Grant scores 15 points, No. 16 North Carolina women beat Ball State 63-52 in Battle 4 Atlantis

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Lanie Grant scored a career-high 15 points, Alyssa Ustby had a double-double and No. 16 North Carolina beat Ball State 63-52 in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Saturday night.

North Carolina (4-1) scored the last nine points of the first quarter for a 19-10 advantage and led the rest of the way. Madelyn Bischoff’s 3-pointer pulled Ball State to 39-34 with 7:31 left in the third, but the Cardinals didn't get closer.

Grant, a 5-foot-8 freshman from Midlothian, Virginia, who skipped her final year of high school, was 3 of 6 from the floor and made 6 of 7 free throws. Ustby and Trayanna Crisp added 12 points apiece for the Tar Heels. Ustby grabbed 11 rebounds and her board with 6:58 left was the 1,000th of her career.

Bischoff made five 3s and scored 19 points to lead Ball State (4-1). Marie Kiefer didn’t attempt a field goal in the second half but was 5 of 6 from the floor in the first half and finished with 13 points.

Grant and Lexi Donarski each scored five points in the first quarter to help North Carolina build a nine-point advantage heading into the second quarter. Bischoff and Kiefer scored eight points apiece in the second quarter to pull the Cardinals within 35-29 at the break. Kiefer finished with 12 first-half points and Grant paced the Tar Heels with 10.

North Carolina will play either Texas A&M or Villanova in a Sunday game. The Tar Heels are looking for its fourth multi-team event title with coach Courtney Banghart and their first since 2022.

It was the first meeting between the teams.

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The Associated Press