'Connectedness and Family'

BIMINI, Bahamas – Thursday evening told you all you need to know about the women's basketball program that head coach Courtney Banghart is building at North Carolina. The Tar Heels gathered in a resort meeting room for Thanksgiving dinner, then convened next door in the film room where they've met each day to scout their opponents.

This time the video was more personal than the usual game film Carolina has studied to prepare for two games here in the Goombay Splash. First, the entire travel party ran through a slide show of baby pictures and tried to ID them – very few layups, lots of laughter. Then Director of Operations Meghin Williams-Banx announced that there was one more feature: she'd reached out to the "emergency contact" for each member of the travel party to get a video or two from family members, wishing "Happy Thanksgiving" from far away in messages that were sometimes funny, often poignant, always heartfelt.

"Sharing in that experience together is just so us – this program is all about connectedness and family, not just about playing basketball," Banghart said. "There are so many loved ones behind us and it meant the world to see and hear from everyone's most important people. The emotion in the room was palpable – there wasn't a dry eye."

That connectedness takes the court Friday at 1 p.m. against VCU then meet Washington on Saturday at noon in the shortest turnaround of the regular season. The Tar Heels have practiced each day since arriving in Bimini on Tuesday, but everything feels different from the routine at home: with no classes and only a few family members here, the team has spent all of its time together. In addition to basketball, there's been singing on the open-air tram to the gym (a large portable speaker goes everywhere the team goes), playing the telephone game at dinner, a beach party, fresh coconut courtesy of freshman Kayla McPherson (a pro at finding and opening them), nightly yoga, so many TikToks, and lots of laughs.

"This team is unique," said Jaelynn Murray, a fifth-year senior and one of only two current players who were on the roster when Banghart arrived prior to the 2019-20 season. "The chemistry of this team is the best that I've seen throughout my years. That just makes the trip even more fun – we love being around each other. Everybody is cohesive and that shows in how we play because the cohesiveness that we have off the court translates to on the court."

Trips like this give teams an early-season opportunity to fit in multiple games against nonconference opponents. The fact that they often take place in tropical locales is an extra bonus, as nighttime lows in Bimini have been about 40 degrees warmer than at home. But court time and awesome weather aside, the trips provide an advantage from a team development standpoint, especially for a young squad like UNC's. Eleven of the 14 on the roster are in their first or second seasons in Chapel Hill.

"Putting your team in unique experiences really contributes to the connectedness that we're about," Banghart said. "With this trip, everything is different – we're in a different place, different routine, different rhythm, the court is different ... so many things. That just gives us a new level of connectedness that is invaluable.

"Especially with a team that's so young, any experience we can give them will help them age quicker, and the more experiences the better."

The experiences are coming fast and furious for the Tar Heels right now: They played TCU in Fort Worth on Sunday, picking up a Power 5 road win and breaking a streak of 30 nonconference home wins by the Horned Frogs. After just over 24 hours at home, it was off to the Bahamas, traveling by bus, then plane, then smaller plane, then boat. UNC will retrace its steps home on Saturday night and spend two days in Chapel Hill before heading off to Minneapolis to take on Minnesota on Wednesday in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Through it all, there's an unmistakable excitement around the Carolina program, and a feeling that they're building something great, together and with the support of their families, friends and the fans back home.

"You would think we'd be tired of each other, but we're not," Murray said. "We're always together. I love being around this team."

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