University of North Carolina Athletics
Taylor Koenen and the Tar Heels open the season Friday afternoon.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
GoHeels Exclusive: Five Things To Watch For
November 10, 2017 | Women's Basketball, Featured Writers
by Pat James
For the first time since the 1991-92 season, the North Carolina women's basketball teams enters this year's campaign on the heels of back-to-back losing seasons.
Injuries and transfers crippled the Tar Heels in that span. But behind a few veteran leaders and an influx of talented freshmen, Sylvia Hatchell said she believes this year's squad could spark a resurgence.
"That was tough," said Hatchell of the past two seasons, which UNC finished a combined 29-34. "But hopefully all of that is behind us. I think they're really anxious to prove themselves, to realize, 'Hey, we're better. We've got some missing pieces of the puzzle right now; we've got some kids who are going to make us better.'"
Hatchell and the Tar Heels will see if that holds true when they open the season Friday against Hampton. The game tips off at 3:30 p.m. inside Carmichael Arena.
Here are five things to watch for as UNC begins its season:
Added size
Over the past two seasons, perhaps the Tar Heels' most glaring weakness has been the lack of a reliable post presence. But freshmen Janelle Bailey and Jaelynn Murray will likely change that.
Bailey, a McDonald's All-American at Charlotte's Providence Day School, was selected to the ACC Newcomer Watch List. At 6-foot-4, she showed she can be a force inside during UNC's two exhibitions, scoring 28 total points on 13-of-22 shooting. She's also demonstrated strong passing skills.
"Janelle is so good," Hatchell said, "that if they double her like they did in one of the exhibition games … she'll just look and throw it out to (the guards) and they'll get an open shot."
Murray, the 2016-17 Gatorade South Carolina Player of the Year, hasn't been quite as steady during the exhibitions. She scored six points on 3-for-7 shooting and committed five turnovers against Wingate on Nov. 1. She then finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds against Mount Olive on Monday.
"She makes freshman mistakes," Hatchell said, "but she also can do some things where you go, 'Oh, wow.' She's going to be good; she just needs time."
Defensive emphasis
Bailey and Murray's impact might be the most profound on defense.
Last season, opponents averaged 72.1 points against the Tar Heels, who ranked 319th nationally in scoring defense. That and the 36.55 rebounds UNC averaged last season were the worst marks in at least the past 20 seasons.
"We were small," Hatchell said, "and it was the worst rebounding team I've ever had because we were small and we weren't athletic … Defense and rebounding are the areas we can improve the most in, and we have really, really worked on that, more so than before.
"Last year, our emphasis was on our offensive skills, which we worked on all of the time. But we've really done a lot more work defensively in practice and everything."
A dynamic duo
Freshman and sophomores account for 10 of the 14 players on the Tar Heels' roster. By percentage (71.4), they boast the eighth most underclassmen in the country.
But the young team finds leadership in Jamie Cherry and Paris Kea.
Cherry, who will play in her 99th straight game Friday, led UNC with a 37.7 3-point shooting percentage last season. Hatchell said she's challenged Cherry, the team's only senior, to drive more and also be more vocal.
"You know she can shoot, and she's really good at reading screens and coming off screens," Hatchell said. "Just trying to get her to be more vocal because leadership is huge, especially at the next level. I told her, 'Jamie, they all know you can shoot. You have that reputation. What they want to see is your leadership and defense.'"
Because of the Tar Heels' lack of size, Kea, 5-foot-9, played power forward last season. In that role, she ranked first in the ACC in minutes played (36.2), fourth in field goals made (221) and fifth in scoring (17.2).
Kea has been playing on the wing so far in practice and the exhibitions. She's also backing up Cherry at point guard, where she could see more chances to create her own shot.
"Her mid-range game is as good as anybody's in the country," Hatchell said.
'A Larry Bird-type player'
In UNC's final five games of last season, Taylor Koenen averaged 10 points and a team-best 7.4 rebounds. She continued producing in the team's exhibitions, averaging 15.5 points and 5 rebounds.
Hatchell said Koenen spent every day in the gym during the summer. She specifically focused on her shot. But it's other aspects of Koenen's game, such as her rebounding and defense, that Hatchell said makes her a key player at small and power forward.
"She reminds me of like a Larry Bird-type player," Hatchell said, "because she's versatile, she goes and does things that really help you be a really good team. She doesn't get credit for a lot of things, but yet, she's just a utility player who's not real flashy but solid."
Staying healthy
Koenen will be even more important for the Tar Heels early on, as juniors Stephanie Watts and Destinee Walker continue recovering from injuries they sustained last season.
Walker missed the final nine games of last season because of her injury. Watts sat out the final five. Hatchell said both have experienced some pain as they've rehabbed and there's currently no timetable for their returns.
Until UNC's fully healthy, the team could be difficult to evaluate.
"We've had more in the last two years than we had in 10 years," said Hatchell of the team's injuries. "I'm just hoping this will be a year where, 'OK, we've paid our price, we've paid our dues with injuries.'"
For the first time since the 1991-92 season, the North Carolina women's basketball teams enters this year's campaign on the heels of back-to-back losing seasons.
Injuries and transfers crippled the Tar Heels in that span. But behind a few veteran leaders and an influx of talented freshmen, Sylvia Hatchell said she believes this year's squad could spark a resurgence.
"That was tough," said Hatchell of the past two seasons, which UNC finished a combined 29-34. "But hopefully all of that is behind us. I think they're really anxious to prove themselves, to realize, 'Hey, we're better. We've got some missing pieces of the puzzle right now; we've got some kids who are going to make us better.'"
Hatchell and the Tar Heels will see if that holds true when they open the season Friday against Hampton. The game tips off at 3:30 p.m. inside Carmichael Arena.
Here are five things to watch for as UNC begins its season:
Added size
Over the past two seasons, perhaps the Tar Heels' most glaring weakness has been the lack of a reliable post presence. But freshmen Janelle Bailey and Jaelynn Murray will likely change that.
Bailey, a McDonald's All-American at Charlotte's Providence Day School, was selected to the ACC Newcomer Watch List. At 6-foot-4, she showed she can be a force inside during UNC's two exhibitions, scoring 28 total points on 13-of-22 shooting. She's also demonstrated strong passing skills.
"Janelle is so good," Hatchell said, "that if they double her like they did in one of the exhibition games … she'll just look and throw it out to (the guards) and they'll get an open shot."
Murray, the 2016-17 Gatorade South Carolina Player of the Year, hasn't been quite as steady during the exhibitions. She scored six points on 3-for-7 shooting and committed five turnovers against Wingate on Nov. 1. She then finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds against Mount Olive on Monday.
"She makes freshman mistakes," Hatchell said, "but she also can do some things where you go, 'Oh, wow.' She's going to be good; she just needs time."
Defensive emphasis
Bailey and Murray's impact might be the most profound on defense.
Last season, opponents averaged 72.1 points against the Tar Heels, who ranked 319th nationally in scoring defense. That and the 36.55 rebounds UNC averaged last season were the worst marks in at least the past 20 seasons.
"We were small," Hatchell said, "and it was the worst rebounding team I've ever had because we were small and we weren't athletic … Defense and rebounding are the areas we can improve the most in, and we have really, really worked on that, more so than before.
"Last year, our emphasis was on our offensive skills, which we worked on all of the time. But we've really done a lot more work defensively in practice and everything."
A dynamic duo
Freshman and sophomores account for 10 of the 14 players on the Tar Heels' roster. By percentage (71.4), they boast the eighth most underclassmen in the country.
But the young team finds leadership in Jamie Cherry and Paris Kea.
Cherry, who will play in her 99th straight game Friday, led UNC with a 37.7 3-point shooting percentage last season. Hatchell said she's challenged Cherry, the team's only senior, to drive more and also be more vocal.
"You know she can shoot, and she's really good at reading screens and coming off screens," Hatchell said. "Just trying to get her to be more vocal because leadership is huge, especially at the next level. I told her, 'Jamie, they all know you can shoot. You have that reputation. What they want to see is your leadership and defense.'"
Because of the Tar Heels' lack of size, Kea, 5-foot-9, played power forward last season. In that role, she ranked first in the ACC in minutes played (36.2), fourth in field goals made (221) and fifth in scoring (17.2).
Kea has been playing on the wing so far in practice and the exhibitions. She's also backing up Cherry at point guard, where she could see more chances to create her own shot.
"Her mid-range game is as good as anybody's in the country," Hatchell said.
'A Larry Bird-type player'
In UNC's final five games of last season, Taylor Koenen averaged 10 points and a team-best 7.4 rebounds. She continued producing in the team's exhibitions, averaging 15.5 points and 5 rebounds.
Hatchell said Koenen spent every day in the gym during the summer. She specifically focused on her shot. But it's other aspects of Koenen's game, such as her rebounding and defense, that Hatchell said makes her a key player at small and power forward.
"She reminds me of like a Larry Bird-type player," Hatchell said, "because she's versatile, she goes and does things that really help you be a really good team. She doesn't get credit for a lot of things, but yet, she's just a utility player who's not real flashy but solid."
Staying healthy
Koenen will be even more important for the Tar Heels early on, as juniors Stephanie Watts and Destinee Walker continue recovering from injuries they sustained last season.
Walker missed the final nine games of last season because of her injury. Watts sat out the final five. Hatchell said both have experienced some pain as they've rehabbed and there's currently no timetable for their returns.
Until UNC's fully healthy, the team could be difficult to evaluate.
"We've had more in the last two years than we had in 10 years," said Hatchell of the team's injuries. "I'm just hoping this will be a year where, 'OK, we've paid our price, we've paid our dues with injuries.'"
Players Mentioned
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