CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Interstat) — Reniya Kelly scored 24 points to lead North Carolina to a 73-62 win over Miami in an Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Dean Smith Center. The Tar Heels used a decisive 24-point third quarter to break open a close game. North Carolina led 32-31 at halftime before outscoring the Hurricanes by 12 in the period. Kelly, a 5-foot-7 guard from Hoover, Alabama, led all scorers. Amarachi Kimpson and Gal Raviv each scored 16 points for Miami. North Carolina improved to 14-5 overall, while Miami fell to 11-7. Attendance was 3,320.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Interstat) — Reniya Kelly scored 24 points and a dominant third-quarter surge propelled North Carolina to a 73-62 victory over Miami in an Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at the Dean Smith Center. A crowd of 3,320 watched the Tar Heels improve to 14-5 overall and 4-2 in the ACC, while the Hurricanes fell to 11-7 and 2-4. The game’s decisive stretch came after halftime. Leading by just four points at 32-28, North Carolina opened the third quarter with a 16-4 run to seize control. Indya Nivar, who finished with 13 points and five assists, was instrumental during the burst, scoring on drives and setting up teammates. The Tar Heels outscored Miami 24-12 in the period, turning a narrow contest into a 56-40 lead entering the final quarter. Kelly, a 5-foot-7 guard from Hoover, Alabama, was the engine for North Carolina throughout. She played 33 minutes, adding defensive pressure with two steals. Her backcourt partner, Nivar, facilitated the offense from her hometown of Apex, North Carolina. Miami, which had won two of its last three, including a victory over Florida State, could not sustain its early momentum. The Hurricanes were led by Amarachi Kimpson and Gal Raviv, who each scored 16 points. Kimpson, from Little Elm, Texas, added an assist, while Raviv, from Netanya, Israel, played a team-high 37 minutes. The first half was a tightly contested affair featuring eight lead changes. Miami built an early 8-4 advantage behind a 3-pointer from Kimpson, but North Carolina responded with a 9-2 spurt, capped by a Kelly transition jumper. The Hurricanes closed the first quarter strong, with Soma Okolo converting an offensive rebound at the buzzer to trim North Carolina’s lead to 15-13. The second quarter saw Miami briefly regain the lead at 21-19 after a Kimpson 3-pointer. The Tar Heels answered with interior scoring from Taissa Queiroz, who finished with 10 points off the bench. North Carolina took a 32-28 edge into halftime after Queiroz scored on another putback in the final minute. The third-quarter explosion by the Tar Heels rendered Miami’s fourth-quarter push moot. The Hurricanes cut the deficit to 11 points on multiple occasions, the last at 65-54 on a 3-pointer by Vittoria Blasigh with 3:22 remaining, but could get no closer. North Carolina’s Elina Aarnisalo, who had nine points and three steals, and Ciera Toomey, who contributed six points and a block, provided key minutes to seal the win. For Miami, Candace Kpetikou of Niamey, Niger, provided interior presence with seven points and a block. Ahnay Adams of New Bedford, Massachusetts, chipped in six points. The most important part of the game was North Carolina’s immediate and overwhelming response to start the second half. Their 16-4 run, fueled by defensive intensity and efficient offense from Kelly and Nivar, transformed a competitive matchup into a comfortable lead from which Miami never recovered. This decisive stretch underscored the Tar Heels’ ability to impose their will at a critical juncture. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, North Carolina was projected with a 91.9% probability to win. Miami next plays at Notre Dame on Jan. 22. North Carolina travels to face Florida State on Jan. 18.

Preview: Miami (FL) at North Carolina in ACC Women’s Basketball CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Interstat) — Two Atlantic Coast Conference teams looking to build momentum will meet Thursday when the Miami (FL) Hurricanes visit the No.