Deja Kelly helps No. 20 North Carolina women hold off Miami 66-61

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- — Deja Kelly scored 18 points and No. 20 North Carolina blew almost all of a 19-point lead before fending off Miami for a 66-61 win on Thursday night.

Kelly made 5 of 13 shots but was 0 for 4 from 3-point range for the Tar Heels (15-5, 7-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have won four in a row and are off to their best start in conference play since the 2012-13 season. She made 8-of-10 free throws and fell two points shy of becoming the first Tar Heel to score at least 20 points in five straight games.

Maria Gakdeng had 13 points before fouling out for North Carolina as all five starters scored in double figures. Alyssa Ustby had 12 points and 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season. She also had a triple-double in a 75-51 victory over then-No. 25 Syracuse earlier. Lexi Donarski also finished with 12 points, while Reniya Kelly scored 10.

Shayeann Day-Wilson sank 5 of 8 from 3-point range and scored 18 to lead the Hurricanes (12-6, 2-5). Jaida Patrick hit two 3-pointers and scored 10, while Lashae Dwyer added nine points off the bench.

Donarski scored seven, Kelly hit two 3-pointers and North Carolina jumped out to a 22-8 lead after one quarter.

Kelly's layup gave the Tar Heels their biggest lead at 35-16 with 3:48 left before halftime. Ja'Leah Williams answered with a 3-pointer, Ally Stedman hit twice from beyond the arc and Day-Wilson hit a fourth one in a 12-1 run to pull Miami within 36-28 with 90 seconds left. Ustby's basket was the only score from there and the Tar Heels led 38-28 at intermission.

Gakdeng had six points in the third quarter, Donarski scored five and North Carolina pushed its advantage to 52-39.

Day-Wilson hit two 3-pointers in a 14-7 run to begin the final period and Miami pulled within 59-53 with 3:55 left to play. Day-Wilson's three-point play cut the Hurricanes' deficit to 62-59 with 57 seconds remaining. Dwyer had a steal and a layup and the Tar Heels' 19-point lead was down to one with 30 seconds to go but Kelly sank 4 of 4 foul shots from there to seal the victory.

North Carolina won for just the fifth time in the last 14 matchups but still leads the series 16-13.

Miami came into the game allowing just 57.9 points per game, tops in the ACC. North Carolina was second at 59.1.

North Carolina travels to play Virginia on Sunday. Miami returns home to host Duke on Sunday.

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