Sweet 16: North Carolina vs. Duke | Women’s NCAA Tournament | Full Game Highlights
11 Video Views·Apr 3, 2025
Check out highlights from the Sweet 16 as the 2-seeded Duke Blue Devils defeat the 3-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels, 47-38, advancing to the Elite 8 of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Two sites for the Sweet 16.
This round will tip off here in Birmingham, Alabama.
Eight teams have come here to play in the Sweet 16.
You will see four of them today,
and we start with a rivalry.
Duke, North Carolina for the very first time
in the NCAA Tournament.
It's a rubber match this season.
They split the two regular season meetings,
but this meeting, it matters the most.
She's a force inside on the defensive end.
Melissa Usby going inside to Maria Gotteng,
and she is blocked by Jaden Donovan.
You gotta harness that motivation, though.
You don't wanna put too much pressure on yourself.
Continue to do what got you here.
India Navarre driving into the paint for North Carolina.
Maria Gotteng underneath for the putback.
At 6'3", sometimes players take their height for granted.
Not Gotteng.
She knows she's got a battle against Duke.
She's in her second season at North Carolina.
Cutting to the basket, Lexi Donarski.
Free throw line area.
She sees the defensive pressure denial,
and credit to Lexi Donarski.
Smooth.
Oh, so much traffic in the paint.
So many North Carolina jerseys.
Ooh, Alyssa Usby tiptoeing through the lane.
So pretty.
Look at the points in the paint.
10 of North Carolina's 11 points have come in the paint.
North Carolina went for high percentage shots
to start this game out,
because you know there's gonna be nerves in the Sweet 16.
Duke, on the other hand, they were 0 for 4.
Wolf, get the ball inside.
Test the waters with Fournier.
Thomas, a little pick and roll action.
A 7-0 run, just like that for Duke.
And was the main scorer last season.
This season, she's added to her assist.
Little pocket pass to Delaney Thomas.
Perfect.
Vanessa DeJesus.
Cutting through that North Carolina defense.
The winner of this game will face
the winner of South Carolina, Maryland.
That'll be our next game here in Birmingham today.
Oh, Jaden Donovan, oh, a ball.
And she's only 6 feet tall.
But the elevation, the timing on the block.
Donovan, a force.
And Carol Lawson.
This one right here, number 5,
Alucia Chonwok can get going.
Speed up things for the Blue Devils.
Got it over to Thomas, and that pays.
The pressure, the heat has turned up for the Blue Devils.
This is the Duke defense you're used to seeing,
and it's turning into points.
DeJesus, so patient.
That's the matchup right now,
as Huskie's trying to get around her in the paint.
Fournier comes over to help the kick out to Donarski.
Jackson off the screen.
Oconawa, and just like that,
we have our first two threes of the ball game, back to back.
They're not coming as easy
with this smaller lineup for North Carolina.
Alucia Oconawa, India Navar, working against Cable.
Forced her way to a bucket.
Jackson, just two points for her in the first half,
and Delaney Thomas cutting the basket on the pass,
so North Carolina will look to try to test
Maria Gotteng inside.
Ball got tipped up into the air by DeJesus.
Bouncing around and dropping down for India Navar.
Calling for the basketball,
posting up against Jaden Donovan.
Donovan's defense has been on point.
Bringing four offensive players over to one side,
making the zone have to go with a cutter.
Raniya Kelly steps into the three.
Ball security is going to be key with these two teams,
the defense that they are playing.
And Carol Lawson was yelling at Mayer
to come get the basketball,
couldn't before Duke turned it over,
and India Navar turned that into points.
Duke is three of 10.
Husby saves it into the hands of Donarski.
Raniya Kelly, catch and shoot.
Husby just all over the place.
That Swiss Army knife for North Carolina.
Lady Grant trying to break down Mayer.
That's a 17-year-old freshman.
Ashlyn Jackson with a little mic drop.
Coach, you had a double-digit lead.
Heels started cutting into that.
What will it take in the fourth quarter?
This is the type of game you would expect.
I know it's not been pretty.
I know everybody at home is probably like,
there's not a lot of scoring.
But what you're seeing is two teams competing.
They both really want the spot in the Elite Eight.
It's just going to take competitiveness.
It's going to take a lot of juice,
and you just got to keep fighting.
And so I think both teams will do that in the fourth quarter.
I appreciate it, good luck.
North Carolina choosing to go without Goktang on the floor.
What advantage is that for Duke?
Well, it's everything's evened out now.
Raniya Kelly one-on-one with Ashlyn Jackson,
and Ashlyn Jackson wins that defensive battle.
Up ahead to Okonawa.
Got her own rebound.
12 offensive boards.
That's a shoot right in the pocket.
North Carolina hasn't hit a field goal in this quarter.
Oh, beautiful, Delaney Thomas,
the dump off from Ashlyn Jackson.
I think that you've got to get Alyssa Usby
in the middle of the floor.
I think that she can operate,
if she can get isolated with Delaney Thomas,
that would be good.
Up and in for Alyssa Usby.
And Alyssa Usby, her final game for North Carolina.
It is Duke, who trailed 11 to nothing to start the game.
They did not flinch.
And we will see them in the Elite Eight,
their 64th win in the NCAA tournament and program history.