University of North Carolina Athletics
Janelle Bailey returned to the lineup against Wake Forest to cap her junior season.
Photo by: Dana Gentry
Carmichael Comments: Keep Going
March 6, 2020 | Women's Basketball
Carmichael Comments: Inside Carolina Women's Basketball
Vol. 2, Edition 19: Keep Going
By: Matt Krause
@MattKrausePxP
Postseason basketball in the month of March is the ultimate roller coaster of emotions. In the span of mere minutes, players and coaches go from the heat of battle to seeing their season – and in some cases, their college career – come to a close.
That was the reality for the Tar Heels on Wednesday afternoon at the Greensboro Coliseum, as a seesaw game with Wake Forest in the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament's opening round eventually tipped to the Demon Deacons by an 83-73 final score.
In many regards, a rejuvenated Carolina team – Janelle Bailey played for the first time since Feb. 16 – played well enough to snap the late-season losing skid. The Heels shot 44 percent from the floor and 47 percent from three, and forced 14 turnovers while committing only 10. But like several of the late-season losses, one aspect doomed Carolina. On this day, it was rebounding – a 47-22 domination on the glass for the Demon Deacons that included a 20-5 edge in offensive rebounding and 32-4 landslide in second chance points.
"They just killed us on the glass," Carolina head coach Courtney Banghart reflected after the game. "We shot the same amount of threes, we made the same amount of threes, we had four less turnovers, obviously the glass really hurt us."
The rebounding edge for the Deacs stemmed in part from increased pressure and aggression on the ball, aiming to force Wake Forest into tough shots and poor shot selections. To an extent, that plan succeeded with the 14 turnovers. Where it went wrong was in allowing the Demon Deacons to send more bodies to the glass than the Tar Heels.
"We tried to be real aggressive at the point of the ball to try and generate some turnovers and rushed shots," Banghart explained. "If you're going to be aggressive on the ball, you're going to be undermanned on the rebound. That's just the way it is."
And so Wake Forest earned the win. But the senior Tar Heels didn't go down without a fight. Shayla Bennett, point guard and floor general, played all 40 minutes. She matched her career high with 26 points, the final three coming on an and-one play with less than 10 seconds to go. The effort was a microcosm of her season in the eyes of Banghart.
"She's just a great fighter," Banghart said of Bennett. "I just put the ball in her hands and ask her to play through things. With the adversity we had, and the changing lineups, and short rotation, and fatigued bodies, she's a warrior and kept going and going."
With the season at its terminus, the reflection process begins for the Tar Heels. Sure, seven seniors – including three starters – are departing, but All-ACC pick Janelle Bailey has one more year of eligibility left, and All-ACC Freshman Team selection Malu Tshitenge has a year under her belt. And oh yeah, the no. 11 recruiting class in America, as ranked by ESPNW, will arrive soon.
We can worry about all that later. For now, Banghart takes comfort in the embrace of the Carolina family, both inside and outside of the program, in her first season.
"When you take over a new program, you know there's going to be disruption," she said. "I have a lot of faith in how much people have trusted me with this, including inside my own locker room. These are guys that believe in what we're doing and they've really supported me."
That faith held strong all the way to Banghart's first ever appearance in the ACC Tournament, and the short stay in Greensboro only motivated her to make strides next season.
"This is a really great event," she said. "It's great to be here, and it's obvious the ACC cares a lot about basketball."
There's just one way to look at the offseason and the road ahead for Coach Banghart.
"For everyone out there who's listened and watched," she said, "we feel your love, and we'll keep going."
Up Next
Well, our journey has come to an end for 2019-20. Carolina fans, I can't thank you enough for listening to our game broadcasts and Courtney Banghart Live, and reading this column. I hope that despite the outcome of the season, you enjoyed it.
Feel free to reach out on Twitter @MattKrausePxP during the offseason! I'm not going anywhere. Check back here on GoHeels.com for occasional Carmichael Comments columns to update you on the offseason happenings around the program.
That's all for now. As always, Go Heels!
-Matt
Vol. 2, Edition 19: Keep Going
By: Matt Krause
@MattKrausePxP
Postseason basketball in the month of March is the ultimate roller coaster of emotions. In the span of mere minutes, players and coaches go from the heat of battle to seeing their season – and in some cases, their college career – come to a close.
That was the reality for the Tar Heels on Wednesday afternoon at the Greensboro Coliseum, as a seesaw game with Wake Forest in the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament's opening round eventually tipped to the Demon Deacons by an 83-73 final score.
In many regards, a rejuvenated Carolina team – Janelle Bailey played for the first time since Feb. 16 – played well enough to snap the late-season losing skid. The Heels shot 44 percent from the floor and 47 percent from three, and forced 14 turnovers while committing only 10. But like several of the late-season losses, one aspect doomed Carolina. On this day, it was rebounding – a 47-22 domination on the glass for the Demon Deacons that included a 20-5 edge in offensive rebounding and 32-4 landslide in second chance points.
"They just killed us on the glass," Carolina head coach Courtney Banghart reflected after the game. "We shot the same amount of threes, we made the same amount of threes, we had four less turnovers, obviously the glass really hurt us."
The rebounding edge for the Deacs stemmed in part from increased pressure and aggression on the ball, aiming to force Wake Forest into tough shots and poor shot selections. To an extent, that plan succeeded with the 14 turnovers. Where it went wrong was in allowing the Demon Deacons to send more bodies to the glass than the Tar Heels.
"We tried to be real aggressive at the point of the ball to try and generate some turnovers and rushed shots," Banghart explained. "If you're going to be aggressive on the ball, you're going to be undermanned on the rebound. That's just the way it is."
And so Wake Forest earned the win. But the senior Tar Heels didn't go down without a fight. Shayla Bennett, point guard and floor general, played all 40 minutes. She matched her career high with 26 points, the final three coming on an and-one play with less than 10 seconds to go. The effort was a microcosm of her season in the eyes of Banghart.
"She's just a great fighter," Banghart said of Bennett. "I just put the ball in her hands and ask her to play through things. With the adversity we had, and the changing lineups, and short rotation, and fatigued bodies, she's a warrior and kept going and going."
With the season at its terminus, the reflection process begins for the Tar Heels. Sure, seven seniors – including three starters – are departing, but All-ACC pick Janelle Bailey has one more year of eligibility left, and All-ACC Freshman Team selection Malu Tshitenge has a year under her belt. And oh yeah, the no. 11 recruiting class in America, as ranked by ESPNW, will arrive soon.
We can worry about all that later. For now, Banghart takes comfort in the embrace of the Carolina family, both inside and outside of the program, in her first season.
"When you take over a new program, you know there's going to be disruption," she said. "I have a lot of faith in how much people have trusted me with this, including inside my own locker room. These are guys that believe in what we're doing and they've really supported me."
That faith held strong all the way to Banghart's first ever appearance in the ACC Tournament, and the short stay in Greensboro only motivated her to make strides next season.
"This is a really great event," she said. "It's great to be here, and it's obvious the ACC cares a lot about basketball."
There's just one way to look at the offseason and the road ahead for Coach Banghart.
"For everyone out there who's listened and watched," she said, "we feel your love, and we'll keep going."
Up Next
Well, our journey has come to an end for 2019-20. Carolina fans, I can't thank you enough for listening to our game broadcasts and Courtney Banghart Live, and reading this column. I hope that despite the outcome of the season, you enjoyed it.
Feel free to reach out on Twitter @MattKrausePxP during the offseason! I'm not going anywhere. Check back here on GoHeels.com for occasional Carmichael Comments columns to update you on the offseason happenings around the program.
That's all for now. As always, Go Heels!
-Matt
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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