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Olivia Miles sent shockwaves through the women’s basketball world with her decision to enter the transfer portal rather than declare for the WNBA draft, where she was projected to be a top-two pick. This is particularly intriguing for North Carolina fans, considering that Miles thought about playing for Coach Courtney Banghart at Princeton before she left for UNC.
Nyla Brooks, one of two five-star players in North Carolina’s incoming freshman class, has had quite a month and heads into Tuesday’s McDonald’s All-American game on a roll.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Scoring droughts that had been too common all season and the inability to hit the defensive boards down the stretch meant a sudden end to North Carolina’s season and a frustrating, painful finish to senior center Maria Gakdeng’s career.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Here is video and a complete transcript from North Carolina’s postgame press conference at Legacy Arena, with Coach Courtney Banghart, Lexi Donarski and Alyssa Ustby, after the Tar Heels’ 47-38 loss to Duke on Friday in the Sweet 16. In addition, there’s a video of intereviews in the dressing room with Maria Gakdeng, Indya Nivar and Reniya Kelly.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Playing during the second weekend of the NCAA tournament means double duty for coaches who must navigate the transfer portal while still preparing their teams for the Sweet 16. The women’s basketball transfer portal opened Tuesday, and with 90 players having entered in the first three days, there’s plenty of talent out there to recruit. Florida State star Ta’Niya Latson is reportedly about to add her name.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Reniya Kelly has a lot of championship memories of playing at Legacy Arena, which is only 20 minutes away from her home in Hoover.
The most emotional was her last high school championship game two years ago when she led Hoover High School to a state Class 7-A championship.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — North Carolina and Duke have played 110 times, but never on a bigger stage and with stakes as high as they will be Friday. It’s a product of the ACC getting eight teams into the field that the first NCAA tournament meeting between the rivals will take place in the Sweet 16, set for 2:30 p.m. ET Friday (ESPN) at Legacy Arena.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Here is video and a full transcript as No. 3-seed North Carolina met with the media on Thursday ahead of its Friday Sweet 16 clash with No. 2-seed Duke. For the Tar Heels, it was Coach Courtney Banghart, Alyssa Ustby and Reniya Kelly at the press conference. In addition, there’s video of dressing room interviews with Lexi Donarski, Indya Nivar, Maria Gakdeng, Lanie Grant & Grace Townsend.
CHAPEL HILL — Here is a video and a complete transcript of North Carolina’s postgame press conference, with Coach Courtney Banghart, Alyssa Ustby and Indya Nivar, after defeating West Virginia 48-47 to earn the program’s 19th Sweet 16 berth
CHAPEL HILL — Alyssa Ustby stood on top of the scorer’s table, celebrating with the fans after she made her last home game — 1,580 days after her first — one to remember. It wasn’t always pretty, but it sure was sweet for No. 3-seed North Carolina, thanks to suffocating defense in the fourth quarter.
CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina has played its share of rock fights against tough defensive teams, and it may be thrown into another on Monday night. The No. 3-seed and No. 12-ranked Tar Heels routinely win with tough defense but will face a No. 6-seed West Virginia at 7 p.m. Monday (ESPN2) also known for its defense in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
CHAPEL HILL — If there was ever any chance that Oregon State could pull the upset, graduate UNC guard Lexi Donarski shot them down — repeatedly — on a day that Alyssa Ustby became the program’s all-time leading rebounder. Donarski was the catalyst in delivering a third-quarter knockout with five 3-pointers as the No. 3-seed Tar Heels turned a two-point halftime lead into a thumping and coasted to a 70–49 victory over the No. 14-seed Beavers in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Carmichael Arena.
CHAPEL HILL — When Alyssa Ustby didn’t hear her name called on senior day against Virginia in Carmichael Arena, she was heartbroken. The graduate forward had waited five years for the moment. But an injury against N.C. State on Feb. 16 derailed that opportunity. Ustby had to have surgery on her left knee, forcing her to miss the last four games of the season.
Alyssa Ustby had surgery on her left knee after getting hurt in mid-February and returned 14 days later. Ustby disclosed the surgery during Wednesday’s “Holding Court with Courtney Banghart” radio show ahead of the 4:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPNU) NCAA tournament opener for No. 3-seed and No. 12-ranked UNC (27–7) at Carmichael Arena against No. 14-seed Oregon State (19–15).
North Carolina appears to have done enough to host first- and second-round games in the NCAA women’s tournament for the first time in 10 years, but the Tar Heels will have to wait a week to find out. The No. 14 Tar Heels (27–7) haven’t hosted since 2015, when they went 26–9 and lost to South Carolina in the Sweet 16. The selection show airs on ESPN next Sunday at 8 p.m.
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