University of North Carolina Athletics
GoHeels Exclusive: Dancing Again In March
March 19, 2019 | Women's Basketball, Featured Writers
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
Taylor Koenen woke up Monday expecting the North Carolina women's basketball team to receive an NCAA Tournament bid, but she wasn't expecting to find out when she did.
Initially, the bracket was scheduled to be unveiled at 7 p.m. on ESPN. At that time, Koenen would be with her teammates and coaches at the Shaffer-Kenan Lounge at the Rizzo Center, where they hoped to celebrate the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015.Â
Because of a production error, though, the field was released about four hours earlier than planned. And instead of being together, the Tar Heels were scattered throughout Carmichael Arena when they learned they are the No. 9 seed in the Greensboro Regional and will play No. 8 seed California at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Waco, Texas.
Sylvia Hatchell was in her office when Bett Shelby informed her of UNC's pairing. Paris Kea, along with a few other players, was checking her phone after the team's postpractice weightlifting session. Koenen found out while stretching.
"Coach (Andrew) Calder was talking to Jason (Beaulieu) and I overheard him say we're in Waco," Koenen said. "I was like, 'Wait, you already know where we are?' And he was like, 'Yeah, it got leaked.' And I was like, 'Really?' And he was like, 'But I don't know. Maybe it will change.' So he was trying to cover it up and have it be a surprise."
But the news was unavoidable.
ESPN aired an early selection show at 5 p.m. With the suspense removed, some teams canceled their viewing parties Monday evening. UNC players still gathered at the Shaffer-Kenan Lounge, though, and celebrated their accomplishment over an impressive spread that featured pasta, nachos and chicken wings.
The reaction inside the room was somewhat subdued when Carolina's name appeared on the broadcast. But for a group of Tar Heel players who will all be participating in their first NCAA Tournament, the novelty of the event wasn't diminished.
"Even though it might not have been how we pictured it," Koenen said, "it's still fun."
"It would've been more exciting for everybody to find out all together in one setting," Kea said. "But I was just glad we got in."
This is UNC's 27th NCAA Tournament bid. It's the 23rd under Hatchell, who led Carolina to the 1994 national title. The Tar Heels also made the Final Four in 2006 and 2007, and they've advanced to at least the regional semifinal game in 14 of their last 20 NCAA Tournament appearances.
"I'm just glad to be back in the tournament," said Hatchell, who boasts a 45-21 record in the NCAA Tournament. "The pressure is not on us, it's on our opponents. We've proved that we can play really good basketball, and we're just glad to have the opportunity."
UNC earned this opportunity by going 18-14 overall and 9-9 against ACC foes. For the second straight year, the ACC's eight NCAA Tournament selections were the most of any conference.
Notre Dame and Louisville are two of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Carolina's best win of the season came against the Fighting Irish, the defending national champions. The Tar Heels also beat then-undefeated NC State, a No. 3 seed; UCLA, a No. 6 seed; Clemson, a No. 9 seed; and Rice, a No. 12 seed.
UNC will face another stiff test in California (19-12), which is led by ESPNW All-American Kristine Anigwe. If Carolina defeats the Golden Bears, it'll play the winner of the first-round game between No. 1 overall seed Baylor (31-1) and No. 16 seed Abilene Christian (23-9).
The Tar Heels have shown that they can hang with the nation's top teams. And Hatchell has ensured her players know that.
"I told the team, 'Listen, you're good,'" she said. "'You can play with anybody we play against from here on out. Accept the challenge and feel the exhilaration of the tournament.'"
Despite UNC's collection of marquee wins, Hatchell and her players have said all season that they've felt like they haven't received the respect that they deserve, while also admitting that they could be more consistent. That hasn't changed now that they're in the NCAA Tournament.
When the upper half of the Greensboro Regional was displayed during ESPN's 7 p.m. broadcast, the analysts almost exclusively discussed Baylor. And that didn't go unnoticed.
"They didn't say anything about us," Jaelynn Murray said.
No, they didn't. But that can quickly change. For a Carolina squad eager to make a statement, the national proving ground of March awaits.
"We know we're better than what our record shows," Kea said. "We just have to be consistent. We've dealt with injuries and things throughout this season. It's kind of been like a rollercoaster ride for us. So hopefully we can just find some consistency going into this tournament and finish it out.Â
"I mean, the championship game is on my birthday (April 7). So what better way to end my senior season?"
Taylor Koenen woke up Monday expecting the North Carolina women's basketball team to receive an NCAA Tournament bid, but she wasn't expecting to find out when she did.
Initially, the bracket was scheduled to be unveiled at 7 p.m. on ESPN. At that time, Koenen would be with her teammates and coaches at the Shaffer-Kenan Lounge at the Rizzo Center, where they hoped to celebrate the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015.Â
Because of a production error, though, the field was released about four hours earlier than planned. And instead of being together, the Tar Heels were scattered throughout Carmichael Arena when they learned they are the No. 9 seed in the Greensboro Regional and will play No. 8 seed California at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Waco, Texas.
Sylvia Hatchell was in her office when Bett Shelby informed her of UNC's pairing. Paris Kea, along with a few other players, was checking her phone after the team's postpractice weightlifting session. Koenen found out while stretching.
"Coach (Andrew) Calder was talking to Jason (Beaulieu) and I overheard him say we're in Waco," Koenen said. "I was like, 'Wait, you already know where we are?' And he was like, 'Yeah, it got leaked.' And I was like, 'Really?' And he was like, 'But I don't know. Maybe it will change.' So he was trying to cover it up and have it be a surprise."
But the news was unavoidable.
ESPN aired an early selection show at 5 p.m. With the suspense removed, some teams canceled their viewing parties Monday evening. UNC players still gathered at the Shaffer-Kenan Lounge, though, and celebrated their accomplishment over an impressive spread that featured pasta, nachos and chicken wings.
The reaction inside the room was somewhat subdued when Carolina's name appeared on the broadcast. But for a group of Tar Heel players who will all be participating in their first NCAA Tournament, the novelty of the event wasn't diminished.
"Even though it might not have been how we pictured it," Koenen said, "it's still fun."
"It would've been more exciting for everybody to find out all together in one setting," Kea said. "But I was just glad we got in."
This is UNC's 27th NCAA Tournament bid. It's the 23rd under Hatchell, who led Carolina to the 1994 national title. The Tar Heels also made the Final Four in 2006 and 2007, and they've advanced to at least the regional semifinal game in 14 of their last 20 NCAA Tournament appearances.
"I'm just glad to be back in the tournament," said Hatchell, who boasts a 45-21 record in the NCAA Tournament. "The pressure is not on us, it's on our opponents. We've proved that we can play really good basketball, and we're just glad to have the opportunity."
UNC earned this opportunity by going 18-14 overall and 9-9 against ACC foes. For the second straight year, the ACC's eight NCAA Tournament selections were the most of any conference.
Notre Dame and Louisville are two of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Carolina's best win of the season came against the Fighting Irish, the defending national champions. The Tar Heels also beat then-undefeated NC State, a No. 3 seed; UCLA, a No. 6 seed; Clemson, a No. 9 seed; and Rice, a No. 12 seed.
UNC will face another stiff test in California (19-12), which is led by ESPNW All-American Kristine Anigwe. If Carolina defeats the Golden Bears, it'll play the winner of the first-round game between No. 1 overall seed Baylor (31-1) and No. 16 seed Abilene Christian (23-9).
The Tar Heels have shown that they can hang with the nation's top teams. And Hatchell has ensured her players know that.
"I told the team, 'Listen, you're good,'" she said. "'You can play with anybody we play against from here on out. Accept the challenge and feel the exhilaration of the tournament.'"
Despite UNC's collection of marquee wins, Hatchell and her players have said all season that they've felt like they haven't received the respect that they deserve, while also admitting that they could be more consistent. That hasn't changed now that they're in the NCAA Tournament.
When the upper half of the Greensboro Regional was displayed during ESPN's 7 p.m. broadcast, the analysts almost exclusively discussed Baylor. And that didn't go unnoticed.
"They didn't say anything about us," Jaelynn Murray said.
No, they didn't. But that can quickly change. For a Carolina squad eager to make a statement, the national proving ground of March awaits.
"We know we're better than what our record shows," Kea said. "We just have to be consistent. We've dealt with injuries and things throughout this season. It's kind of been like a rollercoaster ride for us. So hopefully we can just find some consistency going into this tournament and finish it out.Â
"I mean, the championship game is on my birthday (April 7). So what better way to end my senior season?"
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