Top performers in UNC's opening win over JSU

Four Tar Heels stood out in their 91-59 opening win over Jackson State on Wednesday.

No. 12 UNC put on an absolute clinic in its 91-59 victory over Jackson State on Wednesday. 

Four Tar Heels scored in double figures as the team shot 58 percent from the field and recorded 20 total assists. 

They played exceptionally well on defense, too, swiping 16 steals and swatting seven JSU shot attempts. 

The Tar Heels' performance was impressive considering JSU was a quality opponent for the first game. The Tigers are the favorites to win the SWAC, and returned 10 players from its 2021-22 conference championship team, bringing a team full of experience to Carmichael Arena.

UNC came in with plenty of veterans too, and the Tar Heels' returners, along with one new face, brought some of their best in the win. 

Here are the top performers from Wednesday night. 

Kennedy Todd-Williams

Junior guard Kennedy Todd-Williams has improved in every one of her seasons as a Tar Heel and is now one of the team's top offensive threats. 

She led the team in scoring with 20 points and nine rebounds in the opener, shooting 7-14 from the floor and 50 percent from three. 

Todd-Williams also played well on defense with two steals and two blocks. 

Alyssa Ustby

Ustby was nearly perfect from floor, hitting 90 percent of her FG attempts for 19 points. 

She recorded her sixteenth double-double of her career by also grabbing 10 rebounds. 

On the defensive end, she was highly active with two steals and three blocks. 

Eva Hodgson

Eva Hodgson couldn't miss to start the game, making her first five shots in her first start at UNC. 

Hodgson finished with 13 points, six rebounds, and tied with Ustby for a team high five assists. 

She also held up her end defensively, recording two steals, and she thrived in head coach Courtney Banghart's small starting lineup. 

Paulina Paris

First-year guard Paulina Paris made her UNC debut off the bench and couldn't have asked for a better first impression. 

She showed immediate confidence, shooting 5-13 from the floor and attempting the most three-pointers than anyone on the team. 

Paris recorded 13 points, four assists and three steals against JSU, and first bucket as a Tar Heel came on a three-pointer assisted by Hodgson early in the second quarter. 

The Tar Heels will look to go 2-0 against TCU on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Carmichael Arena.