UNC Basketball: Alyssa Ustby named USBWA National Player of the Week

After two strong performances last week, UNC women’s basketball standout Alyssa Ustby has earned national recognition for her efforts.

On Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) named UNC women’s basketball standout Alyssa Ustby the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week.

The week began with an anticipated matchup against the Duke Blue Devils, who came into the game ranked No. 15 nationally with an undefeated record in conference play.

Ustby, who was under the weather, battled through, finishing with 16 points on 8-11 shooting over 39 minutes of action. Most of her damage came in the third quarter, as she was a perfect 5-5 from the field which played a pivotal role in helping the Tar Heels create a lead they wouldn’t relish.

After her version of the “Flu Game,” Ustby scored 17 points and recorded a team-high eight rebounds. She was again very efficient offensively, connecting on seven of her 10 shots from the floor.

Overall, the junior forward finished the week averaging 16.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. She also led the Tar Heels with 3.0 assists, 2.5 blocks, and 2.0 steals per contest.

It’s no secret how vital Ustby is to the UNC women’s basketball program. This past week was a prime example of that, as her outstanding performances (while dealing with some uncontrollable circumstances) was very important in both of the team’s most recent victories.

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