North Carolina
No. 25 Syracuse’s star guards struggle in defeat to North Carolina
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Syracuse was eventually going to pay for its heavy-reliance on its stars. Specifically, its guard tandem of Dyaisha Fair and Georgia Woolley — the typical catalysts of SU’s offense.
Fair and Woolley are the two staples who consistently came through, in one way or another, across Syracuse’s first 12 games. Whether it was Fair’s clutch 3-point shooting to defeat then-No. 13 Notre Dame or Woolley scoring a season-high 23 points to defeat Cornell, the Orange could always count on their backcourt duo.
Yet Thursday against North Carolina, when all else failed, Fair and Woolley were nowhere to be found, either. The two combined to shoot 8-of-32 for just 20 points, with Fair accounting for 17 of those, and went an abysmal 3-of-12 from 3-point range. For an SU side which often was playing from behind and forced into taking contested 3s, finishing 6-of-30, its two star guards — Fair and Woolley — were at the forefront of those struggles.
“That’s not who we are,” SU head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said on her team settling from 3-point range. “We’re not doing that again.”
Five days after starting Atlantic Coast Conference play with an upset win over Notre Dame, No. 25 Syracuse (11-2, 1-1 ACC) responded with a thud, falling on the road to North Carolina (10-4, 2-0 ACC) 75-51. In its second consecutive spot where SU needed big performances out of its stars, Fair and Woolley shared off-nights from the floor and couldn’t answer UNC’s efficient offense (50% team shooting). The two were forced into errant shots and threw up long range looks as this time, they couldn’t propel the Orange to a comeback victory.
Though the pressure hasn’t been this high for Fair and Woolley in 2023-24. Syracuse’s lack of depth proved costly Thursday, as its overreliance on Fair and Woolley was bound to doom it in the end.
Fair, the point guard, provides the Orange with a veteran presence who hits 3s more often than anyone in the ACC (3.22 makes per game entering Thursday). While Woolley, the 2 guard, provides SU a solid second scoring option, averaging more than 14 points a game.
They’ve been a lethal combination for Syracuse thus far. But not against North Carolina. Not on a night in which the Orange recieved just seven collective points from their bench. Not when their third and fourth scoring options — Alyssa Latham and Alaina Rice — shot a combined 6-of-22 for 16 points. SU was put in a position where it needed its stars to overcome the rest of its deficiencies, and Fair and Woolley failed to do so.
North Carolina guards Deja Kelly and Lexi Donarski primarily matched up on Fair and Woolley. Kelly and Donarski played aggressive defense on the two all night, switching to prevent them from driving and forcing them into errant 3s. Fair converted a couple of 3s late in the first half and had three long range makes through 20 minutes. But in the second half, Fair and Woolley couldn’t make a single 3, going 0-for-9, swarmed by UNC’s guards throughout the frame.
Fair ended the loss with her second-lowest 3-point shooting percentage of the season (25%), while Woolley had her worst outing from long range thus far in the campaign (0-of-6).
“You’ve gotta get to the lip of the rim, that’s who we are. We had openings and we kind of just threw the ball in the air and prayed it went in,” Legette-Jack said.
Syracuse’s head coach said postgame that she had plays designed for the Orange to work the ball inside and get short-range buckets. She wasn’t pleased with her team throwing up a litany of 3-balls but it was all it could do at times with how its depth, particularly in the frontcourt, struggled.
Latham and Kyra Wood couldn’t do much down low, matched up against UNC’s Alyssa Ustby and Maria Gakdeng. The Tar Heels’ forwards forced Latham into an inefficient night, as the freshman shot 4-of-13 and couldn’t regularly score in the paint. While Wood did shoot 4-of-5, she only pulled in four rebounds, as Ustby often skied over her to prevent SU from getting second-chance points — and letting UNC expand its big lead.
Syracuse’s bench didn’t contribute a whole lot, either. Saniaa Wilson has been its lone backup big since Dec. 4, as center Izabel Varejão hasn’t played from then on. Wilson only mustered two points in 26 minutes off the bench and wound up fouling out. Sophie Burrows and Kennedi Perkins were the only others to get significant playing time as backups, but they totaled just five points on a combined 2-for-7 shooting.
So, the bench struggled, the frontcourt was inefficient and Orange couldn’t get second chance points. The weight was entirely on Fair and Woolley’s shoulders. And the Tar Heels proved that can’t happen much more if Syracuse wants to find consistent success in conference play.
The third quarter — where “everything” went wrong for SU, according to Legette-Jack — highlighted the game UNC forced Syracuse into playing. After being down 40-34, North Carolina embarked on an 11-0 run over a three-minute stretch. Fair and Woolley went 0-for-5 in the span, including 0-for-3 from beyond the arc. The Orange couldn’t rely on their outside options, who hadn’t shown they were going to step up.
As SU spent the rest of the game in desperation mode, Fair and Woolley couldn’t make a single 3-pointer down the stretch to give any sort of glimpse of hope. Once a Woolley pass was intercepted by Ustby and taken coast-to-coast for a layup, making it 72-44 UNC midway through the fourth, Syracuse had nothing left to offer as Fair and Woolley were promptly subbed out with time still remaining.
Albeit, it’s just one off-showing. Fair and Woolley are still two integral parts of why the Orange earned their first top 25 ranking under Legette-Jack. Now, Syracuse must find consistency in its depth, or else Fair and Woolley will have too much pressure on them — and be susceptible to more rough outings.
“These kids are good,” Legette-Jack said. “They had a bad damn day, they don’t have a bad life.”
Published on January 4, 2024 at 11:07 pm
Contact Cooper at: [email protected] | cooper_andrews
North Carolina
North Carolina (NCHSAA) High School Softball 2026 State Playoff Brackets, Matchups, Schedule – May 11
The 2026 North Carolina high school softball state playoff brackets are out, and High School On SI has all eight brackets with matchups and schedules for every team.
The first round begins on May 5, and the playoffs will culminate with the NCHSAA state championships being played May 27-30 at Duke University in Durham.
2026 North Carolina High School Baseball State Tournament Schedule
May 5: First Round
May 8: Second Round
May 12: Third Round
May 15: Fourth Round
May 19-23: Regionals
May 27-30: State Championships
North Carolina (NCHSAA) High School Softball 2026 State Playoff Brackets, Matchups, Schedule – May 11
CLASS 1A BRACKET (select to view full bracket details)
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 Bear Grass Charter vs. No. 5 Vance Charter
No. 3 East Columbus vs. No. 2 Northside – Pinetown
No. 1 Robbinsville vs. No. 5 Falls Lake Academy
No. 6 Bethany Community vs. No. 2 Oxford Preperatory
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 North Duplin vs. No. 8 Camden County
No. 5 Rosewood vs. No. 4 East Carteret
No. 3 Perquimans vs. No. 11 Pamlico County
No. 10 Franklin Academy vs. No. 2 Manteo
No. 1 South Stanly vs. No. 9 East Wilkes
No. 5 South Stokes vs. No. 4 Starmount
No. 3 Swain County vs. No. 6 Murphy
No. 7 Highland Tech vs. No. 2 Roxboro Community
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 Midway vs. No. 9 Providence
No. 12 Wallace-Rose Hill vs. No. 4 Heide Trask
No. 3 Farmville Central vs. No. 11 Ayden – Grifton
No. 10 Northwood vs. No. 2 McMichael
No. 1 West Lincoln vs. No. 8 Union Academy
No. 5 Draughn vs No. 4 Pine Lake Preperatory
No. 3 West Davidson vs. No. 11 East Surry
No. 7 Walkertown vs. No. 2 West Wilkes
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 Randleman vs. No. 9 Nash Central
No. 5 Bunn vs. No. 4 East Duplin
No. 3 Southwest Onslow vs. No. 6 Roanoke Rapids
No. 7 Ledford Senior vs. No. 2 Central Davidson
No. 1 West Stokes vs. No. 8 Forbush
No. 5 Pisgah vs. No. 4 West Stanly
No. 19 North Surry vs. No. 11 Foard
No. 10 Mount Pleasant vs. No, 2 Bunker Hill
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 Southeast Alamance vs. No. 8 C.B. Aycock
No. 5 Seaforth vs. No. 4 Rockingham County
No. 3 Eastern Alamance vs. No. 6 West Carteret
No. 7 South Brunswick vs. No. 2 Southern Nash
No. 1 Enka vs. No. 9 Oak Grove
No. 5 Crest vs. No. 13 West Rowan
No. 3 North Davidson vs. No. 6 Franklin
No. 10 East Rowan vs. No. 2 North Lincoln
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 Union Pines vs. No. 9 South Johnston
No. 5 South View vs. No. 4 Gray’s Creek
No. 3 J.H. Rose vs. No. 6 Harnett Central
No. 7 Triton vs. No. 2 West Brunswick
No. 1 Kings Mountain vs. No. 8 Charlotte Catholic
No. 5 Alexander vs. No. 13 T.C. Roberson
No. 3 Piedmont vs. No. 6 Central Cabarrus
No. 10 A.C. Reynolds vs. No. 2 South Caldwell
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 D.H. Conley vs. No. 8 Wake Forest
No. 5 Purnell Sweet vs. No. 4 Cleveland
No. 3 Heritage vs. No. 6 Topsail
No. 7 South Central vs. No. 2 New Bern
No. 1 Weddington vs. No. 8 Mooresville
No. 5 A.L. Brown vs. No. 4 Hickory Ridge
No. 3 East Forsyth vs. No. 11 Porter Ridge
No. 7 Ronald Reagan vs. No. 2 South Iredell
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 Willow Spring vs. No. 4 Hoggard
No. 3 E.A. Laney vs. No. 2 Cornith Holders
No. 1 Providence vs. No. 4 Hough
No. 3 West Forsyth vs. No. 2 Apex Friendship
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North Carolina
Perspective | What North Carolina gets right about workforce: Progress beyond politics
Across the country, workforce development is often framed as a policy challenge. In North Carolina, we’ve come to understand it as something more fundamental: a shared responsibility between educators and employers that works best when it rises above politics. It is a nonpartisan priority with bipartisan support — and a clear focus on outcomes.
North Carolina’s approach to workforce and talent development offers a different model — one grounded in collaboration, consistency, data, and a relentless focus on student and employer needs.
Over the past several years, our state has aligned around an ambitious goal: ensuring that 2 million North Carolinians ages 25-44 hold a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree by 2030. myFutureNC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, led by a bipartisan Board of Directors, that was created to champion this work.
This goal is not owned by a single administration or political party. It is the state’s attainment goal — codified in law with bipartisan support and signed by the governor — to ensure North Carolina remains economically competitive now and into the future. The work is guided by leaders across business, education, policymakers, and philanthropy.
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This kind of alignment doesn’t happen by accident. It requires trust, discipline, and a willingness to prioritize long-term impact over short-term wins — placing the needs of students and employers above the silos that often define education and workforce systems.
North Carolina’s leaders don’t agree on everything, and unanimity is not what makes this work. There is broad agreement on a set of essential truths: Talent is the top driver of economic development. Education fuels economic prosperity, public safety, and healthier communities. Having a robust educational system and an educated population is one of our state’s greatest assets. Economic mobility matters. And preparing people for meaningful work benefits everyone.
This alignment is delivering results. North Carolina has been named the No. 1 state for business three out of the past four years and ranks No. 1 for workforce — reinforcing what’s possible when leaders stay focused on shared priorities.
This strong foundation has enabled progress in areas that often stall in partisan debate. Through strategic policy and philanthropic investments, the state has expanded pathways into high-demand careers, strengthened connections between education and industry, and increased access to work-based learning opportunities, including apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships.
That same foundation is shaping how policy is developed in real time. The proposed Workforce Act of 2026 reflects North Carolina’s cross-sector approach — bringing together business and education leaders, policymakers, and philanthropists to strengthen pathways into high-demand careers and expand access to work-based learning. Rather than introducing a new direction, this Act builds on what is already working, demonstrating how alignment can translate into coordinated action.
The bipartisan-led Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships puts this approach into practice. Building on the state’s existing foundation, the council brings together leaders from industry, education, and government to strengthen coordination across the workforce system. Its value lies not in setting a new direction, but in reinforcing and accelerating a shared one.
This is what it looks like to build systems designed to last. Workforce development is not a one-year initiative or a single funding cycle — it is a long-term investment in people, communities, employers, and the educational infrastructure that supports them. North Carolina’s progress is rooted in structures that bring partners together consistently, align efforts across sectors, and create continuity beyond political cycles.
By embedding collaboration into how the work gets done — not just what gets prioritized — the state has created a model that can evolve over time while staying focused on its goals.
Work remains to be done. Gaps in attainment persist, and ensuring opportunity reaches every corner of the state will require continued focus and innovation. But North Carolina’s significant progress and continued success being No. 1 nationally in many related categories demonstrates what is possible when leaders choose partnership over partisanship.
At a time when it’s easy to focus on what divides us, North Carolina offers a reminder: Some of the most important work we do — preparing people for the future of work and ensuring employers have access to skilled talent — is our north star and unifying force.
And in our shared goal of 2 million by 2030, we are not just building a stronger workforce. We are building a stronger state — for today and for generations to come.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — (AP/WNCN) — The remains of a U.S. Army soldier with ties to North Carolina who went missing during military exercises in Morocco a week ago have been recovered in the Atlantic Ocean, the U.S. military said Sunday. Military teams are still searching for a second missing soldier.
The remains found are those of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 14A Air Defense Artillery officer, who was one of two U.S. soldiers who fell off a cliff during a recreational hike in Morocco while off duty.
Key, 27, from Richmond, Virginia, was a graduate of Methodist University in Fayetteville.
The two were reported missing on May 2 after participating in African Lion, annual multinational military exercises held in Morocco.
Key earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing from Methodist University in Fayetteville, with minors in international business, entrepreneurship, and business administration.
“A Moroccan military search team found the Soldier in the water along the shoreline at approximately 8:55 a.m. local time May 9, within roughly one mile of where both Soldiers reportedly entered the ocean,” U.S Army Europe and Africa said in a statement.
The two went missing around 9 p.m. near the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan, a terrain characterized by mountains, desert and semidesert plains, according to the Moroccan military.
Their disappearance triggered a search-and-rescue operation involving more than 600 personnel from the United States, Morocco and other military partners. The operation deployed frigates, vessels, helicopters and drones.
Search efforts will continue for the missing second soldier, a U.S. defense official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to speak publicly on the issue.
The official said a U.S. contingent remained in Morocco after the multinational war games ended Friday to provide command and control and to continue search and rescue operations.
Key was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, U.S Army Europe and Africa said.
He entered military service in 2023 as an officer candidate and earned his commission through Officer Candidate School in 2024 as an Air Defense Artillery officer. He later completed the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, according to the statement.
Key is survived by his father, Kendrick Key Sr.; his mother, Jihan Key; his sister, Dakota Debose-Hill; and his brother-in-law, U.S. Army Spc. James Brown.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY NEWS
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The search-and-rescue operation, now in its ninth day, has covered more than 12,000 square kilometers of sea and littoral zone, currently adding around 3,000 square kilometers per day.
The soldiers had been taking part in African Lion 26, a U.S.-led exercise launched in April across four countries – Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal – with more than 7,000 personnel from over 30 nations. Since 2004, it has been the largest U.S. joint military exercise in Africa.
In 2012, two U.S. Marines were killed and two others injured during a helicopter crash in Morocco’s southern city of Agadir while taking part in the exercises.
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