Tag: Alyssa Ustby

Alyssa Ustby announces return to UNC in nostalgia-provoking video

Good news, Tar Heel fans: Alyssa Ustby is BACK as she announced her return on Friday.

If you’ve been watching UNC women’s basketball games since the 2020-2021 campaign, then you’ve surely seen Alyssa Ustby tearng up the court.

Ustby, the senior forward from Rochester, Minn., is practically a walking double-double. She averaged 12.5 points and a career-high 9.5 rebounds per game last season, with her best outing undoubtedly being the 16-point, 16-rebound, 10-assist triple-double she recorded on Jan. 4 against Syracuse – the first triple-double in North Carolina program history.

She’s been fortunate to also have a player of Deja Kelly’s caliber by her side, with the two forming one of the ACC’s best guard-forward combos in the past few season. The duo led UNC to the Round of 32 in last year’s NCAA Tournament, but the Sweet 16 in 2022.

While Kelly might be gone next year, as she entered her name in the portal earlier this month, Ustby announced she’d be returning for her fifth and final season on Friday, April 26.

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Ustby’s announcement is a major win for the Tar Heels, who’ve already seen six players enter the transfer portal. UNC did nab a major win in the portal recently, though, snagging Grace Townsend from Richmond.

Ustby will be part of what’s expected to be a deep roster this coming fall, one that also returns starters from a season ago in 3-point machine Lexi Donarski and towering center Maria Gakdeng. Key reserves Reniya Kelly and Indya Nivar come back, as is Kayla McPherson from a knee injury, while incoming 5-stars Lanie Grant and Blanca Thomas join the roster.

Can Ustby lead the Tar Heels to the promised land in her final year?

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Best photos from UNC women’s basketball 2023-24 season

With the 2023-24 UNC women’s basketball season coming to an end, we take a look at the best photos.

It was a bitter ending for the UNC women’s basketball program, losing in blowout fashion to South Carolina in the Sweet 16.

Despite the loss, this season shouldn’t be washed away. Instead, as a stepping stone for what is to come. The Tar Heels finished with a 20-13 record, playing their best ball in Chapel Hill with a 14-2 home record.

This season had many highs, with big wins over Syracuse, Notre Dame, NC State, and Duke. With the wins came the heartbreaks, losing in a second-half collapse to South Carolina earlier in the season, going in and out of the AP Top 15 poll as a result.’

[autotag]Deja Kelly[/autotag] and [autotag]Alyssa Ustby[/autotag] added to their Tar Heel legacies, earning all-conference ACC honors. The transfer portal is already off to a fiery start with all eyes on the future, but before we get there, we take a look at the best photos from the 2023-24 season.

UNC WBB commit named Virginia HS POTY

Lanie Grant is amongst Virginia’s best high school basketball players. She’s committed to UNC for college hoops – when will she arrive?

The UNC women’s basketball team is getting ready for March Madness, as it will match up against Michigan State on Friday, March 22 at 11:30 a.m.

North Carolina (19-12), seeded eighth in the Albany 1 Region, most recently lost to Miami in its first ACC Tournament game. The Tar Heels had a very up-and-down regular season – ranked wins over Syracuse, NC State and Louisville, but bad losses to Boston College and Virginia.

At one point, UNC was tied for first in the ACC. The Tar Heels will try to show the first-place version themselves starting Friday, looking to advance further than last year’s Round of 32.

Despite all the focus being on March Madness right now, it’s never too early to start looking ahead.

For North Carolina, particularly in two years, the future looks very bright.

Lanie Grant, a junior at James River High School who’s committed to play college ball at UNC, was recently named the 2023-24 Gatorade Virginia Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Grant played at an All-Star level this past year for James River, leading it to the VHSL Class 5 State Championship game by averaging 28.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

Current UNC stars Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby will exhaust their college eligibility at the end of next season, so the arrival of Grant will be well-timed.

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UNC WBB captains bring home All-ACC Honors

Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby are the two greatest reasons UNC is a competitive team this season. They both earned recognition on Tuesday.

In a loaded ACC women’s basketball conference, the North Carolina Tar Heels sit right in the middle.

UNC (19-11, 11-7) is eighth heading into tomorrow’s ACC Tournament, which is rightfully so in Tournament Town (Greensboro, NC). North Carolina will matchup against ninth-ranked Miami (18-11, 8-10) at 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 7. The Tar Heels squeaked by the Hurricanes, 66-61, back on Thursday, Jan. 25 at home.

UNC is projected as a 6-seed in the latest NCAA Tournament Women’s Bracketology, with them slated for a matchup with potential 11-seed Auburn. North Carolina can possibly improve its seeding with a couple victories this week.

The Tar Heels wouldn’t be where they are today without their two best players, Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby. Kelly continues to lead UNC in scoring at 16.8 points per game, while Ustby nearly averages a double-double with 12.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

Kelly and Ustby were recognized for their contributions earlier Tuesday, with Kelly earning All-ACC First Team Honors and Ustby joining the Second Team.

There’s a slim chance Kelly and Ustby could return next year, but both are likely to be selected in next month’s WNBA Draft. It would be a fitting end to their collegiate careers, with both being integral parts in building the program UNC is today.

Right now, the star-studded duo’s focus is on winning the ACC and – later – the NCAA Tournament.

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UNC WBB sets season-best shooting mark in win over Wake Forest

The UNC women’s basketball team won a close road game on Sunday at Wake Forest, but set a season-best mark in made shots while doing so.

Not a ton of time has passed since the UNC women’s basketball team was the ACC’s first-place team.

A 66-61 victory over Miami on Thursday, Jan. 25 moved the Tar Heels into a tie with Syracuse for first, with North Carolina holding the tie thanks to a head-to-head victory.

UNC then lost its next four games, falling down the ACC standings before righting the ship with consecutive wins against Pitt and Wake Forest, which bumped UNC back up to sixth.

Sunday’s road win at Wake Forest was anchored by a 25-point, 10-rebound double from star forward Alyssa Ustby.

The Tar Heels’ victory also saw them shoot a season-best 52.4 percent from the field, which was their best mark since last February.

Ustby shot a lights-out 10-of-11 on field goals, including her first made 3-pointer on the season, while Maria Gakdeng’s 4-of-6 field goal mark was second-best on North Carolina. Anya Poole, who tied a season-high with 18 minutes in her start, shot 3-of-6 from the field. Deja Kelly made 4-of-10 shots, while Lexi Donarski made one of just two attempts.

The Tar Heels have their toughest remaining regular-season test on Thursday night, as they welcome sixth-ranked rival NC State to Carmichael Arena for an 8 p.m tip.

Will UNC keep shooting lights out against one of the country’s best programs?

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Tar Heel women snap 4-game skid behind Alyssa Ustby’s big night

There was a huge sigh of relief and celebratory cheer inside Carmichael Arena tonight, as the UNC women’s basketball team finally won again.

After beating Miami on Thursday, Jan. 25 to move into a tie for first place in the ACC, the UNC women’s basketball team was easily playing its best basketball of the season.

No one could’ve foreseen what came next, as the Tar Heels lost consecutive games to Virginia, NC State, Virginia Tech and Duke to fall out of the rankings and all the way down to seventh place in the ACC.

That cold stretch came to a joyous end on Thursday night, as UNC beat Pitt, 75-62, behind star forward Alyssa Ustby’s 14-point, 10-assist double-double.

The win, which was North Carolina’s (16-9, 8-5) first in February, moved it into a tie for fifth place with Notre Dame and Duke. Before they lost four in a row, the Tar Heels beat UVA, Georgia Tech, Louisville and Miami for a 4-game winning streak.

Alyssa Ustby continued to be a dominating force on the court for UNC, recording her 12th double-double of the year and third in UNC’s past four games. She also added seven rebounds, three steals and blocks apiece – not too shabby.

Graduate transfer Lexi Donarski led all scorers with 20 points, her highest output since New Years’ Eve against Clemson (23). Star guard Deja Kelly dropped 17 points, with nine of those coming from free throws.

The Tar Heels have an extremely winnable game on Sunday, as they travel to Winston-Salem, N.C. to face the ACC-worst Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Wake (4-21, 0-13) hasn’t won since Dec. 21 last year, while a win could move UNC into a tie for fourth with Florida State.

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Alyssa Ustby on National Award Watch List

Alyssa Ustby has been a key cog for the UNC women’s basketball team this year, nearly averaging a double-double. She may win an award, too.

After a tough exit against Ohio State, in the Round of 32 during the 2023 NCAA Tournament, the UNC women’s basketball team is setting its sights even higher.

So far in ACC play, the Tar Heels look like a significantly-improved team.

Behind a heavy veteran presence, UNC (14-5, 6-1) is tied atop the ACC with Syracuse. North Carolina beat the Orange head-to-head, so technically, North Carolina is the current leader.

Tar Heels head coach Courtney Banghart utilized the offseason transfer portal extremely effectively, snatching a pair of starters in Maria Gakdeng and Lexi Donarski. Indya Nivar, whose minutes make her UNC’s unofficial “sixth woman,” is a key piece of depth who flirts with starting playing time.

While star guard Deja Kelly leads North Carolina in scoring, it’s hear teammate who’s on a National watch list.

Alyssa Ustby, the senior forward from Minnesota who nearly averages a double-double (12.6 points, 9.5 rebounds per game), was named to the Cheryl Miller Award Top 10 list.

The Cheryl Miller Award goes to the top small forward in all of women’s college basketball.

Ustby finds herself in the Top 10 for the second-consecutive season, plus on the entire watch list for a third-straight year. She is joined in the ACC by Lousiville’s Kiki Jefferson.

If Ustby is indeed named a finalist, she’ll be notified in March. If Ustby wins, she’ll be notified upon conclusion of the 2023-2024 campaign.

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Champions line Carmichael Arena for UNC’s Alumni Day victory

Sunday’s UNC women’s hoops game honored the 1994 NCAA Championship-winning team. The current Tar Heels dominated UVA in a 13-point victory.

Sunday was exactly the type of game UNC’s women’s basketball team needed.

After losing on the road to Florida State last week, Carolina came back home to Carmichael Arena for a special game – Alumni Day.

In front of an announced crowd of 4,579, the Tar Heels dominated UVA from the opening tip for an 81-68, UNC victory.

Carolina star captains Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby were the on-court highlights, combining for 44 points on 16 game field goals and eight free throws, but the main highlights were on UNC’s guests: members of the 1994 NCAA Championship Team.

There were over 90 Tar Heel women’s hoops members in attendance, including longtime Championship-winning head coach Sylvia Hatchell, Jennifer Alley and current head coach Courtney Banghart. A halftime ceremony honored all present, with the 1994 title team introduced between the third and fourth quarters.

Heading back to the game, UNC never trailed against a Cavaliers squad that lost its fifth consecutive matchup. The Tar Heels’ most dominating quarters came in the opening and closing ones, with a 19-12 advantage after the first and 28-16 after the final frame.

“Hats off to a really good Virginia team,” UNC coach Courtney Banghart told GoHeels.com. “Those guys have had a really tough conference schedule so far, they’ve already played NC State twice, they’ve played us, they’ve played Duke, and Georgia Tech. And Camryn Taylor – hats off. She’s a hard kid to guard.”

The Tar Heels look to start another winning streak this Thursday, as they travel to Georgia Tech for a 6 p.m. tip-off. The Yellow Jackets (12-5, 3-2) are coming off an 84-46 loss at Duke.

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Alyssa Ustby’s doule-double earns her National POTW honors

Alyssa Ustby is arguably the best post player on UNC’s women’s basketball team. Her double-double on New Years’ Eve gained her big honors.

Alyssa Ustby played a major role in the UNC women’s basketball team’s success last year, with it nearly upsetting Ohio State in the Round of 32.

Ustby was the featured post player on Carolina, grabbing a team high 8.3 rebounds per game, while also being one of three Tar Heels (Deja Kelly, Kennedy Todd-Williams) to average double-digit scoring.

Ustby continues to be a featured post player this season, but she now teams up with Boston College transfer Maria Gakdeng to form a formidable duo. Ustby’s best game of the year came in UNC’s 82-76, New Years’ Eve victory over Clemson, as she recorded a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double.

That stat-line was good enough for Ustby to be recognized with a prestigious honor – Player of the Week.

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Ustby leads UNC with 8.9 rebounds per game (fifth in ACC), plus she’s second with 12.9 points per game – right behind fellow senior captain Deja Kelly. With a strong junior year also under her belt, Ustby has a solid chance to be selected high in the 2024 WNBA Draft (currently projected 17th to Washington Mystic.

Whether Ustby is scoring in the post, putting up a jump shot, pulling down a rebound, dishing out an assist or swatting away a shot, she finds numerous ways to contribute towards Carolina’s in-game success.

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Deja Kelly becomes 25th Tar Heel to reach 1,500 points, helps UNC take down Oklahoma

Not only did the UNC women’s basketball team beat Oklahoma on Tuesday night, but star guard Deja Kelly reached a historic scoring mark.

For the first time in nearly a month, the UNC women’s basketball team is enjoying a winning streak.

Carolina started the year 5-0, then lost three in a row. The Tar Heels beat UNC-Greensboro to open December, lost to UConn, then obliterated Western Carolina on Friday, Dec. 15.

UNC picked up its second-consecutive win on Tuesday, Dec. 19, topping Oklahoma 61-52 in the Jumpman Invitational.

While the victory was a sweet early Christmas present, it was a basketball landmark for one Tar Heel.

Deja Kelly, one of the best guard in women’s college basketball, became the 25th player in program history to reach 1,500 points.

How Kelly reached 1,500 in Tuesday’s game, though, came via one of her season-best outputs. The senior scored a game-high 21 points on 7-of-14 field goal shooting, plus a 7-of-12 mark from the free throw line.

According to the Daily Tar Heel, Kelly also played the game with an illness. Sounds familiar…remember Michael Jordan’s flu game?

Kelly received a lot of praise from her teammates and head coach Courtney Banghart, who noted she wanted to suit up regardless.

“Deja is a dog,” senior forward Alyssa Ustby told the Daily Tar Heel. “That girl will do anything for her teammates, and she knows how much she brings to our team and so being sick, and she was pretty sick, and so for her to come out here and to play so selflessly and to even get to the basket and just hold her own was remarkable.”

We have yet to see anything on MJ himself complementing Kelly, but we’ll be on a close lookout for it.

What will Kelly and her teammates do for an encore on New Year’s Eve against Clemson?

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