North Carolina’s Alyssa Ustby (1) celebrates with fans after UNC’s 58-47 victory over West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, N.C., Monday, March 24, 2025. Ethan Hyman [email protected]
Chapel Hill, NC
The first half, as ugly as it was, made one thing clear: it was going to be that kind of game. A rock fight. A slugfest. An all-out brawl. By halftime, both North Carolina and West Virginia had combined for more turnovers than made field goals.
In the final seconds of the first quarter, with the score tied, UNC graduate transfer Grace Townsend was positioned in front of the WVU bench. She held the ball above her head, looking for a pass inside. Mountaineer junior guard Jordan Harrison reached up, slapping the ball out of Townsend’s grasp. It tipped between the two of them before Harrison grabbed the ball firmly with two hands and, as she was on the brink of falling out of bounds, threw it off Townsend.
Possession: West Virginia.
After earning a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season, No. 3 seed North Carolina fended off a feisty No. 6-seeded West Virginia team, 58-47, in a highly physical contest Monday night at Carmichael Arena. With the win, the Tar Heels advance to their 19th Sweet 16, and first since the 2022 season.
UNC small forward Alyssa Ustby — who became the leading rebounder in program history in the Tar Heels’ 70-49 first-round victory over No. 14 seed Oregon State on Saturday — had another big game on Monday. She led North Carolina with 21 points on 7-for-11 shooting, seven rebounds and a team-best four steals.
Ustby’s 21 points are her second-highest game total this season and the most points she’s recorded in a game since November — a fitting final game at home for the fifth-year player.
Sixteen of Ustby’s points came in the second half, where she played a prominent role in North Carolina’s game-deciding 16-3 run. That stretch started with just over three minutes to play in the third quarter after sophomore Reniya Kelly tied the game at 33-33 with a jumper. Graduate sharpshooter Lexi Donarski followed that up with a three-pointer in transition to go up by three.
From there, Ustby went to work. She scored a layup with two minutes remaining in the third quarter. On the next possession, the small forward earned a trip to the foul line and sank both free throws to put UNC up by seven.
WVU senior guard Kyah Watson responded with a layup, and then Ustby drew another foul and trip to the line, sinking one of her free throws.
North Carolina’s Alyssa Ustby (1) hugs head coach Courtney Banghart in the final minute of UNC’s 58-47 victory over West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, N.C., Monday, March 24, 2025. Ethan Hyman [email protected]
After North Carolina junior guard Indya Nivar ended the third quarter with a flashy euro-step finish in transition, Ustby continued to help the Tar Heels add to their lead in the fourth quarter. The referees played a role as well, no doubt. To open the final quarter, five fouls were called on the Mountaineers in a minute.
The last of those whistles was the most damning.
North Carolina’s Lexi Donarski (20) prepares to shoot as West Virginia’s Kyah Watson (32) defends during the first half of UNC’s game against West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, N.C., Monday, March 24, 2025. Ethan Hyman [email protected]
That call sent fifth-year Kylee Blacksten — a starting forward for West Virginia — to the bench with five fouls after she body-checked Ustby on a baseline drive. Several North Carolina fans stood, smiled and waved goodbye to Blacksten as she checked out of the game for the last time.
Ustby sank the next two free throws. In the crowd, her father, Todd, held up two fingers. His daughter followed that up by blocking Harrison, then racing out for a fast-break layup to put North Carolina up by 11 points — its largest lead of the game. West Virginia struggled to respond. In the final minutes, UNC visibly slowed its pace of play to drain out the clock before Kelly delivered the hammer.
West Virginia’s Jordan Harrison (10) knocks the ball from North Carolina’s Grace Townsend (2) during the first half of UNC’s game against West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, N.C., Monday, March 24, 2025. Ethan Hyman [email protected]
Her 3-pointer with 1:16 to play, gave the Tar Heels a 12-point lead at 46-44. WVU called a 30-second timeout, to which Kelly yelled and threw her fist in celebration.
With the victory, North Carolina moves on to face rival and No. 2 seed Duke in Birmingham, Alabama, on Friday in the Sweet 16. The Blue Devils advanced Sunday with a 59-53 win over former North Carolina guard Deja Kelly and No. 10 seed Oregon.
The longtime ACC rivals will be meeting in the NCAA Tournament for the first time.
This story was originally published March 24, 2025 at 9:29 PM.
