Following two strong performances in her team’s wins over No. 13 Duke and Georgia Tech, UNC women’s basketball junior wing Alyssa Ustby was named the National Player of the Week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association on Tuesday.

Ustby averaged 16.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in Carolina’s wins over the Blue Devils and Yellow Jackets, the team’s fourth and fifth in a row. Against Duke, Ustby’s 10-point, 5-5 shooting third quarter helped UNC take the lead and hold on for a 61-56 win. Afterward, Ustby and head coach Courtney Banghart both noted the junior had been feeling so ill she’d been hooked to an IV earlier that day, but recovered enough to play 39 minutes.

Ustby was efficient once again against Georgia Tech, scoring 17 points on 7-10 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds. She shot 71.4 percent across the two games.

Ustby is currently averaging 13.8 points per game on the season and leads the Tar Heels in rebounding with 9.0 per game. Her field goal percentage of 52.4 and 1.3 blocks per game both rank in the ACC’s top 10.

Ustby and the Tar Heels will be back in action Thursday night when they take on Pittsburgh. The game is set to tip off at 6 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jerome M. Ibrahim

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