points, and Nivar chipped in with 12 points. However, North Carolina was short-handed. Missing key players, forward Alyssa Ustby and guard Reniya Kelly, due to injuries, significantly hampered their performance. Despite this setback, coach Courtney Banghart has hopes for their return in the postseason.
Virginia also saw a strong performance from Edessa Noyan, who added 16 points to their score.
The victory held several key takeaways. For Virginia, beating one of the top teams in the nation snapped a long drought against North Carolina on the road, securing their first such win since 2001 and ending a 16-game losing streak. Meanwhile, North Carolina struggled, particularly in the second half without their core players, being outscored 48-34. Their shooting from beyond the arc was also subpar, converting just 6 of 29 attempts.
The turning point came late in the game when Donarski’s jumper put North Carolina ahead 73-70, but Virginia responded with a decisive run including Johnson’s clutch free throws. Statistically, this loss dropped North Carolina’s record to 4-2 in games resolved by a margin of four points or less.
Both teams now look ahead to the upcoming ACC tournament, which begins on Wednesday in Greensboro.
