UNC Women’s Basketball: Deja Kelly earns ACC Player of the Week

After leading the UNC women’s basketball program to the Phil Knight Invitational title, Deja Kelly earned some individual recognition for her efforts.

Big-time players show up in big-time moments.

That’s exactly what UNC women’s basketball standout Deja Kelly did this week in the Phil Knight Invitational.

Not only was Kelly named the most valuable player for the PKI tournament, but she capped off a strong week by earning the ACC Player of the Week award as well.

Over the two games played, the Tar Heels defeated two top-25-ranked programs.

Against the then-ranked No. 18 Oregon Ducks, Kelly scored 17 points and matched her season-high with seven assists. She played in 39 of the 40 possible minutes, and only turned the ball over once, which is very impressive given the number of minutes she logged.

In the finals against No. 5 Iowa State, Kelly (and the Tar Heels) were essentially held in check in the first half. However, the junior guard led a second-half charge to erase a 17-point deficit en route to winning the title.

Over the final 20 minutes of play, Kelly scored 22 points. She finished the night with 29 points, eight rebounds (a season-high), four assists, and no turnovers in 37 minutes.

In the Tar Heels’ two contests, Kelly averaged 23 points, six rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. Her performance was worthy of being named the tournament’s most valuable player.

As the UNC women’s basketball program ascends into the national spotlight, Deja Kelly continues to lead the charge. She continues to make her case to be included among the top players in the country, as the Tar Heels’ success will definitely help make that case even stronger.

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