CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Interstat) — Nyla Harris recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds as North Carolina defeated California 71-55 in a women’s basketball game Thursday at Dean Smith Center. The Tar Heels, opening Atlantic Coast Conference play, used a dominant interior presence, outscoring the Golden Bears 50-26 in the paint. North Carolina improved to 13-3 overall while California fell to 9-6. Harris added four assists in 32 minutes. Indya Nivar led all scorers with 16 points and six assists for North Carolina. Sakima Walker paced California with 19 points and eight rebounds. North Carolina capitalized on turnovers, scoring 19 points off them, and pulled away in the second half after leading by nine at halftime.

North Carolina Hosts California in ACC Tip-Off CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Interstat) — The North Carolina women’s basketball team opens its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule Thursday against a California squad looking to build momentum from a dominant non-conference finale. The Tar Heels (12-3) welcome the California Golden Bears (9-5) to the Dean Smith Center for a New Year’s Day matinee. North Carolina enters on a three-game winning streak, most recently routing Boston College 90-39 on Monday. California is coming off a 91-50 victory over Cal Poly on Sunday. North Carolina’s record is bolstered by a perfect 9-0 mark at home this season, where they have won by an average margin of 41.2 points. Their three losses came against then-Texas, then-Louisville in overtime, and Kansas State. California has faced a challenging schedule, with its five losses coming by a combined 24 points, including a one-point defeat at Missouri. The Golden Bears are 2-3 in true road games. A key matchup will feature two dynamic guards. California’s Lulu Twidale is averaging 15.2 points over her last five games, including a 19-point, 6-assist performance against Cal Poly. For North Carolina, Nyla Harris provides efficient scoring off the bench, coming off a 19-point effort in just 18 minutes at Boston College. The Tar Heels have showcased a balanced attack. In the win over Boston College, Elina Aarnisalo added 9 points and 4 assists, while Nyla Brooks contributed 15 points. For California, Naya Ojukwu (16 points, 5 rebounds) and Sakima Walker (9 points, 8 rebounds) were pivotal in the win over Cal Poly. This game marks the start of ACC play for both teams. North Carolina will host Stanford on Sunday, while California travels to face North Carolina State. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST Thursday at the Dean Smith Center.