UNC Basketball: Kelly, Ustby lead red-hot Tar Heels to blowout victory

The UNC women’s basketball team, led by Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby, put a 61-point beatdown on UNC Asheville.

It was another lopsided result for the North Carolina women’s basketball team at Carmichael Arena on Sunday. The red-hot Tar Heels, who are now ranked 24th in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, beat the UNC Asheville Bulldogs by a final score of 107-46 behind five double-digit scoring performances.

The Tar Heels got 19-point games out of sophomore guards Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby, who combined to shoot 16-for-25 for the game. Kelly added three assists and three steals to her superb game, while the 6-foot-1 Ustby pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds to go along with four assists, four steals and three blocks.

Carlie Littlefield gave the Tar Heels 17 points on an ultra-efficient 6-of-8 shooting day that included 4-of-5 from three-point range. She added six rebounds and four assists in just 23 minutes of play. Anya Poole and Kennedy Todd-Williams scored 16 and 13 points, respectively, while hitting 11-of-18 shots combined.

Five other Tar Heels got into the scoring column on Sunday, including oft-used reserves Eva Hodgson (eight points, three rebounds) and Malu Tshitenge (seven points, two rebounds). North Carolina hit 43-of-73 shots overall (58.9 percent), 11-of-20 three-pointers (55 percent) and 10-of-17 (58.8 percent) at the free throw line. They outrebounded the Bulldogs by 32, assisted on 24 of their 43 made baskets and turned the ball over just eight times. With the victory, their record improved to 9-0 on the season.

UNC Asheville struggled against the Tar Heels, to say the least. The Bulldogs endured a 34.6 (18-for-52) percent shooting performance from the floor, as well as a 23.8 percent (5-for-21) showing from long-range. They also missed half of their 10 free throw attempts and turned the ball over 19 times. The Bulldogs were led by Nadira Evans, who had team-highs in both points (12) and rebounds (seven). The loss dropped UNC Asheville to 5-4 on the season.

The UNC women will be back out on the court on Wednesday night in a home contest against the 7-2 Jacksonville Dolphins. Stick with Keeping It Heel for coverage of that game, and everything on the UNC basketball program.