Carmichael Comments: For The Name Across The Chest

Carmichael Comments: Inside Carolina Women's Basketball
Vol. 2, Edition 15: For the Name Across the Chest
By: Matt Krause
@MattKrausePxP

27 NCAA Tournament appearances. Nine ACC championships. Three trips to the Final Four. And a 1994 National Championship.

The history of the Carolina women's basketball team is rich and storied – a foundation for the current 2019-20 team and the success to follow in future years. For two days this weekend, those that aided in making the program what it is today got the opportunity to intertwine themselves with the present and future of the Tar Heels.

Alumni Weekend, the annual celebration and mini-homecoming of past players in the UNC women's basketball program, took place in conjunction with the Tar Heels' Sunday home game against Virginia Tech. Though the end result of the game wasn't what Carolina hoped – a 72-63 setback that marked the first time all season that the Tar Heels have lost consecutive games – the weekend still proved meaningful for all involved. Specifically, the first-year coaching staff was able to see the support that past players are providing them.

"I'm still a little speechless," Head coach Courtney Banghart remarked on Monday. "As someone coming in new and knowing the tradition and history and legacy and what this program's all about, and watching the energy and support for this new staff was humbling."
The weekend was a whirlwind from the time the alumni group arrived on Saturday. The first stop, naturally, was practice to check out the current team in preparation for another ACC challenge.

"We had practice on Saturday, then we had a '101' to give them a chance to know our staff and our vision and our world," Banghart explained.

A major focus for Banghart and her staff since their arrival in Chapel Hill has been revamping the décor in the team's office space and locker room areas. That includes a tangible connection to those that came before them, which also emphasizes the importance of what Tar Heel basketball is to the state of North Carolina.

"We had them sign this thing in my office," she said. "It's the state of North Carolina (map), and it's wooden. They sign either where they're from or where they wish they could retire if they're not from here. For them to be in my office via signature is really neat. Our goal is every time we have recruits come in, they'll see more and more signatures."

We play for the name on the front of the jersey... It was a special weekend in Chapel Hill as we welcomed back numerous alumni. Your support is greatly appreciated and we will always be #CarolinaFamily 💙 👣🏀 | #InPursuit pic.twitter.com/KLaa8CjEjR
— Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) February 11, 2020

Though alumni can certainly connect with current players and coaches through the game of basketball, they're uniquely qualified to offer wisdom on a variety of life topics. A cliché in recruiting, frequently uttered by master recruiter and Carolina football coach Mack Brown, is that choosing Carolina is a 40-year decision, not a four-year decision. Banghart and her staff leaned on the alumni to provide insight on the "next 36 years."

"We had a panel discussion and small group discussions regarding everything from career interests, to interviews, to what they maybe would have done differently had they known now," she said. "Things that are helpful as they navigate the professional world."

The celebrations continued with a watch party for the Carolina-Duke men's basketball game at Hickory Tavern, a chance to enjoy college sports' best rivalry in a loud environment, despite the heartbreaking outcome. Then on Sunday, alumni were honored at halftime of the game against Virginia Tech and had the chance to speak to the team postgame.

"It was a very full weekend, and it was everything we hoped for and more," Banghart said.

Though Banghart and her staff have been in place in Chapel Hill for nearly a full year now, the weekend still offered a chance for welcoming and understanding what it means to be a Tar Heel.

"It was an Alumni weekend that really welcomed me, and I said 'you're welcoming me? It's your place!' and they said 'no, it's our place.' I really felt that this weekend," she said. "If you're playing for the name across the chest, you're doing the right thing."

Perhaps the only thing that could have made the weekend more enjoyable was a victory over the resurgent Hokies. But win or lose, all in the program left the experience with an even greater appreciation and understanding for their role at Carolina.

"When you walk out at Carmichael after losing against Duke and your heart's in a million pieces, seeing the crowd that was there, you realize what you're doing matters to people," Banghart reflected.

Here's what else caught my eye this week…

Playing Fatigued
It's no secret that Carolina's offense has sputtered in the last two games. The Tar Heels shot 27.1% and 32.3%, respectively, against Duke and Virginia Tech. After being held under 65 points just twice in the season's first 22 games, the Tar Heels were contained to 61 and 63 in the two games this weekend. Banghart says that her offense has become "fatigued."

"We're not playing with the physicality that we need to," she explained. "We're staying a little stagnant. Not moving on post entry. We're totally stagnant, and we're playing fatigued mentally and physically, and that will change by Thursday."

So how does it change? A lot of the improvement begins between the ears.

"A little bit of it is mind over matter," she said. "No one cares that you're tired. We've lost two in a row being tired. Now it comes down to understanding that we're not going to let Syracuse let us beat ourselves."

Malu On The Boards
Even in a pair of defeats, Malu Tshitenge's efforts in the rebounding department were critical for the Tar Heels. The freshman from Maryland hauled in eight boards in each of the two games, including six on the offensive end to help keep the Tar Heels in the game against Duke. The ability to get to the offensive glass is a classic case of taking what the opponent gives you, according to Banghart.

"They're not guarding her much on the perimeter, so she's got to go to the offensive glass, and she's doing that," Banghart said. "I've asked her to be a little more aggressive in the low post, and she's doing that."

In addition to the 16 rebounds, Tshitenge scored 20 points (12 and eight, respectively) in the two games.

Church Expands Her Game
It's not hard to figure out what the opponent's scouting report says about Carolina junior Leah Church.

Shooter.

Coming into the Duke game, Church's 51 shot attempts had all come from behind the arc. That changed in a hurry this week. Church missed a floater against Duke, then drove twice against Virginia Tech, earning a trip to the foul line and subsequently converting a two-point field goal for the first time since Jan. 20, 2019 at Miami.

"We're just surviving," Banghart said with a laugh. "Whatever it takes. Leah's a great competitor and I know she's a favorite of many, me included."

Up Next
After seeing at least one repeat opponent in each of the last three Thursday/Sunday ACC weeks, Carolina gets a pair of first-time foes on the season this week. First up, the Syracuse Orange visit Carmichael Arena on Thursday for a 7 p.m. game in the lone meeting of the regular season against Carolina. Though the Orange haven't made consistent national noise this season, they're still a very solid 12-11, and 6-6 inside the ACC. Syracuse has won three of its last four games, highlighted by a 59-51 home win over Louisville on Sunday in its most recent game. The Orange is always stingy defensively, thanks to the 2-3 zone that Head Coach Quentin Hillsman has borrowed from his Syracuse men's basketball counterpart, Jim Boeheim. That's a big reason why the Orange have given Carolina fits through the years, with the Tar Heels claiming just one win over Syracuse since Central New York became ACC country in 2013. With a 7 p.m. tipoff, our broadcast coverage on the Tar Heel Sports Network begins at 6:30 with the Reeds Jewelers Pregame Show. Catch the call in the Triangle on our flagship station, WCHL 97.9 FM, or worldwide via GoHeels.com, the GoHeels app, or the TuneIn app (search "North Carolina Tar Heels").

Then on Sunday, Carolina treks to the northernmost outpost in the league – Chestnut Hill, Mass. – to face Boston College. BC, frequently an ACC doormat since its entry into the conference in 2005, is enjoying a resurgent season in year two under head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee. Entering a Thursday home game with Notre Dame, BC is 13-10 and 6-6 in ACC play. BC is fueled by five starters averaging in double figures in scoring, including Emma Guy's 13.8 PPG. Carolina has won 14 of the 17 all-time meetings with the Eagles, but the teams have split the last four. This is a critical road game for the Tar Heels' postseason hopes and aspirations. Tip is set for noon on Sunday, so it's an early 11:30 a.m. Reeds Jewelers Pregame Show to serve as the backdrop to your Sunday brunch plans. Catch the call in the Triangle on our flagship station, WCHL 97.9 FM, or worldwide via GoHeels.com, the GoHeels app, or the TuneIn app (search "North Carolina Tar Heels").

In the meantime, a new edition of Courtney Banghart Live is now available in the Tar Heel Voices podcast feed! Additionally, you can catch the show on Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. on WCHL 97.9 FM in the Triangle.

That's all for now! Go Heels!
-Matt