ACC Women’s ACC Tourney: Day 3 (3-6-2026)
By: Joe Dillard Jr.
Headline Photo Credit: ACC
(Day 3) Quarterfinal round games gave you the true identity of each team and how they plan to win the ACC tourney!
(8) #1 Duke 60 vs #9 Clemson 46
Duke has been by far the team that can set a goal for a team not to score 50 points and really execute that goal. In this case, they held Clemson to multiple quarters of only scoring single digits. Even when Duke hit a wall and scored 8 points in the third, they held Clemson to 9 which solves the one bad quarter problem. Mia Moore led Clemson with 17 points, 4 rebounds, and hit both three-point attempts. Toby Fournier led Duke with a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds with 3 blocks. Kara Lawson has them playing efficiently and selflessly as every Duke starter logged points, rebounds, steals, and shame on Delaney Thomas who was the only one without an assist in the lineup. That’s championship basketball but they will need to score 70 plus in the bigger matchups if they want to hoist up a title. Duke advances to play the winner of the Notre Dame/NC State game in the semi-final.
(9) #4 NC State 63 vs #5 Notre Dame 81
Again when you have a National player of the year candidate you always feel like you have a chance, however when the rest of the team follows it makes one think if the Fighting Irish are looked at as a dark horse in all of this madness in March. Hidalgo tallied 25 points but everyone was efficient and could they possibly have a three-headed monster with seniors Cassandre Prosper and Iyana Moore combining for 33 points on 11-22 shooting. Notre Dame also forced 17 turnovers but at least 10 of them were live-ball ones leading to transition for the Irish. The Wolfpack put four players in double figures with Khamil Pierre having 17 points and 14 rebounds and 5 turnovers as execution was the deciding factor in this matchup and a 22-9 third quarter solidified Notre Dame to advances to face Duke in the semi-final which calls for a great game as Notre Dame focuses on the lead player. At the same time, Duke plays team ball so we will see how Neil Ivey approaches this one.
(10) #2 Louisville 87 vs #7 Syracuse 61
With a 25-12 first quarter explosion, Louisville never looked back as they were cooking with fish grease as they shared the ball and defended Syracuse as Freshmen Uche Izoje was the lone bright spot with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Daughter of NBA legend Zac Randolph, Mackenly Randolph followed her bloodline with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds while Louisville three headed monster was more efficient than Syracuse. Senior Laura Ziegler scored 11 and Sophomore Tajianna Roberts had 17 points on a combined 12-22 shooting. Junior Sophie Borrows had 12 points however on 4-14 shooting while senior Laila Phelia went 3-14 and while this was the last ACC game, hopefully she will get a chance to compete in the NCAA tourney to avenge the bad night. Louisville (26-6) advances to the semi-final where they will face the winner of the North Carolina/Virginia Tech game.
(11) #3 North Carolina 85 vs #6 Virginia Tech 68
In the final game of the quarterfinal round the Tarheels trailed early with a 17-11 first quarter deficit but stormed back in the second quarter with a 29-11 run just continuing to play both ends of the floor syncing into the flow of the game. Holding the Hokies to 2-18 from behind the arc was a recipe for success. Carleigh Wenzel had 26 points, going 14-15 from the line but was the only one in double figures. Senior Nyla Harris led the three headed monster of the Tarheels with a pair sophomores in Finland native Elina Aarnisalo and Virginia native Lanie Grant in the starting lineup to combine for 58 points on 23-37 shooting while a pair of freshmen off the bench provided valuable minutes in Brazil native Taissa Queiroz and Maryland native Nyla Brooks who had 10 points while going 5-5 from the line which was the Tarheels only flaw hitting the 50-40 but not so 90 in going 64 percent from the foul line (14-22). North Carolina (26-6) will advance to the semi-finals against Louisville which will be a great game.
