Finishing off a difficult stretch of four straight ranked ACC opponents, The Miami Hurricanes (12-6, 2-5 ACC) Women’s basketball team played tough in a 66-61 loss to the no. 20 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels (15-5, 7-1 ACC).
Despite the loss, coach Meier and her squad have plenty of positives to take away from the conference road test.
Miami came out in the first quarter flat shooting 3-12 in the frame compared to North Carolina’s 8-13 shooting. The Hurricanes trailed 8-22 after one.
North Carolina led by as much as 19 in the first half, but a second quarter surge led by the bench unit kept the Canes’ in the game.
Ally Stedman and Lashae Dwyer combined for 10 second quarter points, and after hitting her 100th-career three-pointer earlier in the game, Shayeann Day-Wilson hit another big tray to cut the deficit to 8.
Reniya Kelly (10 points) and Deja Kelly (11 points) led the attack in the first half for North Carolina as the score read 28-38 heading into the break.
Miami came out of the half with a spark. Two quick points cut the Tar Heel lead to 6, but a poor shooting effort in the rest of the quarter put North Carolina up 17 by the media timeout.
Going into the fourth quarter, Miami trailed by 13. The transfer Day-Wilson caught fire in the fourth. The Hurricanes starting guard knocked down a big three, as well as a miraculous three-point play to get Miami within three with just under a minute to go.
A quick scoop and score bucket from Lashae Dwyer brought Miami within one with 28.5 to go.
North Carolina knocked down two free throws to take a three point lead. Miami went down the court with a chance to tie, but the Tar Heels got the stop and the conference win.
The Canes’ will be back Febuary 1st for a white out game in Coral Gables against Duke. Sunday will be Shayeann Day-Wilson’s first game against her former team. Tipoff set for 2 p.m. from the Watsco Center.