Carmichael Comments: Getting Tech-Nical

CARMICHAEL COMMENTS: Inside Carolina Women's Basketball
Vol. 3, Edition 13: Getting Tech-nical

Ready or not, the end of the regular season is almost here. It feels like just yesterday that we dove into the experience of socially distant benches and the beginning of the "pandemic season."

What I'm about to say has been said here before: it's so easy this year to focus on simply getting games played instead of on the postseason implications of various contests, yet with the end of the regular year upon us, it's time to revert to a "normal" mindset for a few minutes.

The Carolina women's basketball team saw its three-game ACC win streak, the first under Courtney Banghart, come to a halt on Sunday with an 82-63 setback to No. 4 NC State – a loss that dipped Carolina to 11-9 overall and 6-9 in the ACC. The downside of the résumé is obvious: the total number of wins, and a sub-.500 ACC record. Those factors might not mean as much to the selection committee in a strange year impacted by COVID-19 schedule alterations, so to truly understand the week ahead, you need to dig a little deeper.

Charlie Creme, ESPNW's "Bracketology" expert for the women's game, listed the Tar Heels as one of his last four teams into the field prior to Carolina's win at Clemson on Thursday and the NC State loss. Those two results didn't do a whole lot one way or the other for Carolina's postseason chances – Clemson isn't a standout win, and NC State is the textbook definition of a "good" loss. The reason we can infer this is the fact that Carolina's NET ranking, the metric utilized by the NCAA to critique each team equally for tournament selection, has hovered around the high 30s for the last several days. (Editor's note: NET ranks teams 1-343, so the lower the number the better).

So all that fun discussion brings us to this week. Just two games remain before the ACC Tournament – Thursday's visit from Georgia Tech (Carolina's first home game in 18 days), and Sunday's trip to Virginia Tech, and they're critical. The Yellow Jackets own a NET of 25, and the Hokies sit 26^th, so these are legitimate résumé-booster wins to be had. To feel genuinely confident about NCAA hopes, my opinion – so take it for what it's worth – is that the Heels need two more wins between these regular season games and the ACC Tournament. Win once more against ACC competition before Selection Monday, and the need for an antiperspirant kicks up a notch.

The media aren't the only ones who understand the pressure building for the week ahead.

Take Stephanie Watts, who was on the Carolina roster in 2019 when the Tar Heels played in the NCAA Tournament, but was injured and did not play against California in Waco, Texas, with her teammates. Now that Watts is down to her last chance to make "the big dance", her eight-game streak of double-figure scoring from Jan. 19 against Syracuse to Thursday against Clemson is indicative of the kind of effort needed to get over the hump. Watts carrying the scoring load fits right into head coach Courtney Banghart's goals for the team.
"This team knows that we're hunting a tournament berth," Banghart said. "Our older guys have to step up and do what we ask of them."

Watts and her teammates seemed to be facing an uphill climb after a third straight loss on Feb. 4 against Florida State, but shook off the adversity to quickly turn in a three-game win streak.

"This team has been through a lot, and they're really starting to come together," Banghart said. "They could have folded when things were tough but they kept getting better, and better, and better. They've battled and now they've earned results from it."

But the hay isn't quite in the barn yet. Here's hoping two triumphs over the Techs await in the most pivotal week of the season yet.

Here's what else caught my eye this week…

Locking in Defensively
Thursday's Carolina win at Clemson could be described as a defensive clinic. Carolina forced 24 turnovers, 17 of them coming via steal, and recorded 25 points off turnovers in a 77-64 victory. For Banghart, the key in her team's defensive success at Littlejohn Coliseum began with the team's preparation.

"They just really locked in how we wanted them to guard and knew (Clemson's) actions really well," Banghart explained.

So if defensive success begins with being "locked in," how do Coach Banghart and her staff strive to ensure the team is ready?

"You just keep chipping away," she said. "You scout with diligence and determination and coach with clarity. As this team has gained experience, they've gained ability to lock in and we're better for it."

Kelly Heating Up
Deja Kelly was named ACC Freshman of the Week on Monday following a week in which she poured in 19 points at Clemson and a team-best 14 on Sunday at NC State. The Texas native has had her ups and downs throughout her season, but this past week marked her first two-game stretch of double-figure scoring since December.
For Banghart, it's not a coincidence that Kelly has turned a corner this deep into the season.

"She's a second-semester freshman instead of a first-semester freshman," Banghart said. "She's getting more comfortable and attacking possessions better. I think she was trying to fit in and do what we wanted her to do, but we've asked her to be more aggressive and she's better when she's aggressive."

Up Next
We know the matchups, now here's the rundown.

Georgia Tech's Yellow Jackets head to Carmichael Arena for Senior Night on Thursday at 6 p.m. The Jackets find themselves enjoying a banner year under second-year head coach Nell Fortner, who has led Tech to 13-6 overall and 11-5 in the ACC. But if Georgia Tech is to keep that momentum rolling, they'll need to snap a three-game slide against Carolina. The Tar Heels took a 67-60 overtime win in Atlanta on Jan. 23, 2020, in the programs' last matchup, and swept the 2019 series with an 80-73 ACC Tournament win and 91-90 triumph at Carmichael Arena. For Thursday's game, our Tar Heel Sports Network coverage of the game begins with the Reeds Jewelers Pregame Show at 5:30 p.m. Catch the call streaming worldwide for free on the TuneIn app (search "North Carolina Tar Heels Women's Basketball"), GoHeels.com (click "listen" on the women's basketball schedule), and the GoHeels app. Additionally, fans in the Triangle can tune in on WCHL 97.9 FM/1360 AM.

Then on Sunday, Carolina heads to Blacksburg for a second time this season and an unprecedented third regular-season matchup with Virginia Tech. The Hokies posted wins in each of the first two, a 66-54 win in Carmichael and a 73-69 win at home. Sunday's game tips at 2 p.m., and our Tar Heel Sports Network coverage of the game begins with the Reeds Jewelers Pregame Show at 1:30 p.m. Catch the call streaming worldwide for free on the TuneIn app (search "North Carolina Tar Heels Women's Basketball"), GoHeels.com (click "listen" on the women's basketball schedule), and the GoHeels app. Additionally, fans in the Triangle can tune in on WCHL 97.9 FM/1360 AM.

In the meantime, check out this week's edition of the Courtney Banghart Show on the Tar Heel Voices podcast channel. Fans can listen after Wednesday morning by clicking here, or by searching "Tar Heel Voices" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and wherever else you get your podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to the channel to automatically receive each episode!

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