CHARLOTTE, N.C. – North Carolina vs Oklahoma
The No. 24 North Carolina women’s basketball team trailed early but rallied to tie the game by halftime and then pulled away in the second half to beat Oklahoma 61-52 Tuesday night at the Spectrum Center. After the first game of the evening’s Jumpman Invitational lineup went into double OT, the Tar Heels tipped off after 10 p.m. and finished just after midnight to head into the holiday break at 8-4.
Senior guard Deja Kelly led UNC with 21 points, which boosted her past the 1,500-career-points milestone in her 100th game as a Tar Heel. Senior Alyssa Ustby registered her fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Graduate student Lexi Donarski added 10, five of which came during a pivotal third quarter when Tar Heels outscored the Sooners 16-4.
After falling to Michigan this time last year in the inaugural Jumpman Invitational, the Tar Heels were determined to go into the holiday break on a better note this time. The start, however, didn’t look promising as the Sooners (6-4) raced to a 10-2 lead in the first two minutes of play. They led by nine, 23-14, late in the first quarter and were still up by seven heading into the second.
Oklahoma held a seven-point lead with 2:32 to play before halftime when the Tar Heels went on a 9-2 run to tie the game at 36-36. Kelly, still battling a stomach bug that had been with her for days, hit her first two shots of the night and already had seven points in the first quarter. She added another 11 in the second quarter, including seven of the team’s nine points in the run into halftime.
“Deja is a dog – that girl will do anything for her teammates and she knows how much she brings to our team,” Ustby said. “She’s pretty sick and so for her to come out here and play so selflessly and get to the basket and hold up her own was remarkable. I’m so proud of her and just so happy that she’s on my team.”
Kelly’s 18 first-half points put her at exactly 1,500 and made her the 25th player to reach that milestone in a Carolina uniform. She finished with 21 for her third 20-point game of the season and the 24th of her career.
After a tie at the break, UNC held Oklahoma to just four points in the third quarter to pull away for good. The Sooners were 2-19 from the field during the period and 4-31 in the second half, scoring 16 points total in the final 20 minutes.
Paulina Paris scored all nine of her points after halftime and Donarski scored seven of her 10. Carolina’s lead ballooned to 15 points on a layup by Paris with 7:11 remaining in the game. The final margin of nine points was the only time the game was in single digits after a Donarski three put the Tar Heels up by 12 with 4:25 to play in the third quarter.
OU’s first points of the game came on a three-pointer but the Sooners didn’t hit another one all night. They finished 1-26 from long range and shot 26.4 percent from the field overall, a low so far this season by a Carolina opponent. The Sooners’ Payton Verhulst finished with 15 point and Skylar Vann scored 10 to go with 12 rebounds.
UNC had a season-high 23 turnovers but won the rebounding battle 49-44 over Oklahoma, which came in ranked eighth in the nation in rebounds per game (47.7). The Sooners average 84.9 points per game, 14th in the nation, but were held to their season low in scoring.
The game was scheduled for 9:30 p.m., which already would have been the Tar Heels’ latest start of the season. It was pushed back around 35 minutes, finally beginning at 10:05 and ending a day later on Dec. 20th.
“You played on two calendar days,” coach Courtney Banghart said to Ustby after the game.
“How cool is that?!” Ustby replied.
The team can afford to enjoy the novelty, because the Tar Heels still have plenty of time to rest up. They won’t play again until they open Atlantic Coast Conference play on Dec. 31 with a home game against Clemson.
So if they move the ball they will get open looks against a really good North Carolina defense but you got to move the ball against Courtney bangharts to Courtney in her fifth season in charge of North Carolina got him to the NCAA tournament again last year where they
Lost in the second round to Ohio State and we are underway in Charlotte again even though we’re a couple of hours away from Chapel Hill North Carolina designated as the away away team they’re wearing their familiar Carolina blue and it didn’t take long to get three
Up Lexi Keys is one of their designated Shooters she’s got the assignment early on Deja Kelly who is North Carolina’s top scorer and then the three put up by Lexi denski so a pair of Lexis getting the shot both of them are are uh transfers as we take a look at the
Oklahoma starting lineup and boy they are not wasting any time getting up shots van gets the offensive board and puts it in efficiency is how would describe Jenny baran’s team on the offensive end they have great spacing in their offense take a look at tonight’s starting lineups brought to you by no VA
Help us we’ve already talked about Denari the Iowa State transfer and Maria gang who ACC fans will remember from her time at Boston College joined also by Paulina Paris so you saw the last possession Pam Oklahoma brings a double inside the gang that’s a good way to
Guard her right because you got a force nor Carolina to score on the perimeter and there’s one of my favorite players out there NAA tot listed at 53 and her mother the incomparable Helen Dar that’s why you like it come on tell the truth us using her off handan for her first
Basket coming off a 23-point game against Western Carolina and this is going to be a track me Willams strong and very athletic AJ Kelly called for the foul this third of the nation in Fast Break points Paris inside a little bit of a bump nothing called usby
Rescues and dinari dinari is too good outside the arc she’s North Carolina’s best three-point threat Brad student out of Iowa State who had quite a summer to get into North Carolina and play Basketball finished by verol who is a lill suffering any ill effects there with the ball in her hand she is fast L for the liberman award two-time all ACC performer playing in her 100th another three-point shot that one’s well Off the Mark rebound taken down by
Paris I love North Carolina picking up C Court Courtney banghard trying to change the rhythm of the game early on as her team is struggling a little bit offensively except for when you get the ball good option to get it into usby the senior out of Rochester Minnesota first team All Conference last
Year he has the option of coming back next season Kelly to Paris working against the shorter tot and here’s tot in the open court one of triplets for Helen darling us working under the basket couldn’t get it to go auy Jones also in the game for Oklahoma there she is with the
Basketball at Iowa State transfer and then that was just rejected coming to you from Charlotte Spectrum Center where the Hornets play it’s a nice building it’s a beauti Carolina men uh or North Carolina football team playing um it’s going to be uh second personal foul culleton a sophomore from Overland Park
Kansas line change plus the dmen are coming out G har you know that’s funny that it’s against North Carolina cuz I remember as us and with the Miss gang able to come up with the rebound Elly slashing into the lane and scores she is a downhill driver and both her baskets
Have been in transition because Oklahoma didn’t stop the ball oh that’s a really [Applause] quick she was an ACC all freshman performer when she played for Jeff walls at Louisville came here here to Oklahoma getting more playing time and then offensive foul to come to North Carolina by Courtney banghart and
Turned her down initially went to Boston College for a couple of years an Atlanta Maryland native eventually ended up with Coach bang he said same thing about India Nar as well who went to stord and then transferred to North Carolina came in second but eventually became number
One coming in second out of the portal Isn’t So lank and rebound it he did play 17 minutes in that first game had a career high 10 rebounds when a just a convincing yes they have not played an easy schedule though so you know North Carolina missed free throws late and got
The offensive rebound which they’re very good at you got to box out North Carolina have to rotate multiple Defenders on those issues and forc her to make that play right there toxs ball pressure forces a turnover and then the perfect pass but great [Applause] tra three on three 3×3 I think that’s
The cool kid yeah 3 V3 would be Su but either way she’s a very talented freshman contact drawn especially to their back court Pearson and Rai Kelly both out today comes with a plan right they’re pushing the pace they’re doubling the post I think when you get players to play hard and you
Move the ball it’s a recipe for success in the women’s game for sure Kelly in the top 20 in the nation as far as getting to the free throw line L era she has over 350,000 Instagram followers over 700,000 followers on Tik toks and she’s used
Some of her brand deals to give back to her teammates last year in a Beat by Dre deal she gave all of her teammates new [Applause] headphones look at that right in the pocket when you’re late on the close out terrific job you watch Williams the more
You’re going to like it cuz you like those players that play with big heart with extra effort absolutely it’s a 9-1 run that finally is silenced Kelly gets the first field goal in quite a while now for North Carolina if you were going to put Deja Kelly’s shot chart together
That’s where she scores middle third elbow to Elbow pull up jump shot or all the way to the rim she doesn’t take a lot of threes and struggled from distance so far this [Applause] year nobody there but key to get the rebound as the first quarter comes to a
They had a chance to meet Jordan brand and Nike designers a lot of Professionals in the field learn the of Apparel Design and also create their own original designs that are on the t-shirts in the arena today and you’re doing some incredible work man thank you
For your time abely thank you back to you all thank you very much my I love that part of the initiative of this event is to involve the community and thank you for Aaron and his nonprofit for all that they do for those four teams second of the three-year
Commitment KY gets the rebound off the top miss when you talk to Danny Morrison he calls it clean classy uncluttered and special and that’s the way the athletes feel about started only three Tar Heels have scored usby Denari and [Applause] Kelly they have kept Oklahoma from hitting threes just one of six from
Distance usually that is uh their bread and butter make it one of eight Now update that they usually hit nine on average do the [Applause] Sooners Kelly settles things down here comes a high ball screen now Zia is the one post player that pops Kelly just a little bit of space
All she needs though on the wrong end of an eight nothing run turn around in and out rebound and and whenever coach bangh Hart talks about her she breaks into a huge smile came out not highly regarded as a freshman and has kind of played with a chip on her shoulder
Okahoma has not scored in this quarter throughout going back to the first Zia has only played in seven of their 11 games but she has three baskets and they’re all threes she’s getting extended Rea Scott breaks the OU drve spell with her first shot Rea and paa Paris the respective number
Two must be has half of North Carolina’s points and barreling in and drawing the well usby has a lot of Versatility off the court as well plays piano I’m putting my money on her right but Pat McAfee and Kirk herb Street can holding Oklahoma just three points
So far in this quarter off the rim and know you looking to run this is what theyd like to do scottt putting hold on to it cleanly turn around and got it but right here she’s not afraid to initiate contact she definitely takes an extra step Kelly that will fade away
Impossible Scott took it Away another three put up on this side and the follow good work point game absolutely Tau with the Miss Oklahoma has missed 10 their 11 three-point shots Addison Square Garden at s Eastern then North Carolina in s Oklahoma right here in sh reason why Carolina is trailing in
This game albe it only by three Oklahoma just shooting 35% from the floor after they got off to a fast start to with a nice look below the level of the screen and then comes off the screen with a change of pace she do it again I yep that combination
T four turnovers in less than three minutes during which time no field goals until quiet night so far got around Kelly left it well short espie comes away with the board her her fourth of the night she going to go Coast to Coast no cut off gets the shot up anyway and
Then dinar ski North Carolina is guarding Aubrey Jones very well cuz she’s a 45% three-point shooter so they’re running her off the three-point line and make her dribble into her shots she is the best three-point shooter by percentage and makes for Oklahoma yeah she’s getting shut out so far at the
Second leading scorer on the SE Asia Kelly back at the free throw line and so they’re winning in other way 9 and2 coverage tips at 6:30 Eastern 5:30 Central right here on E that game Bron Rico with her Michigan W Marines nice recovery Scott was able to shovel it
Over to Johnson who has six quick points in this quarter now you got to get on straight line drive with that basket offensive board by Nar who is a North Carolina native and then JJ Kelly maybe the only EV evidence that she’s under the weather she’s not been good at the free throw
[Applause] line rest of the has Miss nine of their 11 shots combined boy Oklahoma they’re not lighting it up sets the screen Kelly with a clear [Applause] shot after Scott hit the deck and now U can hold it for the final shot of the half [Applause] Collins for on the opposite
Block Zaya gets the rebound and North Carolina held Oklahoma to only 13 points in that second quarter’s see what the coaches have in mind for more let’s go over to myON medf yeah North Carolina’s coach bangard said what we all saw it was the turnovers said we’re playing good enough we’re not
Playing well enough said we take care of the turnovers things to turn around for us and Coach Baron said we’ got to have better ball movement good job but however that is the third foul on Maria gagang who only played eight minutes eight minutes in
The first half cuz she picked up two and the offense seemed to not skip a beat well she clogs it up a little bit and they were double teaming her so without her on the floor it opened up usby and Deja Kelly to drive combined usby and deia 12 of 18
For 67% the rest of the team in the first half just two of 11 for 18% but usby really asserting herself especially in that second quarter [Applause] and three off the mark usby everywhere seems like there’s three usies that goes in for Paris well she has an incredible
Will to rebound and she crashes every time are great rebounders born or made made and a lot of it is self selfmade right absolutely it’s a desire to go get the basketball WB certainly has that Carolina up by three that dang gets her first points interesting that coach banghart
Decided to keep her in playing with those three personal fouls Carolina has extended its lead to five its largest of the evening the three ball has not been falling for the Sooners van has spent a lot of time on the floor Oklahoma they shoot about 33% and
Hit nine per game one of 16 now well if you believe in the percentages you got to believe that they just need to get the break the seal on the hoop one for 16 by the way 6% Paris driving and [Applause] finishing there’s a trust but you also
Got to know your player whether they’re fatigued what the opponent might do has anybody attacked her on the defensive end they have not and you can’t turn the switch off for her she’s going to the glass right es plays only one way Kelly drives nailed the 18 in the
First half which is what she needed to get to that Mark wow 13 straight misses for U Dan three for 10 and Jones hasn’t been able to get going either because of the way they shoot the three on most nights they’re really not out Alysa usby started the game but had
18 points in the first half two so far here in the third quarter and finally okarski flipping nice penetration I’ll tell you what she has been a terrific portal pickup for North Carolina 12 Defensive Player of the Year a couple of years ago all defensive last year been Ashley Jones more of a
Facilitator there and Coach bangard talk about how she wanted her to look for her shot more not be not Dem too much or defer too much shot clock winding down [Applause] a chance for ver Hol and she just got it [Applause] in Hol into double figures oh boy and that’s Skyler van
Cannot commit that foul no she cannot fifth team foul so as you mentioned it send zah to the line where she is two for four this [Applause] Season 3.1 seconds left to go tot to Jones quick release and just off the there obviously and then the triplets and she got drafted in the W and then she had the babies and she came back and played the vi and her two brothers and her two brothers who also play college
Basketball but boy Helen darling was just a terrific player for Penn State and as you mentioned she had triplets and then came back and played in the NBA Oklahoma is not shooting the ball well Deb anelli so they got to find other ways and they’re not getting to the free
Throw line either so maybe they need to get a little bit more ball reversal and get North Carolina a half a pass late on a close out and drive them Oklahoma one of 22 from three-point range gari ke little step back underneath and a foul drawn Co now has four personal she heads
To the bench needs to find a way to generate more possessions right they just that that would be one way if they could get that rebound usually transition is one of their and Sedona Prince at 67 I think is one of the best bigs in the country he’s got a couple really key
Transfers at TCU and B2 will be will have a much different look next year with Oklahoma and Texas there’s going to be a lump of coal in her stocking I mean she just is not in the mood right now and she’s an 81% free throw shooter they haven’t been
Able that’s overall just in the second half before they take a Christmas break as Kelly heads to the free throw line just there’s there’s not much of a a takeaway for Oklahoma from this now North Carolina I think they followed a plan they had a scout they did a good
Job uh and still missing Cale mcferson andaya Kelly has usby just committed 12 down on ESPN plus over 275 basketball games with the price of nation Baylor TCU exciting times in the Big 12 this year and then don’t discount Iowa State Bill Finley’s got a couple of good-looking freshman in Audi krooks
It’s going to be a tough check just six points and did not score check that seven points her only score in the second half was a free throw she did come up shooting because they’re hanging on to this 14-point lead Oklahoma shot it if they hit a
Couple of Threes in a row they can put some game pressure on North [Applause] Carolina North Carolina will be off into of New Year’s Eve when they play Clemson opening things up in the ACC Mari Robinson right player the oh yeah Mari Robinson can [Applause] ball Parris off class good
Finish that’s the first possession or one of only a few in the second half that you’ve seen ball movement you know from Oklahoma approaching midnight here on the East Coast Kelly hanging on will they get a shot off in time they do but [Applause] [Applause] Paris or do that it’s just playing ball I like her par [Applause] two for top har pushing it up a little bit Kelly the veteran slows things [Applause] down nature Kelly need to be careful with that off arm she’s been slapping away a lot of Oklahoma’s hands as they
The are like no there’s no foul there garski front rims it usby picks up another rebound smart play right there by Paris not to shoot it y us kicked it out right away runs some clock clock awareness usby with 13 rebounds to go along with 15 points three
Blocks at the off office for usby gang with the shot clock expiring the night that Jenny branek expected from her team an important win on the resume though for North Carolina moving forward big one for them burol another whistle and for Courtney banghard it’s an important win because I
Think Oklahoma’s going to be a threat in the sits down van now at the free throw line but what a night 26% from the floor for Oklahoma including an astonishing one of 26 from three they hit their first three and then missed 25 in a row as they fall
61- 52 North Carolina goes to eight and four on the season
