Tag: Lexi Donarski

UNC dominates UNC-Wilmington, faces former player in Thursday night WBB action

The UNC women’s basketball team picked up another dominant win Thursday night, this time against UNC-Wilmington.

The UNC women’s basketball team stayed at home Thursday night, welcoming in-state rival UNC-Wilmington to Carmichael Arena for a late-week, non-conference clash.

North Carolina blew out Charleston Southern, 83-53, on Monday during the first day of college basketball season.

Thursday night in Chapel Hill was more of the same for the Tar Heels, who arguably played better against UNCW in a 77-50 domination.

Not only was Thursday another big victory for UNC (2-0), but it was a night in which UNC faced a former player from last year’s roster.

Alexandra Zelaya, the 6’4″ forward who started just 4-of-88 games during her four years at North Carolina, started for the Seahawks on Thursday. Zelaya scored four points, grabbed two rebounds and dished out two assists in 18 minutes.

Enough about Zelaya – we’re here to tell you about how well the Tar Heels played.

UNC distanced itself plenty at halftime, out-scoring UNCW 40-16 in the first half. North Carolina continued pouring it on in the third quarter, scoring 24 points, with the fourth quarter being the only one where the Seahawks had a scoring advantage.

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For the Tar Heels, it was all about fifth-year guard Lexi Donarski, who led all scorers with 21 points. Donarski, in her second year at North Carolina after transferring from Iowa State, shot 8-of-14 (5-of-11 on 3-pointers) from the field, grabbed four rebounds, stole the ball three times and dished out an assist.

What I find impressive about UNC’s victory, in particular, is that it won in blowout fashion while shooting just 36.5 percent from the field. All 11 Tar Heels who played attempted a shot, with nine of them making one.

North Carolina gets the weekend off before its first road game, Tuesday at 7 p.m., when it makes the short trip out West to Greensboro for a battle with North Carolina A&T.

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UNC WBB starts season with a dominant victory thanks to star returners

The UNC women’s basketball team looked plenty strong in a season-opening blowout win over Charleston Southern on Monday.

Headlined by the return of 2023-2024 starters Alyssa Ustby, Maria Gakdeng and Lexi Donarski, the UNC women’s basketball team was itching to get back on the court for live game play.

North Carolina, ranked 15th in the preseason AP poll, had the first chance to prove its ranking earlier today against Charleston Southern.

After a slow start in the first quarter, the Tar Heels finally pulled away from the Buccaneers for an 83-53 victory.

UNC (1-0) and CSU had an early tip time for their season opener, with gameplay kicking off at 11 a.m.

If you were concerned about how North Carolina would gel in its first game, I don’t blame you. The Tar Heels said goodbye to leading scorer Deja Kelly in the offseason, as she transferred to Oregon. You shouldn’t feel too bad about Kelly leaving, as she recently professed how she carried the team on her back, all four years of her years in Chapel Hill.

UNC looked just fine against the Buccaneers, as Ustby, Donarski and Arizona State transfer Trayanna Crisp all scored in double-figures. Ustby led the charge with a well-rounded outing – recording 18 points, grabbing a game-high eight rebounds, dishing out four assists and adding a game-high two blocks.

I know it’s just the first game, but North Carolina showcased a potentially deep roster in the blowout win over CSU. 12 Tar Heels played, with 11 of those Tar Heels recording a minimum 10 minutes, led by 28 from Donarski.

UNC has a quick turnaround in Week One, welcoming the UNC-Wilmington Seahawks to Carmichael Arena on Thursday, Nov. 7 for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

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Where does UNC WBB land in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25?

Can the UNC women’s basketball team play up to its Way-Too-Early preseason ranking?

The UNC women’s basketball team is going to look a little different this coming season, but it’ll still be full of talent.

North Carolina said goodbye to star guard and scoring leader Deja Kelly, plus reserves Anya Poole, Alexandra Zelaya, Teonni Key and Paulina Paris, in the transfer portal. The Tar Heels will return three starters, plus they bring in several stars from the recruiting trail .

In what’s typically a deep ACC, UNC is expected to thrive in its sixth year under head coach Courtney Banghart.

North Carolina is also predicted to thrive amongst all of college basketball. Just a month ahead of their first regular season game, on Monday, Nov. 4 at 11 a.m. against Charleston Southern in Carmichael Arena, the Tar Heels were ranked 13th in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.

“Depth, with an interesting mix of experience and youth, should be the hallmark for the Tar Heels,” Charlie Creme wrote. “Lexi Donarski and Alyssa Ustby return for their fifth seasons, joined by 6-3 senior Maria Gakdeng and point guard Grace Townsend, a grad transfer from Richmond. Courtney Banghart added another point guard in freshman Lanie Grant, the Virginia player of the year, and 6-5 five-star recruit Blanca Thomas. The 6-4 Ciera Toomey is ready to go after redshirting last season.”

Ustby, Donarski and Gakdend are returning starters from 2023. Ustby was practically a walking double-double in 2023, averaging 12.5 points and 95 rebounds per game. Donarski is a sharpshooter, making a UNC-high 74 3-pointers last year, while Gakdeng’s 51 blocks at center led UNC.

Townsend is a do-it-all point guard, as she averaged 4.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and a career-high 13.4 points per game for Richmond during the 2023-2024 campaign.

Grant and Thomas are two of the best recruits in recent North Carolina memory. Toomey is a former Miss Pennsylvania basketball winner.

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Coaches and players echo “connection” for UNC at ACC Tip-Off

“Connected” like never before is the sentiment from coaches and players alike for the upcoming women’s basketball season.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, the second day of women’s basketball was featured as a part of the ACC Tip-Off media event. Yesterday, a plethora of women’s college basketball teams were interviewed that finished today with a few teams including UNC women’s basketball.

Represented at the media event for the Tar Heels were head coach Courtney Banghart and veterans Lexi Donarski, Alyssa Ustby, and Maria Gakdeng.

Head coach Courtney Banghart was asked first media day what excites her most about the upcoming season.

I think that this is a really connected group. It’s a popular time to talk about those types of words, but it’s not a word I would have always used and this group is really connected with one another. We have a healthy blend of experience with a lot of youthful talent. Most importantly, our experience tangibly sheds that to their peer groups in a really connected way, and we’re healthy!

Coming into a season where the team lost its best scorer Deja Kelly to the transfer portal, hearing that the girls have come together and are seeking to play as one unit could be huge for the upcoming season.

In the same press conference, Alyssa Ustby, a fifth-year senior this year, echoed Banghart’s sentiment about the team saying “I attribute a lot of my successes to my teammates … just being a part of an incredible program that has coaches who are invested in my development.”

There will be ebbs and flows to the upcoming season for the preseason ranked No. 13 Tar Heels, but there is nothing better than seeing full-court basketball played when no one cares who gets the credit.

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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 women’s basketball leaders as of Jan. 7

Guess who’s leading on Notre Dame’s behalf?

ACC play officially is in full swing. Now, we’ll really get to see what the teams are made of as they start to play each other. As that happens, we’ll get to see which players stand out the most. It might be too early to distinguish that right now, but we at least have an idea.

Here’s who continues to stand out in the conference at the moment:

Notre Dame has Citron again but not Westbeld in loss to North Carolina

A lost weekend for Notre Dame basketball.

Notre Dame’s [autotag]Sonia Citron[/autotag] returned to the starting lineup against North Carolina after missing nine games with a knee sprain. However, her return was canceled out by the absence of [autotag]Maddy Westbeld[/autotag], who was being evaluated for a concussion after being injured in the Irish’s last game at Pittsburgh. With the Irish down to six rotational players, they lost to the Tar Heels, 61-57, who won their first game in South Bend in six tries.

Except for most of the third quarter in which the Irish led by as much as seven, the Tar Heels showed from the beginning that they were the better team during this particular evening at Purcell Pavilion. They made more plays when it really mattered and took advantage of having more available depth. While neither team shot well, the Heels held the advantage there (38.7% from the field for them and 31.1% for the Irish), and that made the big difference.

After tying the game at 55 with 3:41 left on a pair of Citron free throws, the Irish didn’t score again until the outcome already was decided. They still had a chance with time running out and trailing by only three, but [autotag]Anna DeWolfe[/autotag]’s layup attempt was blocked by Maria Gakdeng, forcing the Irish to foul Deja Kelly.

Even when Kelly missed both free throws, Gakdeng got the offensive rebound, and the ball got to Indya Nivar, who was fouled and split her ensuing two free throws for the last of her team-leading 16 points, putting the Heels up four. [autotag]Hannah Hidalgo[/autotag] was fouled on the subsequent possession and missed two free throws. Lexi Donarski then finished the Irish off with two free throws of her own, bringing her total to 13 points.

The Irish wasted 18 points from Citron and a double-double from Hidalgo (17 points, 11 rebounds). [autotag]KK Bransford[/autotag] scored 12 points.

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UNC women’s basketball kicks off conference play with a win

The UNC women’s basketball team ended the year with a conference win over Clemson.

The UNC women’s basketball program picked up their ninth win of the season, beating Clemson 82-76 Sunday afternoon.

North Carolina ended the 2023 year on the right foot, picking up their first conference win of the season and their third straight victory. UNC’s juggernaut defense was on full display from tip-off, as a team they finished with four blocks, five steals, and forced 14 turnovers.

UNC offense continued its reign of late, this time from graduate transfer [autotag]Lexi Donarski[/autotag], who finished with her season-high 23 points. Alyssa Ustby also dominated with her sixth double-double this season, finishing with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

The win moves UNC into second on the ACC standings, a game behind FSU, who already has two conference wins under their belt. UNC’s next game will be against Syracuse before they start a brutal stretch of games against No. 13 Notre Dame, No. 22 FSU, and No. 19 Louisville in the weeks following.

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Three UNC Women’s Basketball players earn ACC Preseason Honors

Deja Kelly, Alyssa Utsby and Lexi Donarski are going to be integral to the UNC women’s basketball team’s success this year.

There’s a lot of hype in Chapel Hill right now – it mainly has to do with the upcoming start of basketball season.

A lot of that basketball attention should be focused on the UNC women’s basketball program, who has not one or two – but three players with preseason honors.

Deja Kelly and Alyssa Utsby, both of Carolina’s team captains, were named Preseason All-ACC. Lexi Donarski, the Iowa State transfer, was named to the ACC Newcomer Watch List.

Kelly and Utsby, both seniors, will unfortunately be playing their final year in Chapel Hill. Kelly is the Tar Heels’ leading returning scorer (16.5 points per game), while Utsby returns 13.2 points per game (second-most) and a team-high 233 rebounds from last year (8.3 RPG).

Kelly and Utsby will almost surely give UNC that 1-2 punch that so many teams covet. Kelly’s going to be the primary ball-handler and scorer, whether she decides to spot up from deep or drive the lane, like so many players do nowadays. Utsby will likely be spotting up down low, looking to either clean up a rare Kelly miss or back opponents down for an easy two.

Donarski was ranked as one of the transfer portal’s top players. Not only is she bringing 13.2 points per game with her, but she is also the Big 12’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year. She’ll replace the production of Kennedy Todd-Williams, who transferred to Ole Miss in the offseason.

Fans will get to see the Tar Heels in action shortly, as they host Gardner-Webb in their season-opener on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. ET.

UNC women’s basketball squad hoping transfer portal helps this season

Iowa State transfer Lexi Donarski and Boston College transfer Maria Gakdeng both bring talent and experience to the UNC women’s hoops team.

UNC’s men’s basketball team might get a majority of the hoops attention at the school, but don’t overlook the uber-talented women’s squad.

After not making a single NCAA Tournament from 2016-2018, the Tar Heels have made the last four, including a trip to the second round last year against Ohio State.

Carolina should have another strong campaign this upcoming season, with team captains Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby headlining the returners. The Tar Heels also experienced what seemingly every team faces nowadays – loss of players to the transfer portal, headlined by the loss of Kennedy Todd-Williams.

What Carolina lost in Todd-Williams, they gained in Lexi Donarski and Maria Gakdeng.

Donarski, the Iowa State grad transfer, is ranked sixth on the ESPN Women’s Hoops’ Top 35 most impactful transfers list. The reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, who also averaged 13.2 points per game, will likely slot into Todd-Williams’ starting spot.

“A Cyclones mainstay is moving east after 95 starts, 13.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, plus a 2022 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year,” ESPN said about Donarski. “Tar Heels coach Courtney Banghart will lean heavily on that level of experience, and her backcourt, with Donarski joining Deja Kelly, has started 182 combined college games. Donarski’s 12.1 PPG last season was a career low, but if she recaptures the 41.1% 3-point shooting she had as a freshman, it will go a long way toward UNC replacing the production of graduate Eva Hodgson (41.7% on 3-point shooting).

Gakdeng will likely finish up her college career in Chapel Hill, as she is entering Junior year. Gakdeng, the 6’3″ forward/center and former McDonalds All-American, was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team in 2022. Her 1.8 blocks per game ranked third in the ACC last year.

“Gakdeng was one of the league’s best interior defenders immediately upon her arrival in the ACC,” ESPN said about Gakdeng. “Now she will just be protecting the rim in Chapel Hill instead of Chestnut Hill. The Tar Heels were already the fourth-stingiest defense in the conference. Now with Donarski and Gakdeng, they should be even tougher to score against. Gakdeng’s 1.8 blocks per game ranked third in the ACC, and her 11.3 points per game were second on the Eagles.”

It’ll be exciting to see how the two new transfers mesh with the rest of UNC’s starting lineup. Fans will get their first taste at the new-look Tar Heel squad on Wednesday, Nov. 8, as Carolina welcomes Gardner-Webb to Carmichael Arena.

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