Elina Aarnisalo emerges as North Carolina's X-Factor ahead of Sweet 16

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Elina Aarnisalo emerges as North Carolina's X-Factor ahead of Sweet 16

TJ French, Special to USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Wed, Mar 25, 2026 ·

2 min read

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. ― As the North Carolina Tar Heels turn their attention to the undefeated UConn Huskies in the Sweet 16, sophomore guard Elina Aarnisalo is emerging as a star in March.

Aarnisalo was a member of the UCLA team that lost to UConn in the Final Four last season. As the only Tar Heel player with Final Four experience, Aarnisalo described how her team will need to approach the game against the Huskies.

"We're going to do great preparation," Aarnisalo said. "And that's what we need for that game. We need everyone on the same page and locked in."

UConn advanced to the Sweet Sixteen with an impressive 98-45 win over Syracuse. North Carolina plays the Huskies on Friday in Fort Worth (5 p.m., ESPN).

Aarnisalo played 18 minutes and scored five points in the Bruins' 85-51 beat down at the hands of the Huskies in last year's Final Four.

This tournament has seen Aarnisalo take a more prominent role. She played 39 minutes in North Carolina's 74-66 second-round win over Maryland, scoring 21 points and grabbing six rebounds.

Michigan State's Rashunda Jones (1) walks off the court following a second-round game in the NCAA women's basketball tournament between the Oklahoma Sooners and Michigan State Spartans at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Sunday March 22, 2026.

(SARAH PHIPPS, THE OKLAHOMAN via USA TODAY NETWORK)

Denae Fritz #5 of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders reacts after a game against the LSU Tigers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
(Tyler Kaufman, Getty Images)

Forward Hannah Stuelke #45 of the Iowa Hawkeyes reacts after a double overtime loss to the Virginia Cavaliers in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 23, 2026 in Iowa City, Iowa.
(Matthew Holst, Getty Images)

Forward Hannah Stuelke #45 of the Iowa Hawkeyes hugs her mother after the double overtime loss to the Virginia Cavaliers in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 23, 2026 in Iowa City, Iowa.
(Matthew Holst, Getty Images)

Chance Gray #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Kennedy Cambridge #3 sit on the bench as time runs down in the fourth quarter of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Second Round game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Jerome Schottenstein Center on March 23, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. Notre Dame defeated Ohio Sate 83-73.
(Kirk Irwin, Getty Images)

Head coach Krista Gerlich of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders reacts during the second half of a game against the LSU Tigers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
(Tyler Kaufman, Getty Images)

Snudda Collins #0 of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders reacts during the second half of a game against the LSU Tigers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
(Tyler Kaufman, Getty Images)

Kamy Peppler #1 of the Green Bay Phoenix reacts against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the third quarter during the First Round of the Women's NCAA Tournament at Williams Arena on March 20, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers defeated the Phoenix 75-58.

(David Berding, Getty Images)

Audi Crooks #55 of the Iowa State Cyclones reacts during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament against the Syracuse Orange at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on March 21, 2026 in Storrs, Connecticut.
(Joe Buglewicz, Getty Images)

The Vermont women's basketball team starters consoled each other as the Caramounts lost to Louisville at the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky, March 21, 2026.
(Matt Stone/Courier Journal)

Rhode Island Rams head coach Tammi Reiss gives a hug to Rhode Island Rams guard Sophia Vital (15) in the waning moments of the Rams' loss to Alabama in the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky, March 21, 2026.
(Matt Stone/Courier Journal)

Comari Mitchell #5 of the Jacksonville Dolphins reacts during the second half of the game against the LSU Tigers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 20, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
(Tyler Kaufman, Getty Images)

Bailey Burns #11 of the Jacksonville Dolphins exits the court after the game against the LSU Tigers in first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 20, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
(Tyler Kaufman, Getty Images)

In March, Aarnisalo has increased her scoring output, averaging 17 points across five games, which is seven points higher than her season average.

During the Tar Heels' win against Maryland, Aarnisalo picked up a fourth personal foul with nearly a full quarter left to play. Head coach Courtney Banghart decided to keep her in the game.

"It's huge, that trust from her and the whole staff to keep me on the court," Aarnisalo said. "We needed to make some adjustments, and it showed off today as beneficial, so it was a good call by her."

The Finland native has become a leader this season, and as the Tar Heels continue to advance, that role is being emphasized. North Carolina lost a lot of production coming into this season. Adding a player with significant postseason experience like Aarnisalo is paying dividends for Banghart and the Tar Heels.

"We've been emphasizing togetherness, just being connected, whatever it is," Aarnisalo. "Enjoying every single moment off the court, enjoying ourselves, but when we're on the court, being super locked in and present."

If North Carolina is going to upset UConn and keep its March run alive, the Tar Heels may need another breakout performance from Aarnisalo on the game's biggest stage.

TJ French is a student in the University of Georgia's Carmical Sports Media Institute.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Elina Aarnisalo rising as North Carolina prepares for UConn in women's Sweet 16

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Elina Aarnisalo emerges as North Carolina's X-Factor ahead of Sweet 16

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