UNC upsets NC State. Observations from Tar Heels’ first win in Raleigh since 2019

Rivalry games always provide energy and excitement, but N.C. State and North Carolina women’s basketball featured extra meaning this time around.

No. 25 UNC upset the Wolfpack, 61-59, at Reynolds Coliseum on Monday night during the annual Play4Kay game, honoring the late N.C. State coach Kay Yow. It was the Tar Heels’ first win at N.C. State since 2019 and the first under Courtney Banghart.

“I don’t know what the win-loss record is between Carolina and State, but it’s a place. It’s hard for anyone to win here,” Banghart said. “Good for them, they’ve really created a home court environment, so you feel like you’re kind of playing against six. I will say, I’ve had my career, so it’s not as much about me. … I’m just happy for our guys to get a win against a really good team in an environment that will prepare us for March.”

The story of the game itself? The third quarter.

North Carolina, down by just four points at halftime, carried its late momentum from the first half into the second and started the third quarter on an 11-4 run. UNC guard Lanie Grant made a 3-pointer with six minutes left in the period to take the Heels’ first lead since the 5-minute, 39-second mark in the first quarter. The Tar Heels never looked back.

N.C. State, meanwhile, looked like a shell of itself on both ends of the floor, getting outscored 18-8. The Wolfpack went 3 of 17 (17.6%) from the field and 0 for 7 from 3-point range. It missed seven consecutive shots to open the period.

Grant outscored N.C. State as a team, recording 10 points in the quarter and made three field goals. She and Indya Nivar scored 16 of the Tar Heels’ 18 third-quarter points.

Khamil Pierre, who led N.C. State with eight points at halftime, was limited not only in her third quarter production but opportunities. She only took one shot. Instead, Zam Jones went 0 for 6 from the field, including four missed 3-point shots.

“They’re so dangerous offensively, so we had to keep switching up our defenses,” Banghart said. “We went from our zone to our under coverage to our show to our switch. We just had to keep changing things to try to make things a little more difficult.”

The Wolfpack didn’t look any better to start the fourth quarter. It gave up four quick points and allowed UNC to take a 10-point advantage. N.C. State head coach Wes Moore called a timeout 54 seconds into the period.

He used another timeout with a little over four minutes remaining in the game, visibly frustrated with the defense that looked paper thin and the settling he saw on offense.

N.C. State ultimately won the fourth quarter, 17-13, after a late surge — Pierre scored six — but it couldn’t overcome the poor third-quarter performance.

UNC’s defense was aggressive and disruptive from the jump, and N.C. State’s was not.

The Wolfpack allowed North Carolina to make five straight shots in the opening three minutes of play and take a 10-4 lead. Then, N.C. State responded to the early flurry of scoring. It guarded the ball better in the final seven minutes, holding the Tar Heels to 2 of 13 shooting and forcing two scoring droughts longer than two minutes.

The defensive effort, however, lacked consistent intensity. The Wolfpack were simply lucky the Tar Heels missed a number of open shots in the first quarter, which allowed N.C. State to take its early lead. UNC, however, used the Pack’s inconsistency on both ends to its advantage for much of the rest of the game.

Moore, however, said he thought the Wolfpack defense did a “pretty good job” but felt the offense was the bigger issue.

“I thought we settled a lot. We took step-backs and fadeaways,” Moore said. “We shot two free throws in 40 minutes, so we must not have been very aggressive to the rim and finding a way to get to the foul line. I think we were 1 for 12 from the 3 in the second half, so just a bad night offensively. I’ll take a lot of blame for that, for not getting us better looks.”

Grant led all scorers with 18 points, one shy of tying her career high.

Nivar contributed 16 points and seven rebounds. She averages 10.6 points per game but had been held to 6.2 points in the last five games.

Pierre led the Wolfpack with 14 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks and one steal.

Jones and Brooks finished 3 of 11 from the field and were held to eight points each. The duo averages double figures, and Brooks was coming off back-to-back 20-point games.

“It’s just killing me as a coach,” Moore said. “We’ve lost three or four games like this now, so then you second guess every decision you made at the end and all throughout the game, even. It’s tough and heartbreaking and you feel like you’re letting people down.”

3-point shooting makes major difference

Carolina’s defense has carried it for most of the season, particularly its ability to shut down opponents from the 3-point line, while its own offense from distance has struggled in ACC play.

N.C. State broke down the defense in the first half, despite aggressive guarding. The Wolfpack shot 4 of 9 (44.4%) from the perimeter.

Carolina did a far better job on the Pack in the second half. N.C. State missed every 3-point attempt in the third quarter and made 1 of 4 in the fourth.

The Tar Heels entered the game holding opposing teams to 26.1% from 3-point range in ACC play.

The Wolfpack’s defensive effort from 3 held the Tar Heels to 6 of 17 (35.3%), but the offense couldn’t respond when it mattered.

N.C. State, which typically makes 37% of its 3-point shots, finished 5 of 21 (23.8%) Monday night. And, despite struggling from the arc, Jones took a 3-pointer on the Wolfpack’s last possession — down by two — instead of driving the ball inside to tie the game and force overtime.

Moore said the goal was to get Jones closer inside, but Carolina’s defense forced her to take a tough shot.

Jones finished 2 for 8 (25%) from 3, nearly half of the 49.1% she had been shooting during conference play.

NC State rebounding effort not enough

N.C. State’s effective rebounding led to its ability to take an early three-possession lead. The Wolfpack more than doubled up the Tar Heels on the glass by the end of one, outrebounding the visitors 15-7.

At halftime, N.C. State led UNC off the glass, 23-15, and took six additional shots before the break. Pierre pulled down 10 first-half boards.

The Wolfpack’s third quarter rebounding effort did not reflect that of the first half. UNC outrebounded N.C. State, 20-18, in the second half as part of its comeback effort.

N.C. State finished with a 41-35 rebound advantage and took 16 additional shot attempts, which should’ve been enough. But the other issues overshadowed what could’ve been a clutch stat.

The Wolfpack entered the game averaging 44.8 rebounds per game this season and 41.2 rebounds in ACC play. Its 32.1 defensive rebounds ranked No. 2 in the country.

North Carolina, meanwhile, averaged 40 rebounds per game and nearly 13 offensive boards, or one on 30% of its opportunities. It did not record an offensive rebound in the first half.

Lopsided at the line

N.C. State was only awarded two free throws, despite attempting 17 layups, many through contact. That gave UNC an edge as the Tar Heels went 9 of 14 (64.3%) from the line.

North Carolina entered the game shooting a free throw on 22% of its field goal attempts in ACC play. Against N.C. State on Monday night, the Tar Heels had one free throw on 25% of its shot attempts.

Moore and Pierre don’t believe the result falls on officiating. They said it all came down to how tough the Pack was in the lane.

“I don’t think we really attacked the rim as much as we should have,” Pierre said. “I know, personally for me, I wasn’t really aggressive down to the rim. I feel like every game’s kind of physical, so I don’t feel like this one stuck out at all.”

Carolina honors assistant coach

UNC’s staff and players wore T-shirts with pink ribbons in honor of associate head coach Joanne Aluka-White.

Aluka-White, who has been with the team since 2019, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Banghart said Aluka-White was grateful for the team’s support and represent her cancer fight.

“I think there was just the intent and purpose behind this game,” Grant said. “It meant so much to us, echoing what coach said, who we were playing for; the purpose behind the game.”

The shirts also featured a “GG” inside the ribbon to honor the late Dana Gelin, who served as the Tar Heels’ sports information director and died of breast cancer last year.

“This is special,” Banghart said. “I feel really honored to be at the Play4Kay game. Obviously, [former coach] Sylvia Hatchell was here, as well. Just a great environment. Having lost our SID Dana a year ago to breast cancer, and having my associate head coach fighting it; on the back of our jersey, it meant a lot. Basketball is a huge part of our lives, and it’s what we all do, but it doesn’t supersede the importance of tonight. Women’s basketball got to put it on the stage that I think it deserves.”

This story was originally published February 2, 2026 at 8:47 PM.