Reniya Kelly Finds Her Rhythm, Lifts UNC to Gritty Win Over Miami
CHAPEL HILL - For most of this season, Reniya Kelly’s impact on North Carolina hasn’t been measured by points or percentages. Her stat line rarely told the full story - until Thursday night.
In a game where UNC struggled to find its shooting touch, Kelly delivered her best performance of the year, dropping a career-high 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting - including a scorching 4-of-5 from beyond the arc - to lead the Tar Heels to a 73-62 win over Miami. It was a gritty, grind-it-out ACC battle, and Kelly was the steady hand that guided UNC through it.
Coming into the night, Kelly’s numbers didn’t jump off the page - 4.4 points per game on just 24.1% shooting. But those numbers came with context: a player still working her way back from injury, often limited in practice, still asked to lead, defend, and stabilize a young roster. Her offensive rhythm had been slow to return, but her presence never wavered.
Against Miami, that rhythm finally showed up - and it changed everything.
From the jump, Kelly looked locked in. She opened the game a perfect 4-for-4, giving UNC an early jolt of offense while the rest of the team tried to find its footing. She didn’t force the issue - she read the defense, stepped into open looks, and made Miami pay for giving her space.
“You really never know,” Kelly said after the game. “You just have to keep shooting. I practiced those shots, so I was in rhythm.”
That rhythm had been elusive. Over the past few weeks, Kelly had been logging heavy minutes - eight points at Notre Dame, nine against Stanford and Cal, nine at Boston College, eight versus Charleston Southern - but the scoring hadn’t quite clicked.
The looks were there, but the comfort wasn’t. Still, her head coach, Courtney Banghart, never lost faith.
“She never left,” Banghart said. “She’s been leading our team even when she’s been in a bit of a shooting slump.”
Banghart pointed to the bigger picture - Kelly’s injury earlier in the season had limited her practice time, forcing her to find her timing during games instead of on the practice court. That’s a tough ask for any player, especially one tasked with leading a young team. But Kelly stayed present, stayed engaged, and waited for her moment.
Thursday night was that moment.
Her efficiency didn’t just boost the box score - it anchored UNC’s offense on a night when little else was falling. The Tar Heels shot just 38.4% from the field and 25.9% from three, but they protected the ball, battled for second-chance opportunities, and made the most of their possessions. Kelly’s shot-making turned those possessions into momentum.
And those four threes? Each one felt like a breakthrough. Not just for the scoreboard, but for a player who’s kept grinding through the noise, the misses, and the minutes without letting it shake her.
“It’s never been about her,” Banghart said. “It’s about winning.”
Kelly echoed that mindset.
“I’m not trying to look at scoring,” she said. “I’m just trying to win every game.”
But nights like this matter. They’re the payoff for the work behind the scenes - the rehab, the film, the reps that don’t show up in the final score. They’re a reminder of what Kelly looks like when she’s confident, in rhythm, and fully herself.
UNC may not shoot this poorly again. Or maybe they will. But if Kelly has truly found her groove, the Tar Heels just raised their ceiling.
On a night when UNC needed someone to step up, Reniya Kelly answered the call - and carried them to a win.