Tag: North Carolina Tar Heels Women’s Basketball

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.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6PdORnvmtJ/

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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UNC women’s basketball team debuts in Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings

There’s a lot of promise for the UNC women’s basketball team next season, which leads to its first ESPN ranking of the offseason. Will the Tar Heels capitalize this time?

The NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship hasn’t even been over 48 hours yet, but we’re already looking ahead to next season.

South Carolina truly showed it’s among the sport’s elite programs, winning its third national championship since 2019 by distancing itself from Caitlin-Clark-led Iowa late. What made this feat all-the-more impressive was the Gamecocks replacing all five starters from a season ago, including 2023 WNBA Draft top overall pick Aaliyah Boston.

Clark will likely be joining her former opponent on the Indiana Fever next year, as barring something drastic, she’ll be going Number One overall.

Speaking of next year, South Carolina leads off ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings.

The real Carolina, North Carolina, is also part of the rankings at 14th.

“Lexi Donarski, Alyssa Ustby and Deja Kelly are not on the WNBA draft list, but they have not officially announced their intentions to return to Chapel Hill,” ESPN’s Charlie Creme said. “If they do, (UNC head coach) Courtney Banghart might have her most talented group at North Carolina. Five-star recruits 6-5 Blanca Thomas and 6-4 Ciera Toomey, who redshirted this year, are set to join the active roster and join 6-3 Maria Gakdeng on the front line. Lanie Grant, a 5-10 point guard who is the Virginia state player of the year, reclassified from the Class of 2025 to join the Tar Heels next season.”

It’s worth noting that on Monday, April 8, Kelly shocked Tar Heel Nation by entering her name in the transfer portal. She’s shined ever since stepping on campus, but maybe she just wants to test the waters.

Even if Kelly decides not to return, UNC is plenty loaded.

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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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RyLee Grays is latest Tar Heel to enter transfer portal

The UNC women’s basketball team employed a starter-heavy lineup last year. A fifth reserve, RyLee Grays, is now in the transfer portal.

It’s never easy seeing one of your players enter the transfer portal.

Sometimes, a player has to do what’s best for them. Maybe that player didn’t truly fit in with a program when stepping on campus, get as much playing time, or simply wanted to go somewhere else due to personal preference.

There has been several players transfer from the UNC women’s basketball team, which lost in a blowout to South Carolina during the Round of 32 this year. No Tar Heel starters have transferred yet (as of Saturday, April 6), but the four already have been reserves.

Add yet a fifth reserve to the transfer portal, as freshman RyLee Grays entered her name on Friday, April 5.

Grays only played 19 minutes across five games last year, with her best output coming when she scored four points – on 2-of-2 shooting – in North Carolina’s 96-36 domination of Western Carolina.

Grays, a 1-time state champion who calls Pearland, Texas her hometown, was part of a deep forward rotation led by Alyssa Ustby.

Even though Grays is not returning, the Tar Heel Tribune showcases plenty of players expected to return, including the entire starting lineup. This could pose good news for UNC, which will be looking for its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2022.

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Did you know Caitlin Clark is a big Tar Heels fan?

Did you know Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark grew up a huge UNC basketball fan?

All the attention in the college basketball world is on Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark, who’s amongst the best to ever don a college uniform.

Clark has been balling out since her elementary school days in Des Moines, Iowa, but this season has undoubtedly been her best. Not only did she break Kelsey Plum’s NCAA Division-I women’s scoring record, but she now holds the NCAA Division-I all-time scoring record after later passing Pistol Pete Maravich,

As a result of her All-Star level play this year, which includes a college-leading 31.7 points per game, Clark’s Hawkeyes are in the Final Four for the second-straight season. Iowa will be playing for its first national title on Sunday, April 7, holding off a late charge from UConn Friday to advance.

Though Clark is an  Iowa basketball legend, did you know she actually grew up a UNC fan?

We can credit this to two Tar Heel legends: Mia Hamm, arguably the greatest women’s soccer player our National Team has ever seen and Harrison Barnes, who grew up approximately 40 minutes north of Clark in Ames.

“I was a big Harrison Barnes fan growing up, but I was also big Mia Hamm fan, too,” Clark said in a Tar Heel Tribune article. “Harrison Barnes was like ‘it’ in the state of Iowa.”

This sentence for the Tar Heel tribune article shows you how much Clark truly loved North Carolina: She had her mom repaint her entire room Carolina blue and navy blue. She had Carolina stuff all over her room.

As much as she loves UNC, was there ever a shot she’d don the Tar Heel Blue herself?

“I didn’t really want to go there and play women’s basketball, but I loved their men’s basketball and their soccer because I grew up playing soccer,” Clark said. “So, yeah, I was a big North Carolina basketball fan growing up.”

Just imagine if Clark chose UNC. Can you imagine how much more of a basketball school it’d be?

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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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Teonni Key becomes fourth UNC WBB player to enter transfer portal

Will former UNC women’s basketball player Teonni Key find more success somewhere else after entering the transfer portal?

What could be a thin roster for the UNC women’s basketball team next year, became even more thin the first week of April.

Tar Heels stars Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby are seniors, but they could both opt to use their COVID seasons. Key reserves Anya Poole, Alexandra Zelaya and Paulina Paris, however, are already in the transfer portal.

Another key reserve joined Poole, Zelaya and Paris in the transfer portal on Tuesday, April 2, with redshirt sophomore Teonni Key announcing her decision.

Key didn’t play a ton of super-impactful minutes, but she did play in 23 of North Carolina’s 33 games. Key averaged 9.5 minutes, 2.7 points and 2.5 assists per game, while shooting an efficient 47.2 percent from the field.

Key’s best game came on Feb. 15, when UNC beat Pitt, 75-62, at Carmichael Arena. Key scored a season-high 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, while also grabbing two rebounds, dishing out an assist, blocking one shot and stealing the basketball once.

Key also enjoyed a 10-point outing on Jan. 18, when North Carolina squeaked by Georgia Tech (73-68) on the road.

With Key being an in-state hooper from Cary, will she transfer somewhere locally? Could she end up at UNCG or High Point University, which consistently competes atop the Big South Conference?

According to the Tar Heel Tribune, the other 10 schools on Key’s final list coming out of Cary High School were Auburn, UConn, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi State, N.C. State, Notre Dame, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Wherever Key ends up, we wish her the best of luck.

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This stat shows just how dominant South Carolina was against UNC

There’s not many women’s college basketball teams who can challenge South Carolina. UNC tried – and failed – during NCAA Tournament action last weekend.

Given how closely the UNC women’s basketball team played South Carolina back in late November, last weekend’s NCAA Tournament result came as a bit of a shocker.

The Gamecocks dominated the Tar Heels, 88-41, in a game which was pretty much over by halftime. North Carolina shot a horrendous 23.8 percent from the field, with star forward Alyssa Ustby the only UNC player scoring in double-digits.

The Tar Heels only scored 34 points through the first three quarters, while South Carolina scored 28 in the opening quarter along.

Want a crazy number?

If the Gamecocks had gone scoreless in the second half, they still would’ve won the NCAA Tournament matchup – assuming UNC’s scoring played out how it did.

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You have to give South Carolina some credit for this, as it’s clearly the nation’s best team, but this was an embarrassing loss for North Carolina. The Tar Heels faced some bad injury lucky – Paulina Paris, Kayla McPherson,  but still were tied for first in the ACC at one point.

Stars Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby could still come back for a COVID year, but they could also declare for the WNBA Draft. Paris is in the transfer portal, but North Carolina has plenty of guards.

Will Dawn Staley lead the Gamecocks to a third NCAA Championship?

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Paulina Paris enters transfer portal

Paulina Paris was one of the UNC women’s basketball team’s best bench players. She made a tough decision on Tuesday, March 26.

The UNC women’s basketball program sported a slew of returners and brought in a trio of talented transfers this season, with the hopes those moves would be enough to advance it deep in the NCAA Tournament.

Despite making the Big Dance and winning its Round of 64 game against Michigan State, North Carolina suffered yet another early exit – this time to expected title winner South Carolina. The final result was alarming (88-41), considering the Tar Heels played the Gamecocks close in Chapel Hill last November.

One of UNC’s key reserves, Paulina Paris, averaged 5.9 points per game in eight starts. Her season was cut short due to a lower-body injury.

Unfortunately for North Carolina, Paulina Paris announced her decision to enter the transfer portal on Tuesday, March 26.

If Deja Kelly any Alyssa Ustby end up declaring for the WNBA draft, Paris’ decision could hurt the Tar Heels. Luckily for UNC, it should return several guards in Laila Hull, Reniya Kelly, Kayla McPherson (injury-shortened season this year), Teonni Key, Sydney Barker and Indya Nivar.

With Lexi Donarski having exhausted her final year of eligibility, it makes you wonder whether Paris would’ve start for North Carolina next year.

Head coach Courtney Banghart will now need to look elsewhere to replace Paris’ production.

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UNC women’s basketball team sees season end at hands of South Carolina

The UNC women’s basketball program saw their season end with a loss to South Carolina on Sunday.

The expectations were high for Courtney Banghart and the North Carolina Tar Heels women’s basketball program going into the season. Trying to get over the hump and get back to the Sweet 16, the Tar Heels instead find themselves going home.

But it was at the hands of the nation’s best team.

No. 1 South Carolina steamrolled over the Tar Heels 88-41 to end UNC’s season. The Gamecocks dominated from the start in front of the home crowd, punching their ticket to the Sweet 16.

While UNC was able to keep it close for the first few minutes, South Carolina went on a huge run in that fist quarter and took a 28-8 lead. At that point, there really wasn’t much the Tar Heels could do.

The Gamecocks scored 28 more points in the second quarter as the lead was built out to 56-19 at halftime. From there it was cruise control for the Gamecocks as UNC never really got into the game.

MiLaysia Fulwiley led the way for the Gamecocks, scoring 20 points while four other Gamecocks had double digits as well.

For the Tar Heels, Alyssa Ustby had 12 points to lead the Tar Heels. Other than that, no other Tar Heels player scored in double digits.

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