Kelly collects 10 points, 7 assists, is team-high +45 in USA rout of Cuba

R.L. Bynum,

By R.L. Bynum

UNC senior guard Deja Kelly was on her game, and so was the USA as the Americans rebounded from a loss the day before with a resounding victory.

Kelly collected 10 points and a team-high seven assists and was a team-high +45 as the United States rolled to a 106–44 victory over Cuba at Domo de la Feria in León, Mexico, in its final pool play game at the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup.

Texas A&M’s Janiah Barker and Kelly had back-to-back 3-pointers to erase an 8–7 deficit and Tennessee’s Jewel Spear, a former Wake Forest star, added another during a 14–3 run that put the U.S. up 21-11. The U.S. extended that lead to 27–14 by the end of the first quarter.

The U.S. (3–1), which lost Tuesday 67–54 to Brazil, finished in second place in Group A, and will play Colombia in Friday’s quarterfinals at 2:10 p.m. ET.

The top-ranked Americans took control with a 37–2 first-half run as they continue pursuit of a third consecutive AmeriCup gold medal and a record-tying fifth overall.

“I thought our team responded great, and everyone came in ready to play and ready to execute better,” U.S. coach Kamie Ethridge said. “We competed on the boards; we were better defensively. This is a good bounce-back game, and it gives us some momentum going forward.”

UCLA’s Lauren Betts (17 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks) and LSU’s Angel Reese (12 points and 14 rebounds) each put up double doubles. Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson contributed 16 points and six rebounds,  Barker added 13 points and Columbia’s Abbey Hsu 11 points.

For the second consecutive game, Kelly came off the bench. In 19½ minutes, she was 4 of 7 from the floor, 1 of 2 from 3-point range and 1 of 2 from the free-throw line.

“I’m just super-proud of how we came together,” said Betts, the former No. 1 recruit in the country who has come off the bench in three of the four games. “Today’s a big bounce back from that last [Brazil] game. I thought we brought a lot of energy today and I think that we executed really well on offense and I’m just really proud of how we came together. Played really good team ball.”

The Americans were 9 of 23 from 3-point range with tournament highs for attempts and 3-pointers.

The USA went from just four assists and 21 turnovers against Brazil to piling up six assists in the first quarter and finishing with 25.

“This is a step in the right direction,” Ethridge said. “I think the mentality of our team and the fight and the spirit. We were really determined today and I don’t think we were leading up to this. So sometimes a loss is good and we just have to hope that that loss has kind of changed our mentality and made us a better team.”

The United States made it a rout when it went on an 11–0 run, then a 26–0 run after a Cuba basket.

The USA led 60–18 at halftime.

The Americans shot 46.3% from the floor and owned the boards 75–35. Both the shooting percentage and the number of rebounds were tournament highs. Cuba (2–2) shot a tournament-low 24.3% (17-of-70), its worst performance in four games.

UNC results

DateDay/monthScoreOpponent/event
(current rank)		Record
November
4MondayW, 83–53vs. Charleston
Southern		1–0
7ThursdayW, 77–50vs. UNCW2–0
12TuesdayW, 66–47at N.C. A&T3–0
15FridayL, 69–58vs. No. 3 UConn
in Greensboro		3–1
Battle 4 Atlantis
Paradise Island, Bahamas
23SaturdayW, 63–52Ball State4–1
24SundayW, 53–36 Villanova5–1
25MondayW, 69–39Indiana6–1
———————————
29FridayW, 119–43vs. N.C. Central7–1
December
ACC/SEC
Women’s Challenge
5ThursdayW, 72–53vs. No. 13 Kentucky8–1
———————————
8SundayW, 72–46vs. Coppin State9–1
11WednesdayW, 80–56vs. UNCG10–1
15SundayL, 82–76vs. Georgia Tech10–2,
0–1 ACC
Jumpman Invitational
in Charlotte
18WednesdayW, 77–57vs. Florida11–2
———————————
21SaturdayW, 90–47vs. Norfolk State12–2
ACC season
29SundayW, 69–60at Miami13–2,
1–1 ACC
January
5SundayL, 76–66vs. No. 8 Notre Dame13–3, 1–2
9ThursdayW, 53–46, OTvs. No. 7 Duke14–3, 2–2
12SundayW, 80–67vs. Boston College15–3, 3–2
16ThursdayW, 64–33at SMU16–3, 4–2
19SundayW, 75–58at Pitt17–3, 5–2
23ThursdayW, 76–51vs. Wake Forest18–3, 6–2
26SundayL, 86–84vs. No. 22
Florida State		18–4, 6–3
30ThursdayW, 65–52at California19–4, 7–3
February
2SundayW, 69–67at Stanford20–4, 8–3
9SundayW, 53–51at Clemson21–4, 9–3
13ThursdayW, 67–62vs. Virginia Tech22–4, 10–3
16SundayW, 66–65vs. No. 9 N.C. State23–4, 11–3
20ThursdayW, 68–58at Syracuse24–4, 12–3
23SundayW, 79–75at Louisville25–4, 13–3
27ThursdayL, 68–53at No. 7 Duke25–5, 13–4
March
2SundayL, 78–75vs. Virginia25–6, 13–5
ACC tournament
Greensboro
6 Thursday W, 78–71Third round:
Boston College		26–6
7FridayW, 60–56Quarterfinals:
vs. No. 22 Florida State		27–6
8SaturdayL, 66–55Semifinals:
vs. No. 9 N.C. State		27–7
NCAA tournament
22SaturdayW, 70–49First round in CH:
vs. Oregon State		28–7
24MondayW, 58–47Second round in CH:
vs. No. 16 West Virginia		29–7
28FridayL, 47–38Birmingham Regional 2
Sweet 16:
vs. No. 7 Duke		29–8

Projected UNC roster next season

(Next season’s class listed)

YearNo.PlayersPos.Height
Freshman7Nyla BrooksW6–2
Freshman3Taliyah HendersonW6–1
Freshman26Taissa QueirozG6–1
Sophomore17Elina AarnisaloG5–10
Sophomore0Lanie Grant PG5–10
Sophomore34Blanca Thomas C6–5
Sophomore1Jordan Zubich G5–11
RS sophomore21Ciera ToomeyF6–4
RS sophomore4Laila Hull W6–1
Junior10Reniya KellyPG5–7
Junior15Sydney BarkerPG5–6
RS senior11Kayla McPhersonPG5–8
Senior2Nyla HarrisF6–2
Senior24Indya NivarG5–10

Class of 2025

PlayerRatingESPN rankPositionHeightHometown
Nyla BrooksFive starNo. 13Wing6–2Alexandria, Va.
Taliyah HendersonFive starNo. 27Wing6–1Tucson, Ariz.
Taissa QueirozFour starNo. 77Guard6–1Santa Rosa, Calif.

Photos courtesy of FIBA

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Published by R.L. Bynum

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