UNC Women's Hoops Player Preview: Sophomore Lanie Grant

Lanie Grant showed promise as a freshman and looks to have a bigger impact in her second season as a Tar Heel.

Nov 25, 2024; Paradise Island, Bahamas, BHS; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Lanie Grant (0) reacts after scoring during the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers at the Atlantis Resort. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Lanie Grant averaged 7.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting 36.4 percent from the field goal range as a freshman last year. She had her first double-digit point outing on Saturday, November 23, when UNC took on Ball State during the Bad Boy Mowers Women's Battle 4 Atlantis — finishing with 15 points, two rebounds and one assist — shooting 3/6 from the field and 3/4 from the three-point, in addition to 6/7 from the charity stripe. That game was Banghart's 100th win at North Carolina.

Mar 7, 2025; Greensboro, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Lanie Grant (0) passes the ball against Florida State Seminoles during the third quarter at First Horizon Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

Grant's season-high came against the Louisville Cardinals on Sunday, February 23, where she scored 19 points and had one assist as well.

She shot 5/9 from the field and 3/4 from the three-point line, along with making all of her free throws, going 6/6. UNC ended up winning 99-75 on the road, but it was the last win of its seven-game winning streak, which began on Thursday, January 30, beating California on the West Coast. The Duke Blue Devils defeated the Tar Heels in Durham, ending the win parade.

As a sophomore, Grant comes back as someone looking to break out of the shell and become a big contributor — whether off the bench or in the starting lineup. She has logged minutes as high as 37 minutes, which shows the amount of trust Banghart had in the then-freshman. Her ability to pass, find the open teammate, drive, and shoot will be a big piece for North Carolina's offense this coming season.

The Potential of Lanie Grant as a Sophomore

Grant finished as the sixth leading scorer after the 2024-2025 season concluded, behind Alyssa Utsby (10.9), Maria Gakdeng (10.8), Lexi Donarski (10.7), Reniya Kelly (9.6) and Indya Nivar (8.3). The Midlothian, Virginia native had one of the highest three-point percentages — converting 34.6 percent of her attempts. The Tar Heels should be thrilled to have her back as the transfer portal is known for taking and giving — depending on the situation of the program, of course.

Nov 25, 2024; Paradise Island, Bahamas, BHS; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Lanie Grant (0) celebrates with North Carolina Tar Heels forward Ciera Toomey (21) after scoring during the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers at the Atlantis Resort. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Besides Grant, Banghart will have Kelly and Elina Aarnisalo, Indya Nivar, and freshman standout Nyla Brooks to handle the basketball. The roles are interchangeable, which makes this team a lot more diverse than others within the Atlantic Coast Conference.

North Carolina fans should expect Grant to make an impact throughout the 2025-2026 campaign. UNC's first game will take place on Monday, November 3, inside Carmichael Arena as NC Central takes a trip to Chapel Hill. The game will begin at 11:00 a.m.

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