UNC Women's Basketball Awaits NCAA Tournament Bid After ACC Semifinal Loss

Tar Heels finish regular season 26-7 with top-20 NET ranking and top-25 strength of schedule

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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North Carolina's women's basketball team saw its ACC Tournament run end with a 65-57 loss to Louisville in the semifinal round, bringing the Tar Heels' record to 26-7 overall entering the final week before NCAA Tournament selection. Despite the defeat, UNC remains well-positioned for an NCAA Tournament bid with a top-20 NET ranking and top-25 strength of schedule.

Why it matters

North Carolina's strong regular season and consistent performance against both ranked and unranked opponents has the Tar Heels poised for a potential deep run in the NCAA Tournament, which would be a significant achievement for the program.

The details

The Tar Heels finished the regular season 14-4 in ACC play and added an ACC Tournament win over Virginia Tech before falling to Louisville. UNC's resume includes a top-20 NET ranking, a top-25 strength of schedule, and an impressive 13-0 record against Quadrant 3 and Quadrant 4 opponents. The team also performed well away from home, going 8-3 in true road games and 5-2 on neutral courts.

  • North Carolina's ACC Tournament run ended on March 9, 2026 with a loss to Louisville.
  • The Tar Heels finished the regular season with a 26-7 record.

The players

North Carolina Tar Heels women's basketball

The women's basketball team at the University of North Carolina, a Division I program that competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Louisville Cardinals women's basketball

The women's basketball team at the University of Louisville, a Division I program that also competes in the ACC.

Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball

The women's basketball team at Virginia Tech, a Division I program that competes in the ACC.

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What’s next

North Carolina will await its NCAA Tournament seeding and matchup, which will be announced on Selection Sunday.

The takeaway

Despite the semifinal loss in the ACC Tournament, North Carolina's impressive regular season resume, including a top-20 NET ranking and top-25 strength of schedule, has the Tar Heels well-positioned to make a deep run in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.