Women’s Basketball Signs Four Experienced Transfers

meangreenfaninno · May 2

DENTON, Texas – The UNT women’s basketball program received signatures from four established players who will join the Mean Green in the 2024-25 season.

Guards Kyla Deck from Stephen F. Austin and Gia Adams from UTA will bolster the UNT backcourt, while the Mean Green will also welcome forwards Jaelyn Talley, who played two seasons at Stetson, and UTEP’s Adhel Tac. They will join Louisiana Tech transfer Amaya Brannon and high school signees Chania Price and Gwendlyn McGrew in UNT’s 2024 signing class.

Jaelyn Talley I 6-0 I Forward I Fairfax, Va./Stetson

Talley was the first of the four to commit and sign to Burton and the staff. The forward started 48 games and appeared in 54 over her freshman and sophomore seasons at Stetson.

A ferocious offensive rebounder, Talley led the Atlantic Sun Conference with 111 offensive boards and ranked in the 98^th percentile among Division I players in offensive rebounds per game as a sophomore. She averaged 8.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 47% from the field.

During the 2022-23 season, she notched 10.2 points per game and grabbed 124 total rebounds. She scored in double figures 21 times as a true freshman, including a career-high 20 points against Queens (NC).

Quoting UNT head coach Jason Burton:

“Jaelyn is an important piece to this class. She brings a toughness that we need in a league as competitive as the American Athletic Conference. Her talent aligns with our vision of success for how we want to play, and I’m excited for her growth in our program.”

Gia Adams I 5-7 I Guard I Cypress, Texas/UTA

Adams will play her final season in Denton after spending two years at Tennessee State University and the 2023-24 campaign at UT Arlington where she was an All-WAC First Team honoree. A proven scorer who has averaged over 12 points per game in each of her three seasons will provide an instant scoring option in the backcourt for North Texas.

During her lone season with the Lady Mavericks, Adams started all 33 games and averaged 14.5 points, 3.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Her 45.0 field goal percentage was the fourth best mark in the conference, while also shooting 37% on 3-point attempts and 82% at the free throw line. She dropped a season-high 30 points against California Baptist and also performed at a high level against Power Five opponents, scoring 20 points against Texas and 15 points at Colorado.

Originally from Cypress, Texas, Adams ended up at Tennessee State for her first two collegiate seasons. She was named the 2021-22 Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year after averaging 12.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals over 31 games. She became just the third TSU freshman to score at least 30 points in a 33-point outing against SIUE and the first player of any year in the program to do it since 2012.

Her sophomore season saw her scoring increase to 14.1 points per game resulting in a Second Team All-OVC selection. Adams scored in double figures 20 times on the year, including five games where she produced at least 20 points.

Adams will bring a load of experience to the UNT backcourt having played in 90 games and started 89 of them. She has scored over 1,200 points in her career, has 256 assists, 223 rebounds and 137 steals.

Quoting UNT head coach Jason Burton:
“Gia is a special player that will bring speed, competitiveness, and a high level of work to our team. She is an electric player and person who values winning and relationships with her teammates and family. As a first-team all-conference player she will add great skill and experience to our team and back court.”

Kyla Deck I 5-9 I Guard I Frisco, Texas/SFA

Also joining the UNT backcourt will be metroplex native Kyla Deck. Out of Lone Star High School in Frisco, Deck played two seasons at SFA where she appeared in 64 games.

After a solid freshman season that saw her average 6.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, Deck took a huge jump in the 2023-24 season. On top of the 12.2 points per game and 3.1 assists she averaged, Deck became a lockdown defender on the perimeter for the Ladyjacks. She finished the season in the 99^th percentile and just outside the top-25 among all DI players with 2.6 steals per game.

Deck dished out a career-high seven assists at UT Arlington and notched seven steals in the season opener against Oklahoma Panhandle State. She also flashed her offensive ability against Abilene Christian when she poured in 34 points on 70% shooting.

Deck joins the North Texas program with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Quoting UNT head coach Jason Burton:

“Kyla is a dynamic guard who is ready to hit the ground running. She is an elite defender, has a high basketball IQ, and can score at every level. Equally, she is a valuable addition to our program’s culture, and I know Mean Green nation will love the leadership she brings on and off the court.”

Adhel Tac I 6-0 I Forward I Garland, Texas/UTEP

Hailing from Sachse High School in Garland, Tac was tabbed a three-star prospect by ESPN and Prospects Nation. After a year at TCU that saw her log 55 minutes of action in 14 appearances, she transferred to UTEP where she has spent the last three seasons.

Tac recorded her best season as a Miner in the 2022-23 campaign where she made 31 starts and averaged 7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. She led the team grabbing 194 rebounds and finished seventh in Conference USA in rebounds per game.

Her 2023-24 season got cut short after suffering a season-ending injury in January. Prior to that, Tac was averaging 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest. She had converted 51% of her shots and was 7-of-13 from behind-the-arc on the year.

Her sister, Acheil, played at UNT from 2012-16 and totaled 653 points and 554 rebounds in her career.

Quoting UNT head coach Jason Burton:

“Adhel is excited to be back home, and it is always special to see players experience success on and off the floor in front of friends and family. Adhel is going to be a special part of our culture and she knows what it takes to win at this level. Her ability to play multiple positions is something our staff is looking forward to and we can’t wait for her to get on campus.”

UNTLifer · May 2

Actually five.

https://meangreensports.com/news/2024/5/2/womens-basketball-womens-basketball-signs-four-experienced-transfers

Edited May 2 by UNTLifer

GrandGreen · May 2

22 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

Actually five.

https://meangreensports.com/news/2024/5/2/womens-basketball-womens-basketball-signs-four-experienced-transfers

Four signed today, looks like an excellent group. I wish the men side could do something close in recruiting. I like what Hodge has done, but nothing close to Burton.

He has thus far kept his players and added this group to them. As I posted before, kepting Lampkin was the best news on the NT basketball front.

Edited May 3 by GrandGreen

Cooley · May 3

I remember her sister Acheil Tac playing for Jalie. I wonder if she is also related to 6-5 Adhel Tac of South Grand Prairie? Just signed wIth the national champions South Carolina Gamecocks?

Venson · May 3

8 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

As I posted before, kepting Lambert was the best news on the NT basketball front.

Lambert? You mean that guy left his park ranger job to get back into the game? You better call Eric Morris. We are going to need his toughness on defense at LB.

GrandGreen · May 3

10 hours ago, Venson said:

Lambert? You mean that guy left his park ranger job to get back into the game? You better call Eric Morris. We are going to need his toughness on defense at LB.

I doubt he has any eligibility left, but I will settle for WBB Lampkin.