Ustby’s absence hangs over No. 12 Tar Heels’ win against No. 10 Wolfpack

By Canadian Press on February 16, 2025.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart had no update on the health of top scorer and rebounder Alyssa Ustby after she exited early in the 12th-ranked Tar Heels’ win against 10th-ranked rival N.C. State on Sunday.

Ustby played just 2 1/2 minutes in the 66-65 win. She left the sideline after checking out, and then never returned to the bench after exiting. It wasn’t exactly clear what had happened.

Banghart said she wasn’t sure exactly what happened to Ustby “and still don’t” beyond team staffers telling her at halftime that Ustby was done for the day.

“I haven’t even seen her,” Banghart said. “Literally I have not even seen her face. So I don’t know. Know nothing.”

The 6-foot-1 fifth-year forward entered the game averaging 11.2 points and 9.7 rebounds this year and having started 136 of her 143 career games at UNC. Her absence left a massive hole both defensively and on the glass — where the Wolfpack finished with a 20-rebound advantage and had 18 offensive rebounds for an 18-2 edge in second-chance points.

“I was like, ‘Wait, why are we not rebounding the ball?’ Because Alyssa’s not in,” guard Reniya Kelly said. “It was just a realization that she’s a big part of why we win games.”

Still, the Tar Heels managed to push past the Wolfpack, who led twice led by six in the final 3 minutes — the last coming on Madison Hayes’ corner 3-pointer to make it 63-57 with 1:50 left.

Kelly answered with her own 3 to cap a career-high 23-point effort, while graduate transfer Grace Townsend hitting two go-ahead free throws with 5.2 seconds left before a final-play stop sealed it.

“We just got just enough from everybody,” Banghart said.

The Tar Heels (23-4, 11-3) have won five straight and 10 of 11 overall.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

Aaron Beard, The Associated Press