Preview: North Carolina Tar Heels at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

ATLANTA (Interstat) — The surging North Carolina women’s basketball team, riding a three-game winning streak, visits struggling Georgia Tech in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup Thursday night at Hank McCamish Pavilion.

The Tar Heels (15-5, 3-2 ACC) enter with momentum following a dominant 82-55 road victory at Florida State on Sunday. Georgia Tech (8-11, 2-3), meanwhile, looks to rebound from a 93-46 loss at Duke that same day.

North Carolina’s recent success has been fueled by balanced scoring and defensive intensity. In the win over the Seminoles, Lanie Grant scored 14 points, Nyla Harris added 13 and Ciera Toomey contributed 12. Grant, a key guard, has averaged 8.5 points over her last six contests and will be a focal point for the Tar Heels’ backcourt.

The Yellow Jackets have experienced a season of extremes, featuring a thrilling 95-90 overtime win over Notre Dame but also several lopsided losses. Their fortunes often hinge on the all-around play of forward Brianna Turnage. She is coming off a triple-double performance (3 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) in the win over the Fighting Irish on Jan. 1 and a remarkable 18-rebound effort against Clemson on Jan. 11. Containing Turnage on the glass will be a primary challenge for North Carolina.

The teams present a stark contrast in season trajectory. The Tar Heels have won five of their last seven, with their only losses in that span coming against ranked opponents Notre Dame and Stanford. Georgia Tech has lost four of its last six, with the two victories during that stretch decided by a total of four points.

Thursday’s game tips off a critical stretch for both squads. North Carolina will host Syracuse on Sunday, while Georgia Tech begins a two-game road trip at Florida State.

The matchup will be broadcast on ACC Network at 7 p.m. EST.