This season the ACC has seen the reemergence of the longtime Triangle rivalry between the three largest North Carolina basketball schools: No. 9 Duke, No. 14 North Carolina and No. 22 NC State.
Who comes out on top when all is said and done has yet to be determined, but it is the veteran-laden Tar Heels who have the advantage so far. They are the only team of the triad to have beaten the other two.
Both victories were a part of an eight-game winning streak that extended from Jan. 8-Feb. 2. This followed a four-game losing streak that was a surprise after a strong season start. And with ACC play being more contentious than ever this year, North Carolina is in fifth place at the moment, with an 8-4 record.
But as fourth-year head coach Courtney Banghart and her team showed last year when they finished 25-7 and advanced to the Sweet 16, the rebuild is real.
Three catalysts for the turnaround have been leading scorers Deja Kelly (15.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game), Kennedy Todd-Williams (13.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game) and Alyssa Ustby (13.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, two steals and 1.3 blocks per game).
Three other key players include Paulina Paris (6.8 points…
