CHAPEL HILL — Senior days don’t always have the same finality in the post-COVID era, when seniors can return for a fifth season. On Sunday, North Carolina honored four members of a senior class that has been a big part of the resurgence of the women’s program — guard Deja Kelly, wing Alyssa Ustby, and post players Anya Poole and Ali Zelaya — after the Tar Heels’ 63–59 win over Duke.
Category: Women’s basketball
Captains Kelly and Ustby lead UNC’s huge senior day win over Duke
CHAPEL HILL — Senior day couldn’t have played out much better for Carolina senior co-captains Alyssa Ustby and Deja Kelly. Kelly scored 12 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter after Ustby scored 13 of her 17 points in the first half (and was her typical versatile self) as UNC avenged an earlier loss to rival Duke with a 63–59 victory in a physical battle before a sellout crowd of 6,319 at Carmichael Arena.
Furious fourth-quarter UNC rally falls short at BC
Regardless of the opponent, playing on the road in ACC women’s basketball is always challenging, particularly on senior night. Senior guard JoJo Lacey scored a career-high 23 points as Boston College scored a season-high 10 3-pointers to snap a 10-game losing streak by holding off a furious North Carolina rally.
UNC men will face Duke, State, Pitt twice next season; women to play at Stanford, Cal, SMU
With the ACC going to 18 schools next season, adding Cal, SMU and Stanford, each team will only play home-and-home with three teams in men’s basketball under the 20-game schedule and play every other team once.
Kelly breaks loose for 29, but Tech’s Kitley-Amoore duo tops Heels again
BLACKSBURG, Va. — It only seems like Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore have been dominating the ACC for 10 years. It’s only been five seasons, but there are plenty of coaches in the league who won’t miss them. Even after that duo helped the Hokies beat North Carolina for the sixth consecutive time, 74–62 on Sunday, don’t include UNC coach Courtney Banghart in that group.
UNC keeps foot on gas, runs over No. 6 N.C. State, led by 23 from Donarski
CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina’s record would be dramatically different if a few plays at the end of close losses had gone differently. The Tar Heels repeatedly shot down any chance that Thursday’s game against No. 6 N.C. State would come down to one or two possessions like the other defeats. UNC came through with its best perimeter shooting game of the season, never trailing after the opening quarter, on its way to an 80–70 win at Carmichael Arena.
Depleted backcourt has led to plenty of adjustments for UNC women
With some of the players UNC expected to create good guard depth watching from the sidelines, Coach Courtney Banghart has had to adjust. Redshirt sophomore Kayla McPherson is out for the season with a knee injury. Lower-body injuries have kept sophomore Paulina Paris out for the last eight games and freshman Reniya Kelly sidelined for the last two.
Ustby’s career-high carries UNC to win over Deacs with tough games ahead
WINSTON-SALEM — With expected wins this week over the two teams at the bottom of the ACC, Carolina will try to keep the momentum against two teams at the top of the league. That will be a challenge if the Tar Heels don’t play better than they did in Sunday night’s 58–50 victory at Joel Coliseum over a struggling Wake Forest program.
Garcia, Adams, McKoy, Todd-Williams have big games; Nickel hits 15 ahead of game at UNC
Dawson Garcia, Destiny Adams, Justin McKoy and Kennedy Todd-Williams all had big mid-week games, while Tyler Nickel scored 15 ahead of his return to the Smith Center.
Heels shake four-game skid, tough start, knock off Pitt as Donarski rains in 3s
CHAPEL HILL — After four consecutive losses, North Carolina’s women were happy to finally end a skid, regardless of who they beat. UNC put the game away with a 10–0 fourth-quarter run to take a harder-than-expected 75–62 victory Thursday at Carmichael Arena.