University of North Carolina Athletics

Deja Kelly has been named ACC Player of the Week.
Photo by: Faith Varga
Kelly Named ACC Player Of The Week
November 28, 2022 | Women's Basketball
GREENSBORO, N.C. – North Carolina guard Deja Kelly has capped a standout weekend with Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week honors, the league announced on Monday.
Kelly averaged 23 points, six rebounds and 5.5 assists per game as UNC beat No. 18 Oregon and No. 5 Iowa State to win the championship at the Phil Knight Invitational. Kelly was honored as the PKI MVP as the Tar Heels staged a pair of late comebacks to take the title.
In Thursday's 85-79 win against the Ducks, Kelly scored 17 points, matched her season high with seven assists, and turned the ball over just once in 39 minutes of play.
On Sunday against the Cyclones, she scored a season-high 29 points, including 22 after halftime as the Tar Heels overcame a 17-point deficit to win by nine, 73-64. She also had a season-high eight rebounds along with four assists and no turnovers in 37 minutes.
For the season she's averaging a team-high 17.8 points, fifth in the ACC. She leads the league in assist-turnover ratio (3.67) and ranks sixth in assists (4.4 per game).
It's the second time in her career she's earned Player of the Week honors – she also was recognized in February of 2022, near the end of her sophomore season.
Next up for the 6-0 Tar Heels, who moved up to sixth in this week's Associated Press poll, is a third-straight road matchup with a ranked team. Carolina travels to Bloomington, Ind., this week to take on the fifth-ranked Hoosiers Thursday evening in ACC-Big Ten Challenge play.
Kelly averaged 23 points, six rebounds and 5.5 assists per game as UNC beat No. 18 Oregon and No. 5 Iowa State to win the championship at the Phil Knight Invitational. Kelly was honored as the PKI MVP as the Tar Heels staged a pair of late comebacks to take the title.
In Thursday's 85-79 win against the Ducks, Kelly scored 17 points, matched her season high with seven assists, and turned the ball over just once in 39 minutes of play.
On Sunday against the Cyclones, she scored a season-high 29 points, including 22 after halftime as the Tar Heels overcame a 17-point deficit to win by nine, 73-64. She also had a season-high eight rebounds along with four assists and no turnovers in 37 minutes.
For the season she's averaging a team-high 17.8 points, fifth in the ACC. She leads the league in assist-turnover ratio (3.67) and ranks sixth in assists (4.4 per game).
It's the second time in her career she's earned Player of the Week honors – she also was recognized in February of 2022, near the end of her sophomore season.
Next up for the 6-0 Tar Heels, who moved up to sixth in this week's Associated Press poll, is a third-straight road matchup with a ranked team. Carolina travels to Bloomington, Ind., this week to take on the fifth-ranked Hoosiers Thursday evening in ACC-Big Ten Challenge play.
Players Mentioned
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