Miami Just Shy of Remarkable Comeback at No. 20/21 UNC

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Despite being down by as much as 19 in the first half, Miami (12-6, 2-5 ACC) outscored the Tar Heels (15-5, 7-1 ACC) over the final 28 minutes to get within one before coming up just short of a remarkable comeback Thursday, Jan. 25. UNC would hold on for a 66-61 victory as the Canes capped off a stretch of four-straight games against ranked-ACC teams.

FINAL | No. 20 UNC 66, Miami 61

UNC established a 12-3 lead, until Shayeann Day-Wilson drained her 100th-career three-pointer. Ja’Leah Williams scored minutes later, putting the Canes on a quick 5-0 run. The Tar Heels closed the quarter on a 10-1 run as the first frame finished with UNC up, 22-8.

North Carolina opened up a 19-point lead, but the Canes got a shot clock-beating trey from Lashae Dwyer to ignite a hot stretch from beyond the arc. Ally Stedman answered with two corner three-pointers and Day-Wilson brought rain on another, cutting UNC’s lead to eight. North Carolina got the last bucket of the half as UM trailed, 38-28, through 20 minutes.

Miami started fast in the second half, getting four points in a flash to cut the deficit to six points. North Carolina steered itself to a 17-point lead through the third quarter media timeout, with a Jaida Patrick three-pointer stopping UNC’s run. Lazaria Spearman gathered a miss and made it, cutting the deficit to 51-39 with just over two minutes left in the third. 

Down 13 to start the fourth, Dwyer found herself beating the buzzer once again, sinking a shot clock-beating three to cut the deficit to ten. UNC brought its lead to 13 again, but Miami rattled off an 8-2 run to shorten UNC’s lead to 57-50. Down eight with 2:06 to go, Day-Wilson came up clutch with a three-pointer and a three-point play, getting Miami with three with 54.7 left. Dwyer then scooped up a loose ball and scored at the other end, bringing Miami within one with 28.5 to go. The Tar Heels converted a pair of free throws to widen the lead to three. With a chance to tie, UNC got a stop and finished it out at the line.

NOTES

• Thursday’s game marked the first time Miami has faced four ranked-ACC teams in a row since the 2016-17 season
• Day-Wilson reached 100-career three-pointers after hitting her first-quarter trey
• Dwyer already tied her career three-point total from the previous two years after Thursday’s game
• It was the 29th meeting between the two teams
• Miami’s bench outscored UNC, 23-1. Over the past two games the Canes have outscored the opponent’s bench by 51-1
• Day-Wilson hit five three-pointers for the second time this season, scoring a team-high 18

UP NEXT
Miami completes its January slate at home against Duke Sunday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m.