There's no doubt as to who the leader of the UNC women's basketball program is.
Sure, the Tar Heels will have four captains, all of which are very good leaders in their own right, but the UNC women's basketball program is led by fifth-year forward Alyssa Ustby.
A tremendous leader both on and off the court, Ustby has put in the work to become one of the best players in the entire country. With her fifth season of eligibility, Ustby has some unfinished business to take care of, with her main goal being to lead the UNC women's basketball program to a deep postseason run during the 2024-2025 season.
2023-2024 Season In Review
During her true senior season, the Rochester, Minnesota native averaged 12.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. For her efforts, she earned Second-Team All-ACC honors, extending her all-conference honors streak to three consecutive seasons.
On January 4, Ustby became the first UNC women's basketball player to ever record a triple-double. She only needed three quarters against a top-25 ranked team to seal the deal, as she secured her triple-double with a made free throw with one minute and 17 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Not only is she the only UNC women's basketball player to accomplish the feat, but became just the third Tar Heel ever (both men's and women's) to record a triple-double.
What to Expect in 2024-2025
For Ustby, it's simple: we can expect her to continue doing Alyssa Ustby-type things.
That means she'll continue to make winning plays. Whether she's needed to score the basketball or dive on the floor for a loose ball, Ustby has the ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor at an extremely high level.
Don't be surprised if Ustby averages a double-double this season. She's not only a very capable scorer by can be a vacuum on the glass (both offensively and defensively).
Bold Prediction
If there's one area you can "knock" about Ustby's game is her three-point shooting.
Ustby shot a disappointing 25% from three-point range last season. To be fair, her attempts per game went signficantly down, as the Tar Heels as a team struggled to shoot the ball from beyond the arc.
This season, Ustby will show the world that she CAN shoot the rock from deep, as I predict she'll knock down 32% of her attempts. If she can add that aspect to her game, not only will she be considered among the top players in the country, but the WNBA will be calling her name shortly after the college basketball season comes to a close.