University of North Carolina Athletics
Carmichael Comments: Non-Conference Takeaways
July 23, 2019 | Women's Basketball
CARMICHAEL COMMENTS: Inside Carolina Women's Basketball
Offseason Edition no. 2
By: Matt Krause (@MattKrausePxP)
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The calendar (and oppressive heat outside) may scream "summer," but for Carolina Women's Basketball fans, today's non-conference schedule release provides a moment of anticipation for the late fall.
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We now know the first out-of-conference slate in the Courtney Banghart era, an 11-game docket that should simultaneously allow the Tar Heels to begin the season strong while preparing for the rigors of ACC play.
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Here's five takeaways on the 2019-20 out-of-conference ledger:
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1. Fewer Games…
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Keen observers may have glanced at the 11-game schedule and noticed that it seems smaller than previous out-of-league lineups. If that was you, well, you're right. Last season, there were 14 non-conference games.
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For the answer to "why?," let's flash back to 2017, when the ACC announced that beginning in the 2019-20 season, women's basketball teams would play 18 conference games in a season, up from the previous 16 per campaign. Since the total number of regular season games won't increase, each ACC team will play two fewer non-conference tilts moving forward.
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Additionally, this year's Thanksgiving tournament for the Tar Heels, the Cancun Challenge, is a two-game event instead of a three-game affair, so the "bonus" 14th non-league game isn't there.
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2. …But More at Home
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A season ago, only six of the 14 non-conference games were played at home. This season, despite the decrease in total number of out-of-league games, seven such contests will be waged on the floor of Carmichael Arena. When you factor in the fact that the extra ACC games mean one more home game inside of the conference, the Tar Heels will host 16 regular season games in 2019-20, up from 14 in 2018-19. That's two extra chances to see Coach Banghart's squad in action in her first season!
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3. Quality Competition
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Carolina will take on four opponents from a power conference during non-league play — two from the SEC (Missouri & Alabama), one from the Big Ten (Illinois), and one from the American (Temple). 2019-20 marks the second consecutive campaign in which the Tar Heels clash with multiple SEC foes, as Carolina battled Kentucky and Auburn a season ago. The Illinois game is part of the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge, and the Temple matchup is second game in as many years against an American Athletic Conference team on a neutral floor (USF in the Virgin Islands last season).
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Combining those four games with the 18 ACC showdowns, Carolina will play 22 regular season games against a power conference team for the second consecutive season. It's the first time since 2013-14 and 2014-15 that the Tar Heels will reach that threshold of power opponents in consecutive regular seasons.
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4. Balancing Rest and Experience
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Unlike in conference play, teams have control of how often (or not) to play in the pre-conference portion of the schedule. Constructing a non-league slate is often a balancing act between preparing the team for the rigors of conference play, ensuring that a rhythm is developed early, and simultaneously avoiding disadvantaging the team by playing too often in a given stretch.
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The 11-game itinerary for this season seems to achieve those goals perfectly. Aside from the Cancun Challenge on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday, there will be somewhere from two to eight full days between each game. The first four games of the season, all at home, will take place over a 16-day span. This spacing allows the Tar Heels to avoid over-taxing the team in game action right from the jump, yet still assimilate to the aforementioned rhythm of the season. Thanks to the Cancun Challenge, the next four-game stretch will be contested over 11 days. Following the two-game swing South of the Border, the ensuing week mirrors conference play, with the Thursday/Sunday placement of the Illinois and North Carolina Central contests.
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Even with the exam and Christmas breaks to work around, the longest periods between games are eight days — between North Carolina Central and Alabama, and between UNCW and Yale.
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5. Courtney Banghart: Unofficial Resident of Cancun
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When Coach Banghart accepted the Head Coach position at Carolina, it came with a bonus perk: a second consecutive Thanksgiving spent in Cancun. Banghart's Princeton Tigers competed in the Cancun Challenge last season, as well as in 2014. In Princeton's first trip to Cancun, the Tigers went 3-0 with wins over Wake Forest, Montana, and Charlotte, part of a season in which Princeton went 31-1. We'll certainly take a few more wins in Cancun for Coach Banghart this Thanksgiving!
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Stay up to date with Carolina Women's Basketball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
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Offseason Edition no. 2
By: Matt Krause (@MattKrausePxP)
Â
The calendar (and oppressive heat outside) may scream "summer," but for Carolina Women's Basketball fans, today's non-conference schedule release provides a moment of anticipation for the late fall.
Â
We now know the first out-of-conference slate in the Courtney Banghart era, an 11-game docket that should simultaneously allow the Tar Heels to begin the season strong while preparing for the rigors of ACC play.
Â
Here's five takeaways on the 2019-20 out-of-conference ledger:
Â
1. Fewer Games…
Â
Keen observers may have glanced at the 11-game schedule and noticed that it seems smaller than previous out-of-league lineups. If that was you, well, you're right. Last season, there were 14 non-conference games.
Â
For the answer to "why?," let's flash back to 2017, when the ACC announced that beginning in the 2019-20 season, women's basketball teams would play 18 conference games in a season, up from the previous 16 per campaign. Since the total number of regular season games won't increase, each ACC team will play two fewer non-conference tilts moving forward.
Â
Additionally, this year's Thanksgiving tournament for the Tar Heels, the Cancun Challenge, is a two-game event instead of a three-game affair, so the "bonus" 14th non-league game isn't there.
Â
2. …But More at Home
Â
A season ago, only six of the 14 non-conference games were played at home. This season, despite the decrease in total number of out-of-league games, seven such contests will be waged on the floor of Carmichael Arena. When you factor in the fact that the extra ACC games mean one more home game inside of the conference, the Tar Heels will host 16 regular season games in 2019-20, up from 14 in 2018-19. That's two extra chances to see Coach Banghart's squad in action in her first season!
Â
3. Quality Competition
Â
Carolina will take on four opponents from a power conference during non-league play — two from the SEC (Missouri & Alabama), one from the Big Ten (Illinois), and one from the American (Temple). 2019-20 marks the second consecutive campaign in which the Tar Heels clash with multiple SEC foes, as Carolina battled Kentucky and Auburn a season ago. The Illinois game is part of the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge, and the Temple matchup is second game in as many years against an American Athletic Conference team on a neutral floor (USF in the Virgin Islands last season).
Â
Combining those four games with the 18 ACC showdowns, Carolina will play 22 regular season games against a power conference team for the second consecutive season. It's the first time since 2013-14 and 2014-15 that the Tar Heels will reach that threshold of power opponents in consecutive regular seasons.
Â
4. Balancing Rest and Experience
Â
Unlike in conference play, teams have control of how often (or not) to play in the pre-conference portion of the schedule. Constructing a non-league slate is often a balancing act between preparing the team for the rigors of conference play, ensuring that a rhythm is developed early, and simultaneously avoiding disadvantaging the team by playing too often in a given stretch.
Â
The 11-game itinerary for this season seems to achieve those goals perfectly. Aside from the Cancun Challenge on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday, there will be somewhere from two to eight full days between each game. The first four games of the season, all at home, will take place over a 16-day span. This spacing allows the Tar Heels to avoid over-taxing the team in game action right from the jump, yet still assimilate to the aforementioned rhythm of the season. Thanks to the Cancun Challenge, the next four-game stretch will be contested over 11 days. Following the two-game swing South of the Border, the ensuing week mirrors conference play, with the Thursday/Sunday placement of the Illinois and North Carolina Central contests.
Â
Even with the exam and Christmas breaks to work around, the longest periods between games are eight days — between North Carolina Central and Alabama, and between UNCW and Yale.
Â
5. Courtney Banghart: Unofficial Resident of Cancun
Â
When Coach Banghart accepted the Head Coach position at Carolina, it came with a bonus perk: a second consecutive Thanksgiving spent in Cancun. Banghart's Princeton Tigers competed in the Cancun Challenge last season, as well as in 2014. In Princeton's first trip to Cancun, the Tigers went 3-0 with wins over Wake Forest, Montana, and Charlotte, part of a season in which Princeton went 31-1. We'll certainly take a few more wins in Cancun for Coach Banghart this Thanksgiving!
Â
Stay up to date with Carolina Women's Basketball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
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