By R.L. Bynum
It isn’t often that a two-year starting center enters her senior season and suddenly has to adjust to coming off the bench.
That became Anya Poole’s plight after Carolina brought in junior transfer Maria Gakdeng from Boston College in the offseason. Gakdeng, a 6–3 center, has started every game this season for the No. 23 Tar Heels.
Gakdeng brought length and shot-blocking ability to UNC (12–5, 4–1 ACC), leaving the 6–2 Poole to adjust to a reserve role.
Poole embraces her new role for the Tar Heels, who head to Atlanta for a 6 p.m. Thursday game at Georgia Tech (12–5, 3–2).
She admits that it was difficult at first.
“It really affected me mentally,” said Poole, who took solace in the reassurance from her coaches and teammates that she was needed whether she played two minutes or 20.
“My voice is needed,” Poole said. “So, that was kind of the mindset that I take and encapsulate for the beginning of the season, and I’ve taken it throughout the whole season. And when the time comes, I’m just like, OK, I’m ready.”
She brings energy off the bench with what UNC coach Courtney Banghart says is the highest basketball IQ on the team, along with fellow senior Deja Kelly. But she’s gone from averaging 20.7 minutes as a sophomore and 21.1 minutes her junior season to only 14.8 this season.
Poole’s numbers aren’t overwhelming — averaging 3.8 points and 3.9 rebounds — but her average per 40 minutes for points (10.2) is higher than last season (9.4), and she’s averaging 10.4 rebounds per 40 minutes.
Banghart said Poole contributes plenty to the team in ways that won’t show up on box score, often on the defensive end because she follows the scouting report to defend an opponent effectively.
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Banghart says she can count on Poole to be in the right position.
“She just knows in that moment,” Poole said. “She takes the right step so that you can’t pass it in when the kid wants it. It’s all the things that contribute to the possession. Sometimes, it’s a block in the rebound. People listen to her. She knows what she’s doing. She probably has the highest basketball IQ on our team with Deja, and it just shows up in so many different ways.”
Gakdeng is averaging 10.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 24.2 minutes a game with a team-high 23 blocks but is still learning Carolina’s system, which isn’t a problem for a veteran like Poole.
Poole has gotten more physical inside over the course of her career and has become pretty consistent on 15-foot jumpers.
And she knows she’s needed and is ready to bring that energy off the bench at any time.
NOTES — Carolina has won five of the last six meetings with Georgia Tech and leads the all-time series 61–21, including 24–13 in Atlanta. … The Yellow Jackets, picked 12th in the preseason ACC poll, had won three straight before losing 84–46 on Sunday at Duke, when the Blue Devils scored 13 3-pointers and shot 59.1% from outside the arc. … Sophomore 5–11 guard Kara Dunn, who scored 39 points against Georgia State, leads three Jackets averaging double-figure points with 16.4 per game. Sophomore 5–9 guard Tonia Morgan averages 14.2 points and a team-high 7.4 rebounds, with junior 6–1 guard Kayla Blacksher averaging 12.4 points and 6.8 rebounds. … UNC is second in the ACC in defense, giving up 58 points per game.
UNC season statistics
Georgia Tech season statistics
| Date | Day/month | Time | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV/ record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 30 | Thursday | L, 91–82 | No. 3 South Carolina in Atlanta | Exhib. |
| November | ||||
| 3 | Monday | W, 90–42 | vs. N.C. Central | 1–0 |
| 6 | Thursday | W, 71–37 | vs. Elon | 2–0 |
| WBCA Challenge Las Vegas | ||||
| 13 | Thursday | L, 78–60 | vs. No. 2 UCLA | 2–1 |
| 15 | Saturday | W, 82–68 | vs. Fairfield | 3–1 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 20 | Thursday | W, 85–50 | at N.C. A&T | 4–1 |
| 23 | Sunday | W, 94–48 | vs. UNCG | 5–1 |
| Cancun Challenge Cancun, Mexico | ||||
| 27 | Thursday | W, 83–48 | vs. South Dakota St. | 6–1 |
| 28 | Friday | W, 85–73 | vs. Kansas State | 7–1 |
| 29 | Saturday | W, 80–63 | vs. Columbia | 8–1 |
| December | ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge | |||
| 4 | Thursday | W, 79–64 | at No. 4 Texas | 8–2 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 82–40 | vs. Boston Univ. | 9–2 |
| 14 | Sunday | L, 76–66, OT | vs. No. 78 Louisville | 9–3, 0–1 ACC |
| 17 | Wednesday | W, 84–34 | vs. UNCW | 10–3 |
| 21 | Sunday | W, 93–74 | vs. Charleston Southern | 11–3 |
| 29 | Monday | W, 90–38 | at Boston College | 12–3, 1–1 ACC |
| January | ||||
| 1 | Thursday | W, 71–55 | vs. California | 13–3, 2–1 |
| 4 | Sunday | L, 77–71, OT | vs. Stanford | 13–4, 2–2 |
| 11 | Sunday | L, 73–50 | at Notre Dame | 13–5, 2–3 |
| 15 | Thursday | W, 73–62 | vs. Miami | 14–5, 3–3 |
| 18 | Sunday | W, 82–55 | at Florida State | 15–5, 4–3 |
| 22 | Thursday | W, 54–46 | at Georgia Tech | 16–5, 5–3 |
| 25 | Sunday | W, 77–71, OT | vs. Syracuse | 17–5, 6–3 |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | 6 p.m. | at N.C. State | ESPN2 |
| 5 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | vs. Clemson | ACCN |
| 8 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | vs. Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 12 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | vs. SMU | ACCN |
| 15 | Sunday | 1 p.m. | at No. 20 Duke | ABC |
| 19 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | at Virginia Tech | ACCN |
| 22 | Sunday | Noon | vs. Pittsburgh | ACCN |
| 26 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | at Virginia | ACCN Extra |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | Noon | vs. No. 20 Duke | ESPN |
| ACC tournament | ||||
| 4–8 | Wed.-Sun | Gas South Arena, Duluth, Ga. | ||
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| 20–24 | Fri.-Mon. | First, second rounds | ||
| 27–30 | Fri.-Mon. | Regionals Fort Worth, Texas, and Sacramento, Calif. | ||
| April | ||||
| 3, 5 | Fri., Sun | Final Four Phoenix |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
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