Return of Reniya Kelly, Alyssa Ustby launches UNC past FSU in ACC quarterfinals

Alyssa Ustby and Reniya Kelly last shared the court 19 days ago versus N.C. State. 

Against the Wolfpack, Ustby checked out of the opening minutes with a lower-body injury and didn't return. The injury kept her out until Thursday's ACC tournament quarterfinal win over Boston College. 

Kelly missed three consecutive games following the N.C. State win. Without the sophomore guard, UNC went 1-2 through those matches. 

But both players took the court on Friday, helping the Tar Heels against the nation's leading offense. 

“By having them back," junior guard Indya Nivar said, "we just felt completed again."

In No. 5 seed North Carolina’s 60-56 upset over No. 4 seed Florida State, Ustby and Kelly came up big in the ACC women's basketball tournament quarterfinals on Friday afternoon in First Horizon Coliseum. In her first game back, Kelly scored the last two field goals for UNC, while Ustby recorded 12 points, 18 rebounds and five assists. With two integral parts of the team healthy again, the Tar Heels advanced to the ACC semifinals for the first time since 2014. 

Prior to her return to the floor, Kelly became a vocal leader during huddles even while confined to the sidelines. She motivated her teammates.

But it wasn't the role Kelly wanted.

“It was very depressing to say the least,” Kelly said. “I really wanted to play with my team and go to war with them every night.”

In her first game back, Kelly played 27 minutes. She missed 10 of her first 13 field goal attempts. She struggled. Well, at least, until crunch time. 

With over a minute remaining, Kelly dribbled, finishing a layup through traffic to put UNC ahead, 56-54. Then, she canned a jumper from the free throw line on the next possession, making it a four-point game with 20 seconds left. 

Both plays were drawn up for Kelly.

She didn't let the prior misses sway her confidence or make her hesitant. 

“To see her come in and be what we need, when we need it,” head coach Courtney Banghart said, “[That's] just Reniya Kelly.”

Ustby was also alongside Kelly throughout the game. 

The forward tied her career-high in rebounds. She grabbed seven in the fourth quarter. Ustby attempted to rip the ball from Seminoles at every turn. She got so into in the first quarter that she even fought her teammate, first-year center Blanca Thomas, for an offensive board. The 6-foot-5 Thomas landed on the hardwood, and Ustby came up with the rebound. 

UNC out-rebounded the Seminoles 53-40, which led to a 21-2 advantage in second chance points for North Carolina.

The Seminoles average over 88 points per game, but North Carolina held them to a season-low 56 points. UNC also kept the country’s leading scorer, Ta’Niya Latson, to just 13 points on 3-of-14 shooting. 

The Tar Heels fell to FSU in their previous meeting in January. Latson scored the game-winning buzzer-beater layup in Carmichael Arena. This time, the guard went 1-for-5 in the fourth quarter. 

UNC has been prepared to settle the score since that home-court loss. 

“That hasn’t sat right with us for so long,” Ustby said. 

And thanks to Kelly and Ustby, North Carolina got its revenge. 

"I've been working to try to get back," Kelly said. "Now I'm back, and it's time to win games." 

@meganosmithh

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