logo
UNC WLAX obliterates Florida in Final Four, advances to National Championship

UNC WLAX obliterates Florida in Final Four, advances to National Championship

USA Today24-05-2025
UNC WLAX obliterates Florida in Final Four, advances to National Championship Can UNC cap off its perfect season on Sunday?
The UNC women's lacrosse program is dominating virtually every opponent it crosses paths with in 2025, highlighted by 14 ranked victories, an undefeated regular season and ACC Tournament Championship.
North Carolina earned the NCAA Tournament's top overall seed as a result, earning the right to host. The Tar Heels dominated their first two opponents at Fetzer Field, ACC rival Clemson (18-9) and Princeton (19-10), advancing to the Final Four.
On Friday, UNC faced the Florida Gators in the day's first Final Four Matchup from Gillette Stadium. Florida eliminated North Carolina in both teams' 2024 NCAAT opener, so the Tar Heels entered Friday hoping to enact revenge.
UNC didn't just enact revenge, but completely obliterate the Gators. Trailing 4-2 after the first quarter, North Carolina scored 18 unanswered goals – and didn't allow another one through the remaining three frames – en route to a 20-4 victory.
The Tar Heels advance to their sixth NCAA Championship game in program history, which they'll play Sunday at 12 p.m. against the Northwestern Wildcats.
UNC (21-0) did so many things well Friday night, including shutting Florida out across the final three quarters, but attack took the headlines. Chloe Humphrey, North Carolina's superstar freshman, scored a game-high seven goals. As a result, Humphrey now holds the Tar Heels' single-season goal record with 86, passing Jamie Ortega.
As I mentioned previously, UNC trailed 4-2 after the first period, causing many viewers to think a close game was on hand. North Carolina broke the game open with a 10-goal second period, though, with Humphrey scoring the eventual game-winner.
The Tar Heels will try for their fourth National Championship in program history on Sunday, hoping to cap off an undefeated season.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Former Texas A&M guard has signed an international deal with the Maccabi Basketball Club
Former Texas A&M guard has signed an international deal with the Maccabi Basketball Club

USA Today

time3 hours ago

  • USA Today

Former Texas A&M guard has signed an international deal with the Maccabi Basketball Club

Former Texas A&M guard Tyrece "Boots" Radford solidified his standing as one of the program's more popular players over the last decade after transferring from Virginia Tech, following then-head coach Buzz Williams to College Station to join the Aggies ahead of the 2021 season. After three seasons, including two trips to the NCAA Tournament, Radford went undrafted. Following a brief stint in the NBA Summer League, his international career began. During the 2025 season, Radford played for Final Spor Genclik Bursa of the Basketbol Süper Ligi, a part of the Turkish Basketball Federation, and averaged 19.4 points, six rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, which is very impressive for a first-year guard entering the international league. On Sunday, it was announced that Radford is returning to action and will join the Maccabi Basketball Club of Ra'anana in Israel for the 2025-2026 season. This is fairly typical in international play, as most players do not sign long-term contracts, unlike in the NBA. Based on his performance in Turkey last season, averaging nearly 20 points per game would have warranted a longer stay; however, that's just how quickly international player movement occurs. During his time at Texas A&M, Radford's elite defensive skill set translates perfectly to the NBA. However, his injury history, coupled with his lack of quickness, places him in a unique spot: still young enough, at the age of 26, to potentially land on an NBA roster in the near future. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

From hoops to Hall of Fame: Antonio Gates' unique NFL journey to Canton
From hoops to Hall of Fame: Antonio Gates' unique NFL journey to Canton

Hamilton Spectator

time4 hours ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

From hoops to Hall of Fame: Antonio Gates' unique NFL journey to Canton

Antonio Gates thought his path to a Hall of Fame career would have been in basketball. Instead, he became one of the best tight ends in NFL history. Gates will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, getting elected to Canton without playing college football. He played his entire 16-year career for the Bolts and finished with 116 receiving touchdowns, the most by a tight end in NFL history. 'My journey was probably the most unique journey in all of football because I came in as a former basketball player, not knowing what to expect,' Gates said. 'Some of those guys who are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, they wanted to be Pro Football Hall of Famers when they were 14 years old. I wanted to play in the NBA. That was my dream. Like I said, I still haven't wrapped my head around it all.' Gates played both football and basketball during high school at Detroit Central. Nick Saban recruited Gates to play football at Michigan State, but he didn't play as a freshman. Gates also wanted to play basketball, but Saban disagreed. Gates transferred to Eastern Michigan, then to two junior colleges, and eventually to Kent State. It was at Kent State that Gates reached national prominence. He led the Golden Flashes to the Elite Eight in the 2002 NCAA Tournament as a junior and an Associated Press All-America honorable mention selection as a senior after averaging 20.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Even though Gates was convinced he would get drafted in the NBA, at 6-foot-4, scouts saw him as an undersized post player. However, Tim Brewster, who was the Chargers' tight ends coach in 2003, saw in Gates the size and speed that he thought would make him a great tight end. Brewster saw Gates during a private workout and immediately began making his pitch to Marty Schottenheimer and the Chargers' front office to sign him as a free agent. 'A lot of people like to take credit, but Tim is the number one reason why I am in the Hall of Fame,' Gates said. 'He found me, believed what I could become, and was around me constantly. He really got me into a position where I look up, and I was All-Pro my second year in the field.' After having 24 receptions for 389 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie, Gates had a career-high 13 touchdowns in 2004 en route to the first of three straight Associated Press All-Pro honors and eight consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl. He also had 81 catches for 964 yards. Even though he was catching a lot of passes, Gates' route-running didn't always get high marks from coaches. 'What I was doing as a rookie and in my second year was considered nontraditional. I would play well, but grade out bad because I creating a lane. And unfortunately, when you're creating something that's never been done or seen, it gets scrutinized. I would use my instinct to make the play.' Many of the things that Gates did with shape routes, pivot routes over the ball and tight ends releasing at the line of scrimmage are commonplace today with Kansas City's Travis Kelce and San Francisco's George Kittle. Gates utilized his basketball skills on the football field, as catching the ball at its highest point is similar to rebounding in the paint, as well as boxing out on the hardwood and trying to get open against a defensive back. Gates might have been outsized as a power forward, but he had an advantage going up against defensive backs who often were smaller than he was. Gates' career flourished under Norv Turner, the Chargers coach from 2007 through '12. Turner lined Gates up in different spots and also used more two tight end sets. Gates' route-running also improved under Turner and with Philip Rivers as the quarterback. 'He had to win on his route-running and his ability to separate and his understanding of coverages and all those things. Philip is as good a passer as there's been in a long time, but Philip wasn't going to move around and make a lot of plays off schedule,' Turner said. Gates finished with 955 receptions for 11,841 yards. He had 21 multi-touchdown games, the most among tight ends. Of his 116 touchdowns, 39 came on third down, which is tied for third all time. He had eight seasons with at least eight touchdowns and was a member of the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2000s. Gates said the biggest thing he is looking forward to is being able to thank the people who helped him get to Canton. 'I've always been in a space where from a popularity standpoint, people know my name. It's my chance to thank everyone else,' he said. 'Although you are the face and the focus point, it's truly not about you. You're letting everybody understand what it took to get to this point and who were influential.' ___ AP NFL:

From hoops to Hall of Fame: Antonio Gates' unique NFL journey to Canton
From hoops to Hall of Fame: Antonio Gates' unique NFL journey to Canton

San Francisco Chronicle​

time4 hours ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

From hoops to Hall of Fame: Antonio Gates' unique NFL journey to Canton

Antonio Gates thought his path to a Hall of Fame career would have been in basketball. Instead, he became one of the best tight ends in NFL history. Gates will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, getting elected to Canton without playing college football. He played his entire 16-year career for the Bolts and finished with 116 receiving touchdowns, the most by a tight end in NFL history. 'My journey was probably the most unique journey in all of football because I came in as a former basketball player, not knowing what to expect,' Gates said. 'Some of those guys who are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, they wanted to be Pro Football Hall of Famers when they were 14 years old. I wanted to play in the NBA. That was my dream. Like I said, I still haven't wrapped my head around it all.' Gates played both football and basketball during high school at Detroit Central. Nick Saban recruited Gates to play football at Michigan State, but he didn't play as a freshman. Gates also wanted to play basketball, but Saban disagreed. Gates transferred to Eastern Michigan, then to two junior colleges, and eventually to Kent State. It was at Kent State that Gates reached national prominence. He led the Golden Flashes to the Elite Eight in the 2002 NCAA Tournament as a junior and an Associated Press All-America honorable mention selection as a senior after averaging 20.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Even though Gates was convinced he would get drafted in the NBA, at 6-foot-4, scouts saw him as an undersized post player. However, Tim Brewster, who was the Chargers' tight ends coach in 2003, saw in Gates the size and speed that he thought would make him a great tight end. Brewster saw Gates during a private workout and immediately began making his pitch to Marty Schottenheimer and the Chargers' front office to sign him as a free agent. 'A lot of people like to take credit, but Tim is the number one reason why I am in the Hall of Fame,' Gates said. 'He found me, believed what I could become, and was around me constantly. He really got me into a position where I look up, and I was All-Pro my second year in the field.' After having 24 receptions for 389 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie, Gates had a career-high 13 touchdowns in 2004 en route to the first of three straight Associated Press All-Pro honors and eight consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl. He also had 81 catches for 964 yards. Even though he was catching a lot of passes, Gates' route-running didn't always get high marks from coaches. 'What I was doing as a rookie and in my second year was considered nontraditional. I would play well, but grade out bad because I creating a lane. And unfortunately, when you're creating something that's never been done or seen, it gets scrutinized. I would use my instinct to make the play.' Many of the things that Gates did with shape routes, pivot routes over the ball and tight ends releasing at the line of scrimmage are commonplace today with Kansas City's Travis Kelce and San Francisco's George Kittle. Gates utilized his basketball skills on the football field, as catching the ball at its highest point is similar to rebounding in the paint, as well as boxing out on the hardwood and trying to get open against a defensive back. Gates might have been outsized as a power forward, but he had an advantage going up against defensive backs who often were smaller than he was. Gates' career flourished under Norv Turner, the Chargers coach from 2007 through '12. Turner lined Gates up in different spots and also used more two tight end sets. Gates' route-running also improved under Turner and with Philip Rivers as the quarterback. 'He had to win on his route-running and his ability to separate and his understanding of coverages and all those things. Philip is as good a passer as there's been in a long time, but Philip wasn't going to move around and make a lot of plays off schedule,' Turner said. Gates finished with 955 receptions for 11,841 yards. He had 21 multi-touchdown games, the most among tight ends. Of his 116 touchdowns, 39 came on third down, which is tied for third all time. He had eight seasons with at least eight touchdowns and was a member of the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2000s. Gates said the biggest thing he is looking forward to is being able to thank the people who helped him get to Canton. 'I've always been in a space where from a popularity standpoint, people know my name. It's my chance to thank everyone else,' he said. 'Although you are the face and the focus point, it's truly not about you. You're letting everybody understand what it took to get to this point and who were influential.' ___

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store