Career night from Deja Kelly lifts UNC women's basketball to 81-62 win over Clemson

Shooting slumps are hard to get out of in basketball. 

Missing one shot after another, a player may soon come to think that they’ll never make another shot for the rest of the game. However, finally seeing the ball go through the net can sometimes spark one out of a cold start. But how?

Free throws. 

There’s no defense, little pressure and ten seconds to shoot the “free” shot from about 15 feet from the basket.

This was the case for North Carolina sophomore guard Deja Kelly against Clemson Sunday, who stepped up to the free throw line after being fouled on a 3-point shot late in the second quarter.

Before being fouled, Kelly had started the game 2-10 from the field, uncharacteristic for her role as the team’s leading scorer. 

“If the ball’s not going in for me early on in the game, I do my best to facilitate,” Kelly said. “If I need to see the ball go through the hoop, I get to the free throw line.”

And she did just that, cashing in all three of her free throws and sparking her offense prowess. During the next few possessions, Kelly made a smooth, step-back jumper and a 3-point shot, equalizing her two made baskets from the previous quarter and a half in a matter of two minutes.

But the night was far from over for Kelly.

When the final horn sounded, the sophomore standout finished the game with a career-high 31 points to lead the now No. 19 North Carolina to an 81-62 victory over Clemson.

Coming out of the halftime break, Kelly was nearly unstoppable. Mid-range jumpers, deep 3-pointers and calculated drives all helped Kelly score 18 points in the second half.

As Kelly continued to score at will, head coach Courtney Banghart attributed the sophomore’s success to all her hard work and dedication to perfecting her craft.

“She’s really matured and invested in this game,” Banghart said. “She’s in the gym all the time.”

Yet, the young guard’s career night wasn’t the only eye-catching stat in the box score. On the defensive end, the Tar Heels forced 25 turnovers.

This effort seemed to start from the jump, as defensive intensity appeared to be a focal point for North Carolina. This intensity was led by sophomore guard Kennedy Todd-Williams, whose active hands and willingness to dive for loose balls helped her rack up five steals.

“Individually we have really good defenders,” Banghart said. “I think ‘Toddy’ is the best defender I’ve ever coached.”

The grit seen by Todd-Williams, and the team, helped the Tar Heels clamp down on the defensive end.

“We came out punching,” Todd-Williams said. “We were really locked in defensively.”

But, being “locked in” wasn't the only reason for Tar Heels’ success on the defensive end. The accountability displayed by the Tar Heels — a team that starts four sophomores — allowed them to play more maturely than their experience might suggest. 

“We have a really strong sophomore class that has worked really hard in the off season,” Kelly said. “We’ve connected really well with our graduate players. We really don’t have any other choice but to be mature.”

The collectiveness and maturity seen on both ends of the floor helped the young Tar Heels improve to 13-0 heading into a marquee road matchup against No. 5 N.C. State on Thursday. 

But on Sunday night, when many players had solid performances, it was Kelly that stood above the rest.

“I think it was Deja’s best game as a Tar Heel," Banghart said. "And she’s had a handful of them."

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com