Category: Women’s basketball

No. 13 UNC rolls as Key era begins; Adams continues to impress

CHAPEL HILL — The wait for five-star forward Teonni Key’s college debut finally ended in a Wednesday matinee that gave Carolina fans a preview of spectacular upcoming attractions. Key, a 6–4 redshirt freshman who missed last season while recovering from right knee surgery, was impressive, and sophomore Destiny Adams continued to show she’ll be a significant contributor off the bench with a career-high 23 points. The No. 13 Tar Heels (3–0) rolled past overmatched South Carolina State 93–25 in an 11 a.m. game with hundreds of loud elementary school students on hand as six players scored in double-figures.

Short-handed No. 12 UNC rolls by Jackson State in opener

CHAPEL HILL — Even without all the pieces of what should be a national contender, Carolina’s No. 12 women’s basketball team showed why they are one of the best teams in the country by rolling to an opening-game victory. Against a Jackson State team that won 23 games last season and only lost to LSU in the NCAA tournament by six points, the short-handed Tar Heels flexed their muscles, beating the Tigers 91–59 on Wednesday night at Carmichael Arena.

Four-star Indiana forward Laila Hull fourth Class of 2023 commitment for UNC women

Coach Courtney Banghart added the fourth commitment for North Carolina’s Class of 2023 recruiting class from four-star 6–1 forward Laila Hull of Zionsville, Ind. It was a natural landing spot, considering that she says her father loves UNC and Michael Jordan and hates Duke. Hull, who cut her list in August to UNC, Boston College, DePaul, Marquette and Maryland, posted on her Instagram account early Tuesday evening a picture of herself in a Carolina uniform with the words “Committed. #goheels #hk.”

UNC women picked fifth in ACC; Kelly Preseason All-ACC

The big week of heightened expectations continued for North Carolina star junior Deja Kelly, although the Tar Heels only being picked to finish fifth in the ACC in the preseason poll released Wednesday will probably be a motivational tool for the team. Kelly, one of two Tar Heels to be named this week to watch lists for national awards, was the only UNC player to make the 10-player Preseason All-ACC team.

UNC women in preseason Top 25 for first time in seven years

The ascension of the Carolina women’s basketball program to national prominence reached another level Tuesday when the Tar Heels made the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time in seven years. The Tar Heels are No. 12, the highest ranking for UNC since earning that same rank on Jan. 19, 2015, in a season that they advanced to the Sweet 16.

Instead of going rafting, Banghart told players to go home last summer, prepare to play in April

CHARLOTTE — Coach Courtney Banghart is so confident that her fourth Carolina women’s basketball team will make a deep NCAA tournament run that she wanted her team to get some time at home this summer to prepare for a long season. She took her Tar Heels on a whitewater rafting trip to West Virginia in the summer of 2021 for a team-bonding trip. Instead of doing that last summer, she told her players to spend some time at home.

Kelly upgrades her ride by combining basketball talent with style to get many NIL deals

CHARLOTTE — Driving around in a 2014 Ford Fusion while she was a star high school player in Texas, Deja Kelly could never have imagined the ride she’d have while playing at Carolina. After college athletes were allowed to use their name, image and likeness (NIL) to earn money in the summer of 2021, the world of college sports has changed. Kelly’s world has followed along at a pace that’s as impressive as for any women’s basketball player in the country.

Banghart creates winning culture by attracting talented, high-character people

CHARLOTTE — Of the many crucial elements to building a successful program, recruiting — and doing it the right way — is at the top of the list. A Carolina women’s basketball program expected to be a national contender in Coach Courtney Banghart’s fourth season in Chapel Hill didn’t get to this level by just stacking talent without regard to what kind of people she brings in.

McPherson out for start of UNC season with a lower-body injury

You knew it wasn’t a good sign when Kayla McPherson used crutches to get to the bench before the Live Action With Carolina Basketball scrimmage, and that was confirmed Monday. Coach Courtney Banghart announced that the 5–8 redshirt freshman guard from Hull, Ga., will be sidelined for the start of the season after she suffered a lower-body injury and is scheduled to have surgery this week.