WVU Women’s Basketball
WVU to Face Host North Carolina in Second Round
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The next opponent is set, as WVU women’s basketball will face North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Monday.
The Mountaineers (25-7) will play the Tar Heels (28-7) on their home court, Carmichael Arena, for the chance to advance to the Sweet 16 for just the second time in WVU history.
“The goal is to always advance,” WVU coach Mark Kellogg said after defeating Columbia in the first round. “We want to advance as far as we can.”
The West Virginia women’s only Sweet 16 appearance came in 1992, although it was an easier path with fewer teams making the tournament back then so the Mountaineers only had to win one game to make it.
“I think it was a shortened field back then, so they won one game,” Kellogg said. “What we told (the team) is if we can win two in the tournament, we would be the first team in our school’s history to win two NCAA Tournament games.”
The Mountaineers were in the same position last season. After defeating Princeton in the first round, WVU fell to host Iowa and national player of the year Caitlyn Clark in the second round.
“This is what we talked about a year ago,” Kellogg said. “Obviously we were at Iowa and had a great game. It comes quick, but we’ll go prepare and have another opportunity in front of us to leave a legacy, and that’s what our kids want to do. It’s what you want to do as a coach.”
North Carolina defeated Oregon State 70-49 in the nightcap Saturday. The Tar Heels led by two points after a hard-fought first half but pulled away in the third quarter. Lexi Darnoski led UNC with 19 points, while Maria Gakdeng finished with 13 and Alyssa Utsby scored 10.
West Virginia and North Carolina have only played once before, with the Tar Heels winning 95-56 in a game played on Nov. 17, 1979.
The tipoff time and broadcast information for Monday’s game will be announced by the NCAA at a later time.
Stay tuned for WV Sports Now’s complete coverage of the WVU women’s basketball team in the NCAA Tournament on location in Chapel Hill, N.C.
