Carmichael Comments: A Good Team

Sometimes, this column is written with the tone of an analysis piece penned by an outside observer. Others, it's loaded with personal anecdotes and first-person voice. We're six years in to writing Carmichael Comments, and at times, it's still finding its voice.

Today's edition is a classic example of the latter: a peek behind the scenes at our Tar Heel Sports Network radio broadcasts, and specifically, our interviews with Carolina women's basketball head coach Courtney Banghart. The pregame edition of the Continental Tire Coaches' Corner is a meticulously planned eight-question conversation that almost always times out to five minutes long, give or take a few seconds. In fact, it's tradition for me to turn off the recorder once I'm done talking with Coach and share how close to five minutes we were.

The postgame chat, which takes place right after the final horn, is quicker – four questions, probably only about 90 seconds long, and it's impossible to know what the questions might be about until, well, the game ends. A rule of thumb I follow for all interviews, but especially the postgame conversation, is asking myself, "What might the fans want to know about this game?"

Here's something for you: when I'm calling the game, I'm watching the ball at all times, so it's tough to digest in the moment various strategic nuances and off-ball movements. So even though I just watched the game, I may want further clarification on the contest from Coach's point of view.

And if I want to know more? You can bet that the fans listening want to know the same thing, even if they had their TV volume down and had the radio synced with the TV broadcast feed.

That logic led me to ask a simple, yet meaningful, question after Carolina's 65-58 defeat to No. 1 South Carolina last Thursday: Why are the Tar Heels able to challenge the Gamecocks and push them for a full 40 minutes at a time when South Carolina had been absolutely bludgeoning teams prior to this particular game?

You see, it's happened twice in three years now. The Gamecocks capped off a season in which they were ranked No. 1 from preseason to final poll when they won the 2022 National Championship. Along the way, South Carolina won five NCAA Tournament games by double digits. The one they didn't? A 69-61, eight-point win over the Tar Heels in the Sweet 16. And honestly, that game was closer than the eight-point margin suggested.

Twenty months later, the (again) No. 1 Gamecocks traveled north for the inaugural ACC-SEC Challenge and brought with them a 5-0 record. Along the way, South Carolina had beaten then-No. 10 Notre Dame by 29, then No. 14 Maryland by 38, solid ACC team Clemson by 69, and added two more blowout wins over mid-majors South Dakota State and Mississippi Valley State. The numbers before the Carolina game were eye-popping: an average of 100.4 points per game, and an average of margin of victory of 51.6 points. All with a schedule of three Power Five foes, and two of them ranked NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago.

Thus, the simple question: how did the Tar Heels do it – twice?

Simple questions loaded with meaning yield simple answers equally loaded with meaning.

"We're just a good team," Banghart responded.

"There's a lot of things we can do and we can throw at them," she added, an allusion to the defensive effort that has held South Carolina more than 30 points below their average in 2023 and to just 33 percent from the floor in the NCAA Tournament matchup in 2022.

Carolina was a "good team" in 2021-22, because you don't win 25 games and reach the Sweet 16 without achieving that label. But since then, the Tar Heels have added rim protector Maria Gakdeng on the inside. Elite defender Lexi Donarski is now on the roster, and Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby are two seasons better. Now, Carolina has the pieces, with Gakdeng on the inside to disrupt post play, and experienced guards on the perimeter to keep South Carolina in check. Six-foot-seven center Kamilla Cardoso scored six points, nearly 11 under her average through the season's first five games. The Gamecocks shot just 16-for-45 (35.6 percent) on two-point attempts. Gakdeng was at one juncture +16 over just 16 minutes, which translated means that her presence accounted for the Tar Heels averaging a whole point per minute better than South Carolina.

So yeah, a good team for sure – especially on defense. As Banghart said, her team just needs to hit a few more shots.

But do you know what else makes a good team? The intangibles.

"Our kids have a lot of moxie," Banghart reflected. "They understand how tight these possession games are, and we've got some warriors on our team – it's in their DNA."

Here's what else caught my eye this week…

Carmichael Arena Atmosphere
For the second time in Banghart's five-year tenure in Chapel Hill, every seat was sold for Thursday's game against South Carolina, an announced crowd of 6,319. The sellout, the second of the calendar year after a Jan. 15 full house against NC State, included a raucous and full student section behind the north basket. With South Carolina playing its first true road game of the season, the atmosphere as Carolina built an early lead seemed to rattle the Gamecocks and provide a true home court advantage.

"What a special thing to be able to play in front of this," Banghart said. "To be able to have the No. 1 team on your home floor and for your fans to show out like this, that's not something you forget."

Rebounding Success
Another stat showing how well the Tar Heels were able to challenge the Gamecocks on Thursday was the rebound department. For context: South Carolina came in with an average rebound advantage of +23.0, first in the nation. The Tar Heels had won the boards in just three of their six prior games before South Carolina. Seems lopsided, right? Well, Carolina emerged on top in the rebound department – 45-39. Fifteen of the 45 rebounds were on the offensive end, creating extra chances and allowing the Tar Heels to control more clock. For a Tar Heel team that frequently had just one player standing 6-2 or taller on the floor, earning so many offensive rebounds wasn't due to pure size.

"To get 15 o-boards and outrebound a big team that had a lot of big lineups, it's positioning and toughness," Banghart said. "I think our team showed more toughness than we had in a while."

Radio Show Debuts
One of the more frequent questions I've received over the last few weeks: "Matt, when is the radio show coming back?"

Great news! I have an answer for you, and that answer is Monday, December 11th, at noon at the Sheraton Chapel Hill. We'll do one show, then return weekly on Tuesdays starting January 9th through March 5th. For the full details, including how to listen if you can't attend in person, click here.

Can't wait to see everyone!

Up Next
After just a single game last week, it's a two-game affair for the Tar Heels this week. Up first, the 13th all-time meeting between Carolina and UNCG on Wednesday night at Carmichael Arena. The Spartans are off to a 6-2 start, with their losses coming on the road to Appalachian State and Virginia Tech. You have just two chances to see the Tar Heels play at home before Christmas, and this is one of them. Don't miss out! Tip is set for 7:00 p.m., with our THSN coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. with the Reeds Jewelers Pregame Show. As always, hear the broadcast worldwide for free on the Varsity Network App from Learfield, GoHeels.com, or the GoHeels app. Thursday's game will air locally in the Triangle on 97.9 FM/1360 AM WCHL, the flagship station of Carolina Women's Basketball.

Then on Sunday, it's a clash between the Tar Heels and No. 17 UConn in a neutral-site game at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The Huskies have fallen out of the top 15 as they battle injuries early in the season and have suffered three losses before December 5th for the first time ever. Still, UConn is an elite team. Guard Paige Bueckers is back healthy and continues to play like the All-American she is. Geno Auriemma is in his 39th year leading the most successful program in women's basketball history but hasn't faced Carolina since 2012. That changes with a top-25 matchup on Sunday. Tip is set for 5:00 p.m., with our THSN coverage beginning at 4:30 p.m. with the Reeds Jewelers Pregame Show. As always, hear the broadcast worldwide for free on the Varsity Network App from Learfield, GoHeels.com, or the GoHeels app. Thursday's game will air locally in the Triangle on 97.9 FM/1360 AM WCHL, the flagship station of Carolina Women's Basketball.

That's all for now. Go Heels!

-Matt