Donarski’s 3 and D helps get North Carolina to the 3rd round and a matchup with rival Duke
She didn’t shoot well from deep and only hit one 3-pointer, but that was the one that put the North Carolina women’s basketball team up for good.
Onalaska native Lexi Donarski played all but 1 minute and had 11 points, as the 12th-ranked Tar Heels won 58-47 over 16th-ranked West Virginia in Round 2 of the NCAA tournament Monday.
Her 3-pointer with 2:23 remaining in the third quarter broke a 35-35 tie and the Tar Heels (29-7) never looked back.
The win sets up a matchup with third-seeded North Carolina’s biggest rival, seventh-ranked and No. 2-seed Duke (28-7) on Friday. Exactly when and where that game takes place is still TBD.
North Carolina is 1-1 versus the Blue Devils this season, winning at home 53-46 in overtime back on Jan. 9, before losing at Duke 68-53 on Feb. 27.
Donarski shot just 1 of 7 from beyond the arc in Monday’s win, but her defense helped North Carolina hold the Mountaineers (28-5) to a ridiculous 24.1% shooting from the field and just 2 of 21 from beyond the arc.
Donarski was 4-for-11 from the field, 2 of 3 from the line and added two assists, two rebounds, a steal and no turnovers.
Monday’s win also puts Donarski as far as she’s ever gotten in the NCAA tournament. She’s been to the big dance all five seasons of her collegiate career, making the third round one other time — sophomore season playing for Iowa State.
TOP PHOTO: North Carolina’s Lexi Donarski during a Round 2 matchup with West Virginia on March 24, 2025 (PHOTO: @UNCWBB on X)