Women's Basketball

Heels Turn Back Tigers, Face Duke on Friday Night

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Seventh-seeded North Carolina turned back a game challenge by No. 10 seed Clemson on Thursday night, setting up yet another renewal of a neighborhood rivalry on Friday evening.

Alyssa Ustby had team highs of 15 points and six rebounds, and Deja Kelly scored six of her 14 points in the fourth quarter the Tar Heels fended off the Tigers, 68-58, in the second round of the Ally Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum.

UNC (21-9) moves on to Friday’s 6 p.m. quarterfinal, where it will attempt to defeat second-seeded Duke (24-5) for the third time this season and the second time in last than a week. The Tar Heels topped the rival Blue Devils 45-41 last Sunday in Durham after winning the earlier Jan. 19 game in Chapel Hill by a 61-56 score.

While UNC led most of the night and by as many as 14 points late in the third quarter, Clemson refused to allow the Tar Heels to become totally comfortable. With Amari Robinson’s 27 points matching a career-high, the Tigers hung around and were within seven (62-55) with just under three minutes left before UNC scored six unanswered points to put the game away.

Ustby and Kelly led the Tar Heels statistically despite playing much of the second half with four fouls. Eva Hodgson added 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range, and Kennedy Todd-Williams completed the balanced scoring effort with 12 points.

Thursday night’s outcome gave the Tar Heels a 2-0 edge this season versus the Tigers after winning 69-58 at Clemson on Jan. 29. UNC has won the last seven meetings between the schools and 12 of the last 14. The Tar Heels are 12-4 versus the Tigers all-time in ACC Tournament play.

UNC led 40-32 at the end of a first half in which it forced 16 Clemson turnovers and shot 47 percent from the floor. Ustby muscled in 10 points in the first two quarters, and Hodgson was 3-for-4 from 3-point range.

Robinson scored the Tigers’ first nine points of the game and had 17 at the break on perfect 5-for-5 shooting from the floor and 6-for-6 from the foul line.