With consecutive Sweet 16 appearances in its back pockets, the UNC women’s basketball team continues to prove itself as a top program and ACC contender.
Courtney Banghart’s Tar Heels won 28 games last season, highlighted by an upset win over archival Duke on Senior Day. North Carolina opened postseason play with its second win over Virginia Tech, then later beat Western Illinois and Maryland to begin its NCAA Tournament run.
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Looking ahead to this fall, UNC just added a tough opponent to its schedule. On Wednesday, December 2, the Tar Heels will host LSU in the ACC-SEC Challenge.
Tip-off time will be announced at a later date, but this continues a recent trend of North Carolina facing SEC powers in this now-annual challenge. UNC lost at second-ranked Texas last year, stomped ranked Kentucky two years ago and played South Carolina close three seasons ago.
The Tigers, who won their first NCAA Tournament title back in 2023 with now-WNBA stars Flau’Jae Johnson and Angel Reese, ended 2026 in the Sweet 16 against Duke. Kim Mulkey’s squad will search for its sixth-straight Big Dance appearance, with the Tar Heels certain to be an early-season test.
There’s plenty of reason to believe North Carolina will compete in the ACC again this coming season, highlighted by top overall recruit Kate Harpring. Nyla Brooks, Reniya Kelly and Ciera Toomey headline returners, while Oklahoma State forward Achol Akot is Banghart’s top portal addition.
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As summer progresses, expect more UNC opponents to be revealed. Who else will challenge the Tar Heels in non-conference play?
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC women’s basketball: Tar Heels to battle LSU in ACC-SEC Challenge
