Miami Falls Short in Tar Heels Territory, Dropping 73-62
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.— The Miami women’s basketball team dropped its first ACC road game of the season, falling 73-62 at North Carolina on Thursday evening.
Despite both Amarachi Kimpson and Gal Raviv posting 16 points each, the Canes were unable to stop UNC’s Reniya Kelly who dropped 24 points and shot 64-percent from the field.
Miami now stands at 11–7 overall and 3–4 in ACC play, while UNC holds a combined 14-5 record and are 3-3 in ACC matchups.
The Canes claimed their first lead of the contest at 8:27 on a three-pointer from Kimpson (3–2). Nine of Miami’s first 11 points came from beyond the arc and the game stayed within a two-point margin for more than seven minutes. In the opening quarter, Miami led three different times and outrebounded the Tar Heels 14–11. After the first 10 minutes, the Canes trailed 15–13, with five different players contributing to the scoreboard.
North Carolina extended its lead to four early in the second quarter (17–13), but Ahnay Adams and Kimpson answered with four consecutive points to knot the game at 17–17. Kimpson continued to lead Miami’s offense, accounting for six of UM’s next nine points as the Canes regained the lead and held it for the remainder of the first half. Miami built an advantage as large as four (34–30) and carried a 34–32 lead into the locker room.
Miami led for just shy of six minutes (5:58) in the opening half while shooting 36.4 percent from the field. The Canes posted four three-pointers compared to UNC’s two and forced seven turnovers on the Tar Heels.
Miami opened the second half with the first basket before North Carolina responded with an 11–2 run to take a five-point lead, its largest of the game to that point (43–38). The Tar Heels then pushed the margin to double digits following a technical foul on Candace Kpetikou. North Carolina held a 56–46 advantage over Miami heading into the final quarter.
In the fourth quarter, North Carolina maintained control over the Canes, going on a 7-0 run in the middle of the period. Miami struggled offensively, shooting 5-of-14 from the field and was outrebounded 11-9. The Tar Heels ultimately took advantage of Miami’s slower second half and closed out 73-62.
Miami will continue its road stretch and travel to South Bend Ind., Thursday, Jan 22. The Canes will matchup against the No. 23/22 Fighting Irish at 6 p.m. with full coverage on ACCN.
