Carmichael Comments: Deep Discussions

Reniya Kelly
University of North Carolina Women's Basketball v Gardner-Webb
Carmichael Arena
Chapel Hill, NC
Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Freshman Reniya Kelly has started the first two games for the Tar Heels this season.

Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH

November 14, 2023 | Women's Basketball

By: Matt Krause (@MattKrausePxP)

Last season, the Carolina Women's Basketball team was preparing for a Sunday game in mid-February against Boston College. Injuries were mounting, and what was once a 12-player roster featured just eight available players for the matchup with the Eagles. In the end, the situation turned out to be a non-factor, with Carolina rolling to an 18-point win.

But, knock on wood, any situation even remotely approaching that thin of a roster is not a concern for Carolina this season.

Courtney Banghart's fifth Tar Heel team boasts 15 players – 13 of whom will dress this season, due to freshmen Laila Hull and Ciera Toomey redshirting the year to continue their rehab. And while more players means stiffer competition for playing time, it also provides depth and versatility. Those two factors were on full display in the Tar Heels' 2-0 start to the season this past week, a 53-point 102-49 win over Gardner-Webb on Wednesday, and a much narrower 74-70 thriller over Davidson on Sunday.

For starters (no pun intended), the minutes on Banghart's roster have not been divided in a way where the initial starters play more than every reserve. Two bench players, Indya Nivar and Paulina Paris, have played at least 18 minutes per game in the small-sample season thus far.

"Indya's experience, and Paulina's experience, I really like where they are," Banghart said. "The minutes show that."

What Carolina's head coach is alluding to is the veteran, battle-tested guards she now has available in a reserve role. Paris played in all 33 Tar Heel games as a freshman a year ago. Nivar stepped on the floor 35 times at Stanford prior to her transfer. They've been in tight conference games. They've had to step up. It's not a new experience for the duo. That's a change from last year, when Carolina had just two regular reserves with more than 30 collegiate games of experience going into the year – forwards Alexandra Zelaya and Malu Tshitenge, the former of whom is back as a senior this year and latter of whom has graduated. The 2021-22 Sweet 16 team was bolstered by the presence of Eva Hodgson, a three-point ace who could spell a starter if need be, as a sixth player. But with Hodgson elevated to a starting role last year, then-freshmen Paris and Kayla McPherson were the main guard reserves.

In the front court, Zelaya reprised her role as a bench contributor against Gardner-Webb, nailing a three in Carolina's second-half onslaught. Anya Poole, who has been a three-year starter, also played 17 minutes off the Carolina bench. All told, 11 Tar Heels played, 10 scored, and six of those 10 scored in double figures.

"Some teams are built differently, and some teams have a 'first five' and a 'second five,'" Banghart explained. "We really have a whole group. It depends on what you need any given game."

Sunday, those needs meant trying to slow down a Davidson team hunting threes in a five-out style, all while dealing with Poole's absence. Veteran Alyssa Ustby saw time at the "5" spot in what amounted to a five-guard lineup. Nivar played some at the "4." It certainly wasn't ideal, with limited ability to practice such lineups in a game situation. But it was enough pull out a win.

Here's what else caught my eye this week…

Close Game Provides Learning Opportunity

A season ago, Carolina traveled to Harrisonburg, Va. for an early-season, pre-Thanksgiving showdown with James Madison, the eventual champion of the Sun Belt come March. The Dukes led at halftime and deep into the third quarter before Carolina eventually made the plays necessary to put JMU away. In the week after that challenge from the talented mid-major Dukes, Carolina ventured to Portland, Ore., for the Phil Knight Invitational, earning tough wins against Oregon and Iowa State to hoist a trophy by the event's end.

With an even tougher slate of non-conference foes ahead in the likes of South Carolina, UConn and potentially Iowa, a history-repeating early test that still yields a win can only help the Tar Heels.

"This team needs to be tested, so I actually like it," Banghart said when asked about the close win postgame. "Obviously I'm glad we were able to pull it out."

Carolina had its mistakes – Lexi Donarski pointed to communication troubles on ball screens, leading to Davidson threes, in the postgame press conference – but by game's end, the Tar Heels didn't wilt under the adversity and instead relied on veterans to complete the victory. That's the kind of mindset needed to compete against a schedule that includes up to 11 teams ranked in this week's AP Top 25.

(Another) Kelly Starts from the Get-go

Fans might have been surprised to see one of the Tar Heels' five true freshmen in the starting lineup for the season opener last Wednesday, with Reniya Kelly earning the start at point guard. Kelly became the first such player to start her Carolina debut since Deja Kelly (no relation) in November 2020 against Radford – so Reniya automatically begins her career in some great company.

"Reniya is really accountable," Banghart said. "She gets better day to day, she's incredibly steady, she has a high basketball IQ."

That improvement behind the scenes led to Kelly earning the starting nod with Kayla McPherson on a minute restriction to begin the year. In a limited sample size through two games, Kelly's skills and basketball IQ have been on display with four assists to just two turnovers across 35 minutes. Meaningful play from the freshman will only help to further the Tar Heels' ability to maximize their offensive talent this season.

"She's a floor distributor," Banghart said of the Alabama native. "We've got a lot of offensive talent, and (Kelly's) ability to distribute and get the ball into the hands of some of our scorers and make them have to do a little bit less is a good thing."

Championship Pedigree in the House

Ask someone deeply embedded in Carolina athletics what makes the Tar Heel community so special, and a common answer is the connectedness and family atmosphere across the entire athletic department. It's something Banghart and her team have embraced, with attendance at football and men's basketball games, among numerous other athletic events. So it's no surprise that even during a busy week leading up the NCAA Tournament, Carolina field hockey head coach Erin Matson was in attendance with members of her staff for the women's basketball opener against Gardner-Webb. After the game, Banghart acknowledged her colleague's presence on Instagram by re-sharing a story and captioning it "Thanks for coming" with a goat emoji, a nod to Matson's decorated playing career being called the "greatest of all time," or "GOAT." Then Sunday, women's lacrosse head coach Jenny Levy was in attendance in that same seat at floor level. Count those two leaders as Tar Heels who would love to see women's basketball again join the championship club that field hockey and lacrosse frequent.

Up Next

Carolina will play a pair of games this week against teams from the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). Up first, Hampton comes calling for an early 11:00 a.m. tipoff at Carmichael on Wednesday morning on Carolina's second-annual Field Trip Day. About 1,500 local students will step out of the classroom and onto a college campus to watch their role models take the floor. If you're stuck at your desk during work hours Wednesday, we'll have full coverage of the showdown against the Pirates on the Tar Heel Sports Network beginning with the Reeds Jewelers Pregame Show at 10:30 a.m. Catch the call worldwide for free on the Varsity Network App from Learfield, GoHeels.com, or the GoHeels app.

Then on Saturday, Elon will visit Chapel Hill for the first time since 2019. The Phoenix is led by one of greatest players in Carolina history, Charlotte Smith, famous for her buzzer-beating shot to win the 1994 National Championship, a triumph celebrating its 30th anniversary this season. Coach Smith, whose No. 23 hangs in the Carmichael Arena rafters, brings her team to her alma mater for the third time in her now 13-season tenure leading Elon. Tip on Saturday is set for 3:00 p.m., with the Reeds Jewelers Pregame Show starting at 2:30 p.m. Catch the call worldwide for free on the Varsity Network App from Learfield, GoHeels.com, or the GoHeels app.

That's all for now – Go Heels!

-Matt