Trailing No. 5 Iowa State by 17 points in the second quarter, the No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels looked like they would finish the Phil Knight Invitational as runners-up.

Cyclones center Stephanie Soares was dominating the paint with 13 points, and the Tar Heels had made just seven field goals. Just three North Carolina players registered a point in the first half as the team shot 21.2% from the field.

In short, it was a disastrous half for the Tar Heels.

But when the game was over, those opening two quarters seemed like a distant memory. 

UNC completed a massive comeback, led by Deja Kelly, who scored 22 of her 29 points in the second half, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists for her best game of the season. It was UNC’s second top-25 win in four days, coming after a victory against No. 18 Oregon on Thursday.

#ACCWBB Player of the Week 🔥

🏀 Deja Kelly, @uncwbb

📰: https://t.co/3ZyJoHYuZm pic.twitter.com/yrucliUxGO

— ACC Women's Basketball (@accwbb) November 28, 2022

Expectations were high for the Tar Heels heading into the season after they reached the Sweet 16 in 2021-22 for the first time since 2015 and hung with eventual national champion South Carolina in a 69-61 loss. So far, they’re living up to the hype.

Yet their last three victories – over James Madison, Oregon and Iowa State – have all been come-from-behind wins. UNC has the grit to win in difficult situations, but do the Tar Heels have staying power?

The team, which has moved up to No. 6 in the latest AP Top 25, is 6-0, with no stumbles against lower or unranked teams and now a statement win over Iowa State.

The next few weeks will provide further opportunity for the Tar Heels to prove themselves, as they play No. 6 Indiana on Thursday and No. 22 Michigan on Dec. 20 before heading into ACC play and taking on No. 11 Virginia Tech on Jan. 1.

So far, the Tar Heels seem like the real deal. Kelly and Alyssa Ustby turned heads last season as an elite scoring duo, but the win over Oregon proved they aren’t the team’s only weapons. UNC’s starting five all finished in double-figures, with Eva Hodgson leading the way.

𝘒𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 ☑️
𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘵 ☑️#GoHeels x @dejakelly25 x @coachbanghart pic.twitter.com/1EKEAeLXD3

— Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) November 28, 2022

The transfer from William and Mary provides UNC with a reliable outside threat, making 45.5% of her attempts from long range. Hodgson came off the bench as a junior, but she’s embracing the starting role, and her point production has gone up from 9.1 ppg to 15.8. She’s also averaging 3.8 assists.

Hodgson’s offensive growth has made a difference for the Tar Heels, as Kelly and Ustby aren’t as reliable from long range as they are from inside the arc. Kennedy Todd-Williams has also provided a lift, shooting 38.5% from 3-point range. 

The long-distance shooters brings balance to the Tar Heel offense, while Kelly thrives off the bounce and Ustby posts up smaller guards and executes from the high-post. 

Defensively, the big question for the Tar Heels heading into the game with Iowa State was how they would defend 6-6 forward Soares. She has a significant height advantage over Tar Heel starting forward Anya Poole (6-2), and the tallest player UNC brings off the bench is 6-4 redshirt freshman Teonni Key, who plays just 10.3 minutes per game. 

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But UNC handled Iowa State by limiting the rest of the Cyclones. Soares finished with 19 points, and Ashley Joens had 18, but the rest of the squad was held to single-digits. North Carolina was also aggressive in its defensive attack, forcing 17 turnovers. 

Teams with multiple post threats or more productive guards are the next challenge for the Tar Heels. Thursday’s matchup with Indiana could be telling, as the Hoosiers have the second-most efficient big in the country in Mackenzie Holmes, who is shooting 76.6% and averaging 20 points per game. 

The Hoosiers will likely be missing Grace Berger (10.3 points per game) who was injured against Auburn on Friday – no update has been provided yet – but they have several other scoring weapons. Sara Scalia, Yarden Garzon and Sydney Parrish all score at least 10 points per game, and Chloe Moore-McNeil sits at 9.7 per game.

If UNC can top Indiana, then it will get that much closer to cementing its status as one of college basketball’s top teams. A difficult ACC slate will also allow the Tar Heels to showcase their talents and answer any lingering questions about their potential to make a deep run in March.

After a record-setting season, the 2024 NWSL Playoffs have landed, with​ the expanded eight-team lineup kicking off the weekend's do-or-die quarterfinals with a clean slate.

No. 1 Orlando, whose Shield-winning year ended in a skid, begins the postseason action on Friday, hosting a No. 8 Chicago side that just barely made the postseason cut. The Pride will notably do so without defender Rafaelle, who landed on the season-ending injury list with a partial quad tendon tear on Tuesday.

Adding another hurdle to Chicago's gargantuan Orlando task is the fact that the Red Stars will be without some key firepower. Striker Ludmila, the club's third-most prolific goal scorer on the season, is serving an extended red card suspension that will keep her sidelined through the semifinals, should the Red Stars advance.

After finishing last season second-to-last on the NWSL table, No. 4 Kansas City earned quarterfinal hosting rights this year. The Current, who scored a league-record 57 goals this season, haven't lost since September 1st, when they fell to the No. 5 North Carolina Courage — the same team they'll face on Saturday.

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The biggest question-mark for the Current, however, is the status of 2024 Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga, who was sidelined last weekend after a knock to the knee.

"She’s progressing well," KC coach Vlatko Andonovski said of Chawinga's status on Wednesday. "Hopefully, we have more answers closer to the game."

That said, Andonovski made it clear that expectations won't change regardless of Chawinga's availability. Pointed to KC’s 3-1 win over Chicago last Sunday, he noted that while "the success that this team has enjoyed this season is a team success, and it’s not just the 20 goals that Temwa scored."

Sunday doubleheader will finalize NWSL semis

This Sunday afternoon is all about the NWSL, beginning when No. 7 Bay FC, the winningest expansion team in league history, head to DC to play a No. 2 Spirit squad still bouncing back from injuries.

While Washington has star forward Trinity Rodman and defender Casey Krueger back on the pitch, they'll be without midfielder Andi Sullivan, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear last month. Also missing will be forward Rosemonde Kouassi as she finishes serving her extended red card suspension.

To cap things off, defending champs No. 3 Gotham FC will host perennial contenders Portland. The Thorns snagged their lowest postseason seeding ever at No. 6 after a shaky season put their now eight-straight playoffs streak at risk.

Even so, Portland could be poised to surprise a Gotham side that boasts one of the best defenses in the league. The Thorns' final regular-season match displayed their best attacking performance in NWSL play since May, with prolific scorers Christine Sinclair, Sophia Smith, and Morgan Weaver all finding the back of the net.

NWSL MVP, Rookie of the Year awards come into focus

As the season ends, the NWSL's individual award frontrunners are emerging — and none more so than KC's Chawinga. The Kansas City striker is poised to run away with the league's MVP honors thanks to her speed, technical skill, and record-breaking 20 goals on the season.

Though Orlando’s Barbra Banda made her MVP case by keeping pace with Chawinga in the season's first half, she quieted after the Olympics while Chawinga upheld her unbelievable consistency, blasting eight more goals across nine post-break matches.

Instead, the Pride could likely see Coach of the Year honors after Seb Hines led the Shield-winners​ on a record-breaking 23-match unbeaten streak this season.

In the Rookie of the Year race, the NWSL’s 2024 class impressed, from Louisville ringer Emma Sears to KC defensive midfielder Claire Hutton to Washington’s absolutely stacked group of six debutants.

That said, Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune tops the competition with five goals and a record-tying 10 assists, despite playing in just 17 matches before a torn meniscus ended her season.

How to watch the 2024 NWSL Playoffs this weekend

Orlando and Chicago kick off at 8 PM ET on Friday, live on Prime, with KC battling NC on Saturday at 12 PM ET on CBS.

On Sunday, Washington hosts Bay FC at 12:30 PM ET before Portland visits Gotham at 3 PM ET, with live coverage on ABC.

Welcome back to Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie!

O'Hara and Leslie kick off today's episode discussing the NYC marathon, with O'Hara sharing that her secret way to cheer on runners is to lap them on her bike.

When it comes to running marathons, however, Leslie cited her three-mile max, saying "This body's not made for that type of distance, you know?"

Defense wins NWSL championships

Our hosts then preview the 2024 NWSL Playoffs, questioning whether or not Shield-winners Orlando can complete their "beat everybody season" before exploring 2024 expansion team Bay FC's dark horse status. They later wind down the NWSL chat by diving into the elite defensive qualities that former defender NWSL and USWNT O'Hara says could propel either the Pride or defending champs Gotham FC all the way to the title.

"I really do think, when it comes to playoffs, defense wins championships," O'Hara says on Fast Friends. "I think you can have a potent offense, but the reality is, if you don't let the other team score, you got a chance of winning."

Fast Friends tackles college basketball's season-openers

Afterwards, the duo pivot to the hardcourt where they dig into the beginning of the NCAA basketball season, starting with Leslie's alma mater: No. 3-ranked USC. Behind All-American sophomore phenom JuJu Watkins's 27 point performance, the Trojans narrowly beat No. 20 Ole Miss in their season opener in Paris — despite committing 26 turnovers.

The key to unlock USC's title-winning potential? Building trust and chemistry, Leslie says.

"JuJu's gonna have to trust her teammates more, her teammates are gonna have to trust her," explains the eight-time WNBA All Star. "You've gotta make other players around you better, and let them hit some shots, and it'll open it back up more for her."

Speaking of chemistry, that's something Leslie says defending NCAA champions No. 1 South Carolina have in spades thanks to head coach Dawn Staley.

"[Staley] makes people want to be better and brings the best out of others," Leslie says of former teammate. "The will that she brings is making each individual want to be at their best, and you feel like you let her down when you're not giving your all... That's the sign of a great leader."

About Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie

O'Hara and Leslie wrap things up with a visit to the WNBA, where former Connecticut Sun head coach Stephanie White is returning to her Indiana roots to lead the Fever. According to White, she joins the team as they enter their "championship or bust" era. The Fast Friends hosts also hit on how the coaching carousel and the WNBA's CBA negotiations could impact free agency moves this offseason.

Coming off the success of JWS's Olympic commentary show The Gold Standard, Fast Friends features two legendary athletes serving up insider insights and unique takes on the biggest stories in women's sports every week.

Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.

The University of Georgia announced the completion of a new $38.5 million softball training facility late last month.

With more than 20,000 square feet of athlete development space, the facility boasts a four-lane batting cage with a full practice turf infield, weight room, locker room, team lounge and nutrition space, video room, athletic training room, plus a mud room and an equipment room.

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Calling it "unparalleled in collegiate softball," the school's Athletic Director Josh Brooks said, "this space will be crucial in nearly every phase of student-athlete development and well-being during their time at Georgia."

Head coach Tony Baldwin also weighed in, stating, "From the state-of-the-art player development aspects to the amazing recovery features to time management to simply feeling like home, the facility is all about our student-athletes."

"We're thankful for all the players that have come before to help build this program and we're so happy our current and future Bulldogs will reap the benefits of their work while also continuing the proud tradition that is Georgia Softball."

Final phase of Georgia softball project starts now

With the training facility officially complete, the next step in Georgia's softball investment begins now. The project's final phase will see stadium renovations of existing space to create gameday support areas and new coaches' offices.

These steps and other touchups will be completed by the time the 2025 NCAA season takes the field in February.

The refreshed Jack Turner Stadium will also host the 2025 SEC softball championship, Georgia's first time hosting the tournament since 2006.

Last season, the Bulldogs finished seventh in the SEC with a 12-12 record. After hosting and winning one of the 2024 NCAA tournament's 16 regionals, Georgia's season ended in two straight losses to UCLA in the postseason's super regional round.

For only the second time in 13 career tries, 20-year-old US tennis star Coco Gauff defeated former World No. 1 Iga Świątek in straight sets at the 2024 WTA Finals on Tuesday, guaranteeing Gauff a spot in Saturday's semifinals.

No. 3 Gauff clinched the 6-3, 6-4 result in one hour and 48 minutes on Riyadh’s Center Court to join Aryna Sabalenka as the first two players to book tickets to the semifinals.

"I knew going into the match, despite our head-to-head [history], I had a lot of confidence and I felt like I was playing great tennis," Gauff said after the match.

The first and only other time Gauff defeated Świątek was at the 2023 Cincinnati Open, when the pair battled to a 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4 finish. Gauff went on to win that tournament, just weeks before earning her first Grand Slam championship by winning the 2023 US Open.

Gauff's Tuesday win also guarantees that Sabalenka will finish the calendar year as World No. 1, bolstered by her 2024 US Open win and her strong performances this week.

Semifinals take shape

While Sabalenka and No. 7 Qinwen Zheng both advanced from the Purple Group on Wednesday, ending No. 4 Jasmine Paolini's and No. 5 Elena Rybakina's WTA Finals runs, Gauff and Świątek each have one more group match on the tournament's docket.

Gauff will aim to win the Orange Group outright by defeating No. 8 Barbora Krejčíková on Thursday. As for Krejčíková, she'll be competing for a shot at advancing over Świątek, who will look to defeat alternate Daria Kasatkina to claim the final semifinals spot.

Pegula withdraws with injury

Kasatkina is stepping in at the eleventh hour after Gauff's compatriot, No. 6 Jessica Pegula, withdrew from the competition with a left knee injury on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old Pegula, who was already eliminated from advancing after falling 6-3, 6-3 to Krejčíková on Tuesday, has nursed the injury since before the WTA Finals began.

"What started as a really small issue flared over the last two matches and I just can’t continue tomorrow," Pegula tweeted. "I’m sorry to the fans and tournament. I really had a great week of prep and had high hopes here but it just wasn’t meant to be."

How to watch Coco Gauff at Thursday's WTA Finals

Świątek and Kasatkina will kick off the final group-stage day at the 2024 WTA Finals at 7:30 AM ET, with Gauff taking on Krejčíková at 10 AM ET. Both matches will air live on the Tennis Channel.