No. 21 Oklahoma outscored UNC 31-14 in the third quarter and led by as many as 20 points in the fourth on its way to a 91-79 win against the Tar Heels in the “Oui Play” event in Paris Monday.
The third-quarter explosion blew open what had been a competitive game. Carolina recovered from an early 9-2 hole with a 12-0 run, then led 19-18 at the end of the first quarter thanks to seven points from Oklahoma State transfer Achol Akot. In the second quarter, the Tar Heels led by as many as six points at 27-21 before the teams traded runs in the final four minutes. Oklahoma led 39-38 at halftime.
The third quarter was one-way traffic. In that 10-minute period, Oklahoma shot 9-for-18 from the field, 3-for-5 on three-pointers and 10-for-13 from the free throw line while drawing nine UNC fouls. On the other end of the floor, the Tar Heels shot just 6-for-20, made only one three-pointer and one free throw. The Sooners’ Sahara Williams scored 13 of her 22 points in the third quarter, but she was outshined by teammate Leelee Bell, who scored 25 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists in her collegiate debut.
UNC star freshman Kate Harpring scored 21 points of her own, but took 26 shots to do so. As a team, UNC took 86 shot attempts and made only 29, finishing 33.7% from the field. The Tar Heels also committed 17 turnovers and were outrebounded 53-48, allowing 18 second-chance points.
Elsewhere, Nyla Brooks scored 13 points, while Akot and Reniya Kelly each added 11. Akot was the only Tar Heel starter to shoot 50% from the floor, finishing 4-for-8 to go along with eight rebounds.
Monday marks the first time UNC has lost a season opener since the 2017-18 season, before Courtney Banghart arrived as head coach. The Tar Heels will be back in action when they face No. 1 South Carolina at the Ally Tipoff in Charlotte Sunday at 5:30 p.m.
Featured image via UNC Women’s Basketball on Twitter
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UNC Women’s Basketball Loses to No. 21 Oklahoma in 2026-27 Season Opener Chapelboro.com.
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