Latest news with #Gakdeng
USA Today
15-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UNC WBB has one of the country's top 2025 recruiting classes according to ESPN
UNC WBB has one of the country's top 2025 recruiting classes according to ESPN How far will the UNC women's basketball team's newest recruits carry it? Despite watching its 2024-2025 season conclude against archrival Duke in the NCAA Tournament, the UNC women's basketball team has plenty to be proud of. North Carolina made its second Sweet 16 appearance in four years, a feat that hadn't occurred since the early 2000s. The Tar Heels, led by a trio of veterans in Alyssa Ustby, Maria Gakdeng and Lexi Donarski, made lockdown defense their trademark. UNC will carry a much younger look into its 2025-2026 campaign, though. Ustby, Gakdeng and Donarski are all out of eligibility. North Carolina will return nine players from last season, headlined by junior guard Reniya Kelly, but there's also a ton of excitement surrounding the Tar Heels' 2025 recruiting class. ESPN ranks UNC's 2025 recruiting class the country's fifth-best, thanks to a trio of Top-80 incoming recruits in Nyla Brooks (#17), Taliyah Henderson (#27) and Taissa Queiroz (#77). Brooks, a 6'2" guard from Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Va., was named Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year in March. This is the second straight year a North Carolina recruit earned this honor, with current guard Lanie Grant winning it in 2024. Henderson is a 5-star wing from Tuscon, Arizona who played her high school basketball at Salpointe Catholic. Queiroz, an incoming sophomore from Brazil who played her high school ball at Santa Rosa, Calif.'s Cardinal Newman High School, is listed as a 6'1" guard. The Tar Heels will have plenty of depth this coming season – and minutes up for grabs. With Ustby, Gakdeng and Donarski departing, I can easily see UNC's incoming trio getting lots of court time next 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.
USA Today
16-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Two UNC WBB stars earn WNBA Training Camp Invites
Two UNC WBB stars earn WNBA Training Camp Invites Can these two UNC WBB stars make WNBA rosters? The 2024-2025 college basketball season was kind to the UNC women's basketball program, which enjoyed its most successful campaign in three years. North Carolina made a run to the Sweet 16, before watching its season come to an end against archrival Duke in a 47-38 offensive struggle. The Tar Heels (29-8, 13-5 ACC) finished tied for fourth with Florida State in a loaded ACC, one which sent nine teams to the NCAA Tournament. Two major factors behind UNC's big season were the vaunted post duo of Alyssa Ustby and Maria Gakdeng, both of whom played themselves into WNBA Draft consideration. Neither got selected during the April 14 Draft, but good news is on the horizon for each. On Tuesday, April 15, both Ustby and Gakdeng received Training Camp Invites. Ustby will head cross-country to Angel City and join the Los Angeles Sparks, while Gakdeng goes southeast to the ATL and joins the Atlanta Dream. Ustby started all but eight of 150 games she played in a North Carolina uniform, averaging 11.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game over her career. Gakdeng spent the first two years of her collegiate career at Boston College, then flew down to Chapel Hill for her last two, averaging 10.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game over her 4-year career. Los Angeles is hoping Ustby can help it snap a 4-year postseason drought, the longest in franchise history. Gakdeng will join an Atlanta squad with several postseason appearances, including each of the last two summers, but one that hasn't won a playoff game since 2018. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
21-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UNC WBB pulls away from Syracuse Thursday night, wins sixth-straight game
UNC WBB pulls away from Syracuse Thursday night, wins sixth-straight game UNC pulled away late from Syracuse on Thursday night. The UNC women's basketball team, one of the 2024-2025 season's greatest success stories, just finds ways to keep on winning. North Carolina's latest victory came Thursday night in New York. Despite allowing Syracuse to close its fourth-quarter gap, the Tar Heels closed out the host Orange effectively for a 68-58 victory. UNC (24-4, 12-3) won its sixth-straight game mainly due to the play of center Maria Gakdeng, who enjoyed one of her best games of the season. Gakdeng recorded her third double-double on the year, tying her season-highs with 21 points and 14 rebounds, which led all players in the game. North Carolina shot the ball fairly well against Syracuse (10-16, 4-11), making 28-of-61 (45.9 percent) field goal attempts. The Tar Heels, who struggle at the free throw line, drained all five attempts. While Gakdeng stole headlines with her massive game, we can't forget about the contributions from Trayanna Crisp off the bench. Crisp poured in 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, which included two made 3-pointers. Syracuse made this game closer-than-expected due to its ability to knock down perimeter shots, with the host Orange shooting 9-of-16 from deep. Georgia Wooley made four three and led Syracuse with 17 points, Olivia Schmitt drained three trifectas off the bench, while Sophie Burrows drained a pair of threes. UNC will be tested to close out its February slate, with a Sunday game at fifth-place Louisville and a rematch on Thursday, Feb. 27 at Duke. North Carolina then hosts Virginia on March 2 to close out its regular season, then heads an hour west to Greensboro for the ACC Tournament. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ta'Niya Latson scores at buzzer to send Florida State women past No. 13 North Carolina 86-84
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Ta'niya Latson scored at the buzzer and finished with 25 points as Florida State continued to dominate North Carolina on its home floor with an 86-84 victory over the 13th-ranked Tar Heels on Sunday. Latson, who leads the nation with a 26.6 scoring average, sank 10 of 22 shots and 5 of 6 free throws. She added eight assists for the Seminoles (16-4, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have not lost in Chapel Hill since 2015. Sydney Bowles scored 18 on six 3-pointers in nine attempts for Florida State. Makayla Timpson totaled 15 points and eight rebounds. Timpson, the nation's second-leading shot blocker, had three to reach her per-game average. Malea Williams scored nine with 11 rebounds. Maria Gakdeng had 21 points to lead the Tar Heels (18-4, 6-3), who saw a five-game win streak end. Alyssa Ustby had 14 points and 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double this season. Reniya Kelly added 16 points and six rebounds. Lanie Grant had 13 points and Lexi Donarski scored 12. Florida State took a 65-62 lead into the fourth quarter, but Gakdeng scored the first eight points for North Carolina and Donarski followed with a 3-pointer to give the Tar Heels a 73-69 lead with 6:53 remaining. Williams had baskets on both ends of a Bowles' 3-pointer and Florida State led 78-76 lead with 2:54 left. Gakdeng's layup put the Tar Heels up 82-81 with 18 seconds left. Bowles buried her final 3-pointer, but Kelly tied it on a layup with four seconds left. There were 16 lead changes and four ties through the first three quarters. North Carolina travels to play No. 22 California on Thursday. when Florida State travels to play Boston College. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: and The Associated Press
Fox Sports
26-01-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Ta'Niya Latson scores at buzzer to send Florida State women past No. 13 North Carolina 86-84
Associated Press CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Ta'niya Latson scored at the buzzer and finished with 25 points as Florida State continued to dominate North Carolina on its home floor with an 86-84 victory over the 13th-ranked Tar Heels on Sunday. Latson, who leads the nation with a 26.6 scoring average, sank 10 of 22 shots and 5 of 6 free throws. She added eight assists for the Seminoles (16-4, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have not lost in Chapel Hill since 2015. Sydney Bowles scored 18 on six 3-pointers in nine attempts for Florida State. Makayla Timpson totaled 15 points and eight rebounds. Timpson, the nation's second-leading shot blocker, had three to reach her per-game average. Malea Williams scored nine with 11 rebounds. Maria Gakdeng had 21 points to lead the Tar Heels (18-4, 6-3), who saw a five-game win streak end. Alyssa Ustby had 14 points and 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double this season. Reniya Kelly added 16 points and six rebounds. Lanie Grant had 13 points and Lexi Donarski scored 12. Florida State took a 65-62 lead into the fourth quarter, but Gakdeng scored the first eight points for North Carolina and Donarski followed with a 3-pointer to give the Tar Heels a 73-69 lead with 6:53 remaining. Williams had baskets on both ends of a Bowles' 3-pointer and Florida State led 78-76 lead with 2:54 left. Gakdeng's layup put the Tar Heels up 82-81 with 18 seconds left. Bowles buried her final 3-pointer, but Kelly tied it on a layup with four seconds left. There were 16 lead changes and four ties through the first three quarters. North Carolina travels to play No. 22 California on Thursday. when Florida State travels to play Boston College. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: and recommended in this topic
