Associated Press

CHAPEL HILL — Deja Kelly scored 19 points, Alyssa Ustby had 10 of her 16 in the pivotal third quarter and No. 17 North Carolina held off No. 13 Duke 61-56 on Thursday night, ending the Blue Devils’ 11-game winning streak.

Eva Hodgson’s only points of the game came at the foul line in the closing seconds, her pair with 2.8 seconds wrapping up the win.

Kennedy Todd-Williams added 13 points for the Tar Heels (13-5, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have won four straight conference games after losing their first three. They made 6 of 10 shots from the field and 8 of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter to improve to 5-3 against ranked teams this season.

Shayeann Day-Wilson scored a season-high 24 points for the Blue Devils (16-2, 6-1) but missed five free throws in the fourth quarter. Reigan Richardson added 12 points. Leading scorer Celeste Taylor was limited to one basket, that coming with 30.2 seconds left.

It was the 104th meeting between the rivals with rapper Trinidad James and former Tar Heels star Ivory Latta courtside. North Carolina leads the series 53-51 and it was the first time they were both ranked since March 1, 2015,

Ustby made all five of her shots and the Tar Heels went 9 of 10 in the third quarter to break away from a 21-21 halftime tie to take a 40-31 lead into the fourth quarter. The game was tied at 31 when North Carolina reeled off the last points, with Paulina Paris and Ustby both making two layups.

It was a less than artistic first half, which finished 21-21, the lowest scoring half for both teams this season.

Duke couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start, missing its first eight shots and turning the ball over seven times before Jordyn Oliver scored at the 2:07 mark. But the Tar Heels didn’t run away, finishing the first quarter 4 of 14 with five turnovers, for a 12-5 lead.

Then North Carolina had a 51/2-minute drought in the second quarter, but the Blue Devils only scored seven points, with Day-Wilson’s jumper from the foul line tying the game at 16 at the 3:38 mark.

Kelly responded with a jumper for the Tar Hells before Day Wilson’s 3 at 2:42 gave Duke the lead. The Blue Devils came back despite Taylor playing just three minutes after picking up two quick fouls.

The teams combined to shoot 15 for 50 with 21 turnovers.

North Carolina is home against Georgia Tech on Sunday while Duke is home against Syracuse.

No. 20 NC State 71, Miami 61

RALEIGH (AP) — Saniya Rivers scored 14 points, Mimi Collins and Camille Hobby each added 11 points and No. 20 North Carolina State beat Miami 71-61 on Thursday night.

N.C. State led by as many as 18 points in the third quarter but Miami started the fourth on a 10-2 run, capped by back-to-back 3-pointers by Haley Cavinder and Hanna Cavinder, to get within 59-52. Hobby and Rivers combined to score the next six points and N.C. State led by at least seven points the rest of the way.

Aziaha James added 10 points for N.C. State (14-5, 4-4 ACC), which plays at Louisville on Sunday. River Baldwin played just 12 minutes after suffering an injury in the first half. Baldwin sat on the bench in the second half with a wrap around her right leg.

Diamond Johnson and Madison Hayes each made a 3-pointer on back-to-back possessions to give N.C. State the first double-digit lead of the game at 26-14 early in the second quarter. The Wolfpack held Miami to its lowest scoring quarter of the season in the second frame to build a 35-19 halftime advantage. Miami was just 2-of-10 shooting in the second quarter and N.C. State shot 53% in the half.

Lola Pendande scored 21 points and Haley Cavinder added 15 for Miami (12-7, 5-3), which has the weekend off before playing Boston College on Jan. 26.

Kitley records double-double
in No. 12 Hokies’ victory

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Georgia Amoore scored 16 of her 21 points in the second half, Taylor Soule and Elizabeth Kitley had double-doubles and No. 12 Virginia Tech held off Pittsburgh 69-62 on Thursday night.

Amoore, who had five 3-pointers, made a pair of clutch 3s in the fourth quarter, first when the Panthers pulled within four and again when they cut it to five with 2:18 to play.

Amoore also had a pair of free throws with 1:05 to go and Kayana Traylor wrapped it up with two more at 15 seconds as the duo combined for all 12 Hokie points in the fourth quarter.

Kitley and Traylor had 13 points apiece and Soule 12 for Virginia Tech (15-3, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference). Kitley had 13 rebounds and Soule 11.

Amber Brown had 17 points and eight rebounds for Pitt (7-11, 0-7), which has lost six straight. Maliyah Johnson added 13.

Virginia Tech led from the opening basket but never by more than seven points. A 7-0 run, with a Johnson 3-pointer, rallied the Panthers, who tied it when Liatu King hit a jumper with 1:17 left in the first half. Kitley’s basket on the next possession put the Hokies up 34-32 at the break.

Amoore scored Virginia Tech’s first eight points of the second half, hitting a pair of 3s, and a layup by Soule made it 46-36. Traylor then scored the next nine Hokie points as they took a 57-50 lead after three quarters.

Virginia Tech is at Wake Forest on Sunday.

MEN

Mid. Tennessee 62, Charlotte 58

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — Camryn Weston scored 14 points to lead Middle Tennessee past Charlotte 62-58.

Weston had five rebounds for the Blue Raiders (12-7, 5-3 Conference USA).

Montre’ Gipson led the 49ers (12-7, 3-5) in scoring, finishing with 17 points. Charlotte also got 13 points and two steals. Jackson Threadgill had eight points.