UNC Women’s Hoops Schedule Breakdown: UCLA

UNC-UCLA will be another notable game for fans to circle on their calendar.

Oct 9, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina head coach Courtney Banghart during ACC Media Days at The Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Courtney Banghart and the Tar Heels will be taking a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, to square off with the UCLA Bruins on Thursday, November 13, at 9:00 p.m. This matchup is a part of the WBCA Challenge, where North Carolina will also take on Fairfield, two days later, on Saturday, November 15, at 6:00 p.m.

All-time, UNC has a record of 3-2 when facing the Bruins, possessing one win in Chapel Hill, one on a neutral site (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands) and another on the road inside Pauley Pavilion. And while the Tar Heels will not be playing a true road game, the fact that the contest takes place on the West Coast favors UCLA. However, North Carolina fans are known for traveling to support their team, so the various shades of Carolina blue and Bruin blue will be flooding the stands.

North Carolina head coach Courtney Banghart instructs her team against Louisville during their game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. on Feb. 23, 2025. | Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Transfer Elina Aarinsalo will be playing her former team, where she played a huge part in the program's success during the 2024-2025 campaign, even if the then-freshman averaged 5.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists. On the other hand, Aarnisalo shot 43.7 percent from the field, but 27 percent from the three-point line — definitely an area of improvement as she begins year two of college in Chapel Hill.

The Past Meetings

Mar 28, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Indya Nivar (24) and Duke Blue Devils guard forward Jadyn Donovan (4) battle under the basket during the Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Legacy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

UNC and UCLA last played on Thursday, November 22, during the 2018-2019 season on a neutral court, with the Tar Heels winning in commanding fashion, 83-49. NorthCarolinan scored 25 points in the first, 19 in the second, 23 in the third, and capped it off with a 16-point fourth quarter where it also held the Bruins to seven points in that frame.

Janelle Bailey led the way for the Tar Heels (one of five double-digit scorers) with 20 points, followed by Paris Kea with 15, Stephanie Watts with 14, Shayla Bennett had 13, and Taylor Koenen had 12.

Jan 19, 2021; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Stephanie Watts (5) moves the ball past Syracuse Orange forward Digna Strautmane (45) in the fourth quarter at Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The Tar Heels had 34 points in the paint, 26 off turnovers, nine off the bench and 10 fast break points.

Kennedy Bruke scored a team-high 21 points for UCLA, but the next highest point total came from Lindsey Corsaro, who had seven. The Bruins converted 26.2 percent of their field goals and 15.8 percent of their three-point attempts.

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