By R.L. Bynum
Guard Tray Crisp, who played at North Carolina last season after transferring from Arizona State, will play next season at Mississippi State, according to multiple reports.
The news was first reported by Mitchell Northam.
The 5–8 guard has one season of eligibility left. She averaged 28.3 minutes and 8.9 points per game in two seasons at Arizona State. In her only season at Carolina, she averaged 13.9 minutes, started once, averaged 5.6 points per game, and struggled at times on defense.
Mississippi State had eight players enter the transfer portal after the Bulldogs went 22–12 last season and lost 96–59 in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Crisp was the fifth player lost from last season’s team, along with four players who have no eligibility left: graduates Alyssa Ustby, Lexi Donarski and Grace Townsend and senior Maria Gakdeng. Crisp is the only Carolina player to enter the transfer portal since it opened on April 25.
Crisp, who showed an ability to create points on a drive and make 3-pointers, missed nine games with an upper-body injury, returning to score 12 points and help the Tar Heels win 68–58 at Syracuse on Feb. 20 with Alyssa Ustby out of the lineup.
Her season-high was 19 points in UNC’s 79–75 win Feb. 23 at Louisville, and one of her best games was when she collected 15 points, a season-high five 3-pointers, three rebounds and three assists in a 69–39 win over Indiana on Nov. 15 in the Bahamas at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Two seasons ago at Arizona State, she led the Sun Devils in 3-pointers per game (1.4) and was second in scoring (12.1 points), assists (2.1), steals (1.3), free throws made (52) and attempted (68), and free-throw percentage (76.5%).
She was a four-star recruit after winning an Arizona state 5-A championship at Millennium High School.
Projected roster if all players with eligibility other than Elina Aarnisalo, Lanie Grant,, Taliyah Henderson and Liza Ashtakhova and Liza Ashtakhova return, with years listed for next season (UNC is one below the 15-player limit)
| Year | No./ Stars | Players | Pos. | Height | |
| Freshman | 5 star | Kate Harpring | PG | 5–10 | |
| Freshman | 52/4 star | Noelle Bofia | F | 6–4 | |
| Sophomore | 3 | Gabby White — W | G | 5–10 | |
| Sophomore | 7 | Nyla Brooks | W | 6–1 | |
| Sophomore | 26 | Taissa Queiroz | G | 6–1 | |
| Junior | 34 | Blanca Thomas | C | 6–5 | |
| Junior | 1 | Jordan Zubich | G | 5–11 | |
| RS junior | 21 | Ciera Toomey | F | 6–4 | |
| RS junior | 4 | Laila Hull | W | 6–1 | |
| Senior | Sophie Burrows — X | G | 6–2 | ||
| Senior | 11 | Achol Akot — Y | F | 6–1 | |
| Senior | 10 | Reniya Kelly | G | 5–7 | |
| Senior | 15 | Sydney Barker | G | 5–6 | |
| Graduate | 13 | Chloe Clardy — Z | G | 5–9 |
W — Virginia transfer; X — Syracuse transfer; Y — Oklahoma State transfer; Z — Stanford transfer
Former players who entered transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elina Aarnisalo | Junior | G | 5–10 | UCLA |
| Lanie Grant | Junior | G | 5–9 | TCU |
| Taliyah Henderson | Sophomore | W | 6–1 | Clemson |
| Liza Astakhova | Sophomore | G | 6–2 | BYU |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics Communications
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