Nation learning how good UNC’s women are, but Banghart knew it all along

At ACC Tipoff in October, North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart told a group of ACC Network announcers before going on the air that people were underestimating the potential of her third Tar Heels team. “I said to the crew that was at the desk, ‘We’re better than y’all think,’ ” Banghart said, figuring that they didn’t know the impact of graduate transfer guards Carlie Littlefield and Eva Hodgson. ” ‘Y’all don’t know Eva and Carlie. Y’all don’t know how much better my sophomores have gotten.’ I did think we were better than the credit we were getting.”

UNC guard Kelly makes both All-ACC first teams; Ustby earns second-team honors

North Carolina sophomore guard Deja Kelly made both 10-team All-ACC women’s teams announced on Tuesday. Kelly, an ACC All-Freshman Team pick a season ago, led the No. 16 Tar Heels (23–5, 13–5 ACC) in scoring and was sixth in the league at 15.8 points per game. She also led the ACC in free-throw percentage at 85.6%.

Tar Heels in NBA: Barnes, Anthony play well in victories but Anthony hates needles

Harrison Barnes and Cole Anthony each have had plenty of nice games this season but, with their teams struggling, the wins haven’t come that often. Both played well in Monday night victories. Barnes collected 23 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals while going 10 of 11 from the free-throw line in Sacramento’s 131–110 win at Oklahoma City that snapped a four-game losing streak. He was +23 for the game, which was his 21st with at least 20 points this season but only the ninth win in those games.

Big senior night, wild OT win was just another Manek Monday

CHAPEL HILL — During Carolina’s pregame warmups, The Bangles’ “Manic Monday” played in the Smith Center. It wasn’t Brady Manek’s favored country music but was appropriate for his senior night and might just be profitable as well. He made it a Manek Monday with 12 of his team-high 22 points in the second half as UNC overcame big Syracuse runs to start each half and battled for an important 88–79 overtime victory over Syracuse.

UNC women jump to highest Top 25 rank in 7 years

Coming off two impressive victories to finish the regular season, North Carolina jumped two spots to No. 16 in the latest AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll. It’s the highest ranking for the Tar Heels (23–5, 13–5 ACC), the No. 4 seed in this week’s ACC Tournament in Greensboro, since they were No. 15 for the final four polls of the 2014–15 season. That team finished 26–9 and lost to South Carolina in the Greensboro Regional semifinal.

Tar Heels in NBA: Johnson hits 23, has big overall game in Suns loss; Bullock scores 12 as Mavs rally by Warriors

Without point guard Chris Paul, league-leading Phoenix is finding it tougher to win. Cameron Johnson is trying to do his part as a starter in Paul’s absence but it hasn’t been easy for the Suns. Johnson collected 23 points, four rebounds and five assists in Phoenix’s 118–114 Sunday home loss to Utah after the Suns lost at home to New Orleans on Friday. It’s the first back-to-back losses for the Suns since December.

Huffman’s Jacksonville State team wins regular-season ASUN title; Brooks, Kessler meet this week

Brandon Huffman and Seventh Woods didn’t put up good numbers last week but their teams each had two good victories. But it was an up-and-down week for Garrison Brooks, Walker Kessler and Walker Miller ahead of a week when former Carolina teammates will meet. Huffman’s Jacksonville State team finished the regular season at home with an 81–68 win over Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday and a 69–52 victory Saturday over North Alabama to win the West Division and the top seed in the ASUN Tournament.

UNC women go into March confident, earn double-bye with impressive senior day romp over Duke

CHAPEL HILL — The No. 18 North Carolina women left little question that they have the momentum to put together a memorable March by finishing off their first regular-season sweep of Duke in eight years. The Tar Heels were already punishing Duke with their inside attack, so when a few perimeter shots finally fell, it became an impressive 74–46 senior day romp Sunday in front of a raucous, season-high 5,230 fans at Carmichael Arena.

Monday on ‘The Tournament’: Intense UNC-Duke ’89 final, conclusion of Dean Smith’s career and Shammond Williams’ emotional recollections

On the week of UNC’s final visit to Cameron Indoor Stadium with Mike Krzyzewski as coach, Episode 7 of the ACC Network documentary “The Tournament” spotlights one of most memorable, physical battles in that rivalry during his career. That’s a highlight of the episode that debuts at 9 p.m. Monday. Episode 8, which debuts at 10 p.m., documents the end to the legendary career of Hall of Fame UNC coach Dean Smith. That second episode Monday includes an interview with 1997 tournament MVP Shammond Williams that John Dahl, the executive producer and a UNC graduate, calls one of the best in the entire documentary and one that will “bring you to tears.”

Tar Heels in NBA: Barnes has big night against Denver but frustrated with officiating; White, Johnson hit 15, Anthony 14; Jackson scores 30 in G League

Harrison Barnes had a big game on the road against one of the best teams in the NBA but he wasn’t doing any celebrating afterward.
Barnes collected 24 points, five rebounds and three assists for Sacramento against the Denver Nuggets, but in a 115–110 Saturday loss, the Kings’ fourth in a row.
“There are no moral victories,” Barnes said