Tag: Deja Kelly

Deja Kelly nabs All-America honors for third-consecutive season

What can’t Deja Kelly do? The UNC women’s basketball standout earned another honor for her career.

If there’s been one constant with the UNC women’s basketball team, it’s Deja Kelly.

The San Antonio, Texas product has played at a star level ever since stepping foot on campus, scoring at least 11 points per game in each of her first four seasons. This has translated to being North Carolina’s top scorer in the past three seasons, which have seen her scoring output elevate to 16 PPG.

Kelly’s been fortunate in leading UNC to the NCAA Tournament each year, highlighted by a Sweet 16 run in 2022. There’s a strong possibility Kelly comes back for her COVID year – could that mean greater heights in Chapel Hill.

Regardless of her decision, Kelly just earned WBCA All-America Honors for the third-consecutive season, being named Honorable Mention.

With her team-leading 16.3 points per game last year, which included 27 double-digit outings and 11 20-point games, Kelly now sits sixth on UNC’s all-time scoring list with 1,858 career points. Kelly could very well pass Ivory Latta’s program-record 2,285 points next season – assuming she uses her COVID season.

North Carolina has already seen five reserves transfer out this offseason, but starters have yet to announce a decision.

If Kelly decides to return, would she be the key for a deep NCAA Tournament run?

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Does this mean Deja Kelly is returning to UNC next year?

Did Deja Kelly just hint at her future basketball plans?

Several college basketball players will see their dreams come to fruition on Monday, April 15 during the WNBA Draft.

We already know that Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink are going to go first and second overall, respectively. Some other names to look out for in the draft are Kamilla Cardoso, Angel Reese, and Aaliyah Edwards

Earlier in the year, there was talk that UNC star Deja Kelly would be a first-round prospects. She’s averaged a minimum 16 points per game in each of her last three college seasons, leading the Tar Heels in each, but she has the ability to use her COVID year and return in the Fall.

That possibility just became even more real.

On Thursday, April 4, college players formally filed for inclusion as candidates for the WNBA Draft.

Kelly wasn’t on this list.

Kelly could shock Tar Heel Nation and do the unthinkable, deciding to stop playing hoops entirely or enter the transfer portal. I don’t think either of those scenarios are likely, particularly given she’s already been in Carolina Blue for four season.

Kelly is certainly talented enough to enter her name in the WNBA Draft, but her decision not to gives me a good feeling. It’s also worth noting that Alyssa Ustby, UNC’s star forward who nearly averaged a double-double last year, is not on the list.

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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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Tar Heels take down Duke in regular season finale at Carmichael

Deja Kelly and Alyssa Utsby helped lead the North Carolina Tar Heels to a big win over Duke to end the regular season.

The North Carolina Tar Heels’ women’s basketball team has had their struggles as of late but on Sunday, they closed out the regular season on a positive note.

North Carolina held off Duke for a 63-59 win over the Blue Devils, getting some key free throws late and forcing a miss that would have tied it as well with seconds remaining. In the end, UNC was able to hit a few clutch free throws including two by Deja Kelly to seal it.

The Tar Heels jumped out to a 17-7 lead after the first quarter, using good defense to trip up the Blue Devils. But it wouldn’t be long before Duke rallied, out-scoring the Tar Heels 24-13 and taking a 31-30 lead at the break.

The second half was tight.

The Tar Heels managed to tie it going into the fourth and made plays in the end to take the lead and hold it for good. Kelly led the Tar Heels with 18 points while Alyssa Utsby had 17 including the key defensive play late in the game.

North Carolina finishes the regular season at 19-11 overall and 11-7 in ACC play.  They will take on Miami on Thursday in the ACC Tournament.

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WATCH: Deja Kelly beats buzzer, sends UNC into final quarter with 11-point lead

The UNC women’s basketball team is on the verge of upsetting sixth-ranked NC State. Tar Heels star Deja Kelly drained a major shot to help.

As Deja Kelly goes, so does the UNC women’s basketball team.

Kelly averages 16.9 points per game, most on the Tar Heels. She has the speed to get around defenders and convert at the rim, plus a strong jump-shooting ability to knock down shots from either mid-range or the perimeter.

Earlier in tonight’s game against sixth-ranked NC State, Kelly beat the third-quarter buzzer with a shot that bounced off the back iron. North Carolina went into the final break up 61-51, giving it a huge momentum boost that put it just 10 minutes away from its greatest upset on the season and – in the larger picture – closer towards an NCAA Tournament berth.

The Wolfpack (23-3, 11-3), second in the ACC behind Virginia Tech, won their past three games coming into tonight. They’ll still be a high seed in the Big Dance, but our Tar Heels are putting a huge dent in their hopes for an ACC crown.

Earlier this year, UNC was first place in the ACC. A 4-game skid sent them tumbling down the standings, but two straight wins have changed North Carolina’s outlook for the better.

If the Tar Heels are going to find any kind of postseason success, they’ll need Kelly to continue hitting big shots like her buzzer-beater.

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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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ACC-leading Tar Heels climb three spots in Women’s AP Poll

The UNC women’s basketball team is atop the ACC, with a few ranked wins already under their belts. Where are they in the newest AP Poll?

Either NC State, Louisville or Virginia Tech – all consistently top programs in women’s college basketball – is atop the ACC, right?

Nope.

There’s an amazing, experienced and talented team in Chapel Hill leading the stacked ACC. That team would be none other than – if you hadn’t guessed already – UNC.

Deja Kelly is enjoying her hottest streak of the season, scoring 20 points in four consecutive games. The Tar Heels have taken down ranked teams in Notre Dame, Louisville and Syracuse already, while coming close against others like South Carolina and Florida State.

With how well UNC is playing, it’s no surprise to see them climb the rankings a bit.

The Tar Heels jumped three spots to 20th in Monday’s AP Poll, sandwiched between the Hokies and Creighton.

It’s not just Kelly doing all the work in Chapel Hill. She’s being aided by not only fellow senior captain Alyssa Ustby, who’s nearly averaging a double-double (12.6 points, 9.5 rebounds per game), but a trio of experienced transfers in starting center Maria Gakdeng, starting guard Lexi Donarski and sixth woman Indya Nivar.

Carolina has Miami (FL) coming to town on Thursday for an 8 p.m. tip-off. If the Tar Heels and Notre Dame (playing Syracuse) both win Thursday, the Tar Heels move into sole possession of first place in the ACC.

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Deja Kelly goes off, leads Tar Heels to tough road win at Georgia Tech

If UNC women’s basketball star Deja Kelly has the ball, opponents are going to have a tough time. She scored 27 points in a Thursday win.

Have a day, Deja Kelly.

The UNC women’s basketball team’s star point guard has been showing out in her final collegiate season, consistently leading her team in scoring and dropping 20 points on the regular. Along with fellow senior captain Alyssa Ustby, plus a trio of off-season transfers in Lexi Donarski, Maria Gakdeng and Indya Nivar, Kelly is helping make the Tar Heels a legitimate ACC threat.

Kelly’s most recent 20-point outing came earlier on Thursday, Jan. 28, as she dropped 27 to lead Carolina in a 73-68 road victory over Georgia Tech. Her most impactful points came from the charity stripe, making six free throws in the final 23 seconds.

With the win, Kelly’s second-consecutive game with 27 points, the 23rd-ranked Tar Heels (13-5, 5-1) jumped Florida State for third place in the ACC.

Though UNC only won by five, it maintained a lead at the end of each quarter. Carolina held a 17-11 advantage after the opening quarter, 2-point lead at halftime and 8-point advantage heading into the final frame.

Alyssa Ustby continued her strong stretch of play, adding 15 points for the Tar Heels. Sophomore guard Teonni Key enjoyed her best game of the year, adding on a season-high 10 points.

UNC will be playing for first place in the ACC on Sunday, as Louisville comes to Carmichael Arena for a 2 p.m. tip-off. The Cardinals (16-2, 5-0) are winners of their past six matchups.

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