Junior wing Alyssa Ustby said there is nothing like being in Chapel Hill.
After playing their first three games at home, the North Carolina women’s basketball team went on a road trip with included stops in Portland as well as Bloomington, Ind. This week, the team won 64-42 win over UNC Wilmington — and nobody was happier than Ustby.
“It feels like home to all of us who come from many states away," she said. "It’s just great to play in front of our fans and the energy, there’s nothing like it.”
Ustby rebounded from an uncharacteristic 4-for-15 shooting performance against Indiana, a game in which she scored single-digit points for the first time all year.
In the win, Ustby shot 80 percent from the field and led UNC in both points and rebounds with 16 and 10, respectively, to notch her third double-double of the year.
“It’s hard to keep Alyssa down,” head coach Courtney Banghart said. “She didn’t play well against Indiana. She watched film and was in my office and was able to regroup. She’s an experienced player, she’s more comfortable with the ball in her hands. Alyssa’s a kid you roll with good or bad or ugly.”
Despite Ustby's proficiency, the rest of the team struggled to knock down shots, recording just 16 makes at a 32 percent clip.
6-foot-4 UNCW center Lexi Jackson challenged the Tar Heels, recording six blocks. With Jackson locking down the paint, UNC had their second-lowest scoring output of the season.
“Tonight, I think when I break down the offense, I’m not sure I’ll love the shots that we got,” Banghart said. “That’s something that this experienced team has to figure out. We want to get great shots and our shooting percentage will improve when that happens.”
