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#UNC Coach Courtney Banghart and guard Indya Nivar after blowout victory at N.C.A&T
Nov 21, 2025
#UNC Coach Courtney Banghart and guard Indya Nivar after blowout victory at N.C.A&T
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0:00
Are you good?
0:01
Yeah.
0:02
We'll start with the opening statement
0:03
from coach and open up for questions.
0:04
Yeah, it's always great to be here. I
0:06
mean, it's such a great environment. Um,
0:09
obviously we were here last year, which
0:10
doesn't usually happen two years in a
0:12
row on the road, but we really like
0:13
playing here in state close to close to
0:15
campus and people that love their team.
0:18
So, uh, thanks for having us. Um, you
0:21
know, there were we really wanted to
0:22
come out and be aggressive as we are
0:24
kind of on our journey to kind of
0:26
continue to build our defensive habits.
0:28
A lot of good things there. Um, and then
0:30
some things obviously it got sloppy. You
0:32
know, we fouled them 24 times. That's
0:34
sort of too many. Um, only went to the
0:36
free throw line 10 times. That's too
0:38
few. Um, so there's some things that we
0:40
were just eh on. Um, but I'm sitting
0:43
next to a a warrior, right? And um, you
0:47
know, she she had the night that we
0:49
would expect uh, night after night and
0:50
it was fun to be on her sideline for
0:52
that.
0:54
Seemed like you were obviously getting
0:56
out in trans transition, which we
0:58
expected. But oh, but three quarters it
1:00
seemed like at times you were playing
1:01
four out.
1:02
Yeah.
1:03
Yeah. So they really when they went to
1:04
their zone early in the first quarter,
1:06
they they were really collapsing on post
1:08
entry and so um we were we were prepared
1:11
to kind of play out of a high low a
1:13
little bit, but they really didn't want
1:14
that. Um and so they were conceding the
1:16
arc. Um and I think the first minute and
1:19
a half we kind of didn't shoot them as
1:21
if like we wanted to try to get to what
1:22
we wanted and and then we started to
1:24
just take the shot that we were we were
1:25
given. Um and um yeah, shot the ball
1:28
pretty well. I still think we can make
1:30
more, but pretty well.
1:31
Courtney, why was it important for you
1:32
to have this game on your schedule for
1:34
the last two seasons?
1:35
Yeah, you know, we like playing in state
1:37
when we can. Uh we obviously can't do it
1:39
all the time um every game, but um also
1:42
this my very first time at ENT was last
1:44
year and I was like that was awesome.
1:46
You know, it was just it's a really loud
1:48
environment. um you know we've we're a
1:50
really young team outside of basically
1:52
India's experience and so the more you
1:54
can put them in this type of environment
1:56
that's loud and and um and they kind of
1:58
I can't help them possession possession
2:00
through the game um is really good and
2:02
it it proved really well for us last
2:03
year and I think it will really help us
2:04
this year too.
2:05
Absolutely. And just kind of thinking,
2:06
you know, long term, when you guys are
2:08
putting together a schedule that you
2:09
want to be competitive, strength of
2:11
schedule to help with your kind of hope
2:13
to host against, how does that kind of
2:16
impact the thinking going behind like
2:17
your non-conference schedule at a place
2:19
like this?
2:20
Yeah, a lot. I mean, obviously, you
2:21
know, we think Fairfield win their
2:22
conference. I know these guys were
2:24
picked third, but I think they can go
2:25
win their conference. Um, they're young
2:26
teams, so um, you want to play the
2:28
people that are going to win your
2:29
conference, and if they're in your
2:30
state, you definitely want to play them,
2:32
right? Um and uh ENT is traditionally
2:34
and consistently a pretty good team. So
2:36
we know that we'll get protected a bit
2:38
on our um you know we won't we won't
2:40
lose we won't lose a bit of of respect
2:42
in our schedule to play them.
2:44
Did that kind of impact your decision
2:45
about having the game in Greensboro
2:47
versus you know at Carmichael?
2:49
Yeah. Again like we don't if we're going
2:50
to go on the road we want to have a
2:51
great environment where we can learn
2:52
from. Right. And if you go to it there's
2:54
not a lot there's not every university
2:56
can can field a fan base like they can,
2:58
right? And so when you go you are
2:59
definitely the away team, right? when
3:01
you come here and sometimes even in our
3:03
own league, you play in a gym and it
3:05
maybe doesn't feel like you're an away
3:06
team. It just different rims, right? Uh
3:08
and different backdrop. This feels like
3:09
an away game. So, uh really the they
3:12
they earned an opportunity to to have a
3:14
great following and and we're thrilled
3:15
to be a part of the being on the other
3:17
side of that at times.
3:20
I was Go ahead.
3:21
Oh, okay. Okay. I guess just following
3:22
up on that just while we're kind of on
3:23
the um topic. Thank you. Um just for
3:26
India like as a player if you can kind
3:28
of explain or describe rather like
3:31
what's the environment here's been like
3:33
you know both today and last year.
3:35
Oh yeah just electric you can tell that
3:36
they love their team and we definitely
3:38
hear it on the floor you know from the
3:40
fans just how they support their team
3:42
and you know when they make runs we kind
3:44
of hear it and that's also good um coach
3:46
Bangart was saying like you know playing
3:47
in these away gyms where we can kind of
3:49
feel the pressure on and then wanting to
3:51
perform in that so that we can do that
3:54
later on in the season. any of you talk
3:56
about the the open court game, the
3:58
freezing river shots, it seems like with
4:01
defense fueling the transition that all
4:04
of that plays into your game. Can you
4:06
help and how that game?
4:07
Yeah, uh defense has always been a part
4:09
of my game. You know, offense is there
4:11
is there, but I feel like I find my
4:12
rhythm on the defensive end and then get
4:14
easy ones and then I feel like the
4:15
offense comes easier after that. Um
4:18
yeah, today, you know, just being
4:19
aggressive. Uh we want to lock in on the
4:21
defensive end and I feel like each game
4:23
we've been making steps. I feel like
4:25
today we could have been a little bit
4:26
better, you know, not fouling as much,
4:28
but we do want to be known as a
4:30
defensive team all around.
4:31
What' you learn from this game
4:33
as a team?
4:34
You know, I feel like we could have
4:35
adjusted better to the calls. Um, maybe,
4:38
you know, managing our aggressiveness on
4:40
the defensive end. Um, staying straight
4:42
up instead of bailing people out.
4:44
Um, and then also ending it with a
4:45
rebound every time.
4:47
Um, so yeah, you know, just things that
4:48
we know we can learn from and grow from.
4:50
um leading into the next game.
4:52
Coach Antonio Matx with&t register.
4:55
Yeah, of course.
4:55
You guys picked up in full court
4:57
pressure from the tip off. So, is that
4:59
something that you guys usually do or
5:02
did you want to try out something
5:03
different schematically with your
5:05
defense today?
5:06
No, we we like to pick up um we don't
5:08
want people to get comfortable. We want
5:09
to have them play less on a shot clock.
5:11
um you know, it just gets us going and
5:13
we've got great depth and so we don't
5:15
need to, you know, last year we we were
5:17
we played a much thinner rotation and so
5:19
you don't want to fatigue yourself over
5:20
the course of a, you know, a long
5:22
season, but um we feel like we have the
5:24
depth to put a lot of pressure on people
5:26
kind of in wear on them over and over
5:28
and over. Um and whether that's you get
5:30
steals or whether that's you get
5:31
yourself moving and going or whether
5:33
that's you get to play in a short shot
5:34
clock, they're all wins for us.
5:36
And can you talk about the determination
5:38
that it takes for your team to come into
5:40
an an away environment with fans that
5:43
are cheering loudly the entire game and
5:46
just speak to how
5:48
how difficult it is to do that when
5:50
you're not at home.
5:52
Yeah, I mean we're coming off of playing
5:53
out in Vegas, you know, three time zones
5:55
away and uh playing arguably the number
5:57
one team in the country and then a 30
5:59
win a team that's lost what eight games
6:01
in three years in Fairfield. Um, and so
6:03
and then you come on the road right away
6:05
to play ENT. You know, we when you
6:07
schedule, you don't necessarily know
6:09
exactly what you've got on your roster,
6:11
but I know I had her, right? And this is
6:14
her chance to have her senior year and
6:15
what she's given our program and and how
6:17
much she's grown. Like I want I want to
6:19
make sure that the pieces around her are
6:21
ready, right? And so whoever was going
6:23
to be, you know, we had a pretty good
6:24
sense of who's going to be on our team.
6:26
We didn't know we'd get Alina. We didn't
6:27
know we'd get Nyla Harris. Um but I I
6:30
just the more we can challenge our team
6:32
young team early. I know other people
6:34
have strategies that are different. They
6:36
want to stack wins. We want to challenge
6:37
our team and we can take away that as
6:39
India said, we didn't adjust enough to
6:41
the calls, right? And so um and we we
6:44
kind of got a little bit lacadasical
6:46
playing behind in the post, right? Those
6:47
are things we'll take away so that when
6:49
we play on Sunday, um we'll be a little
6:50
bit better. Whereas if you don't have a
6:52
competitive matchup, you don't really
6:53
know you don't value the possessions in
6:55
the same way. Um, so yeah, we're
6:58
certainly thrilled to be here and we'll
6:59
keep coming back as long as they'll have
7:00
us.
7:00
I guess just a quick note on that. I
7:02
mean, both of you guys have mentioned
7:03
kind of the adjusting to the calls.
7:04
Obviously, pretty big discrepancy in
7:06
terms of like calls.
7:07
You think what was it?
7:09
24 and 12,
7:12
right? So, um, I guess just for for you
7:15
guys, um, again talked about like
7:17
adjusting to the call. So, in the in the
7:19
second half when you guys have, you
7:20
know, a game like that, that's a call
7:21
like that. Um I'm curious for both of
7:23
you like as a player then as a coach how
7:25
do you adjust maybe just the way that
7:27
you're playing the way that you're like
7:29
pitching?
7:30
Yeah, if it's a league game you probably
7:32
go into alternative defenses, you know,
7:34
you go into some you go into some uh
7:36
zone stuff, you go into some different
7:38
ball ball screen coverages. Um but this
7:40
was about us getting better and I felt
7:42
like we'd stretch the lead where it
7:43
wasn't going to be a game we lost. So it
7:45
was competitive opportunities um in in a
7:47
in a in an alive gym to to to try to
7:50
make them adjust, right? Um, so I think
7:52
it's different when when time of year it
7:54
is. That's what I would say.
7:55
Not getting you into trouble. Is it the
7:57
officiating or is it is it the way you
7:59
all playing defense? What is it?
8:02
Yeah, you know, I think it was it's when
8:05
the score is what it is, it's hard for
8:07
all all sides. I get it. Um, and so I'll
8:10
have to go back and watch the film, but
8:12
um I it's not often you're in a
8:14
discrepancy with both teams being really
8:16
aggressive. I mean, we're a pretty
8:17
aggressive group um to have it be two to
8:20
one. But, you know, I've got to go back
8:21
and look at it. Um, of course, there's
8:23
some as a coach you don't like when you
8:24
see them live. But, but we'll go back
8:26
and and watch them closely and, um,
8:28
these guys know that the ones that are
8:29
their fault, they'll see. They'll see
8:31
the ones that are their fault.
8:32
I guess um, I was just going to follow
8:34
really quick. Sorry for um, and you just
8:35
on my last question again. And not like
8:38
ask me to speak to or like criticize the
8:40
official, but just like you talked about
8:41
adjusting when a game is maybe being
8:44
called like more
8:45
just more, right? um more fouls are
8:47
being called, you know, on the same
8:48
half. As a player, how do you adjust?
8:52
Yeah, I feel like I've had to do that my
8:53
whole career, you know, getting early
8:55
fouls, especially in the last game
8:56
against Fairfield. Um it's just coming
8:58
in and playing solid defense, not going
9:01
not gambling too much, making sure we're
9:03
just in the right position, focusing on
9:04
those types of details. Um and then when
9:07
they get to the basket, just walling up
9:08
and not, you know, falling into, you
9:11
know, trying to block a shot, even
9:13
though that's temptation for us. Um but
9:15
yeah, just being solid and just focusing
9:17
on our principles really.
9:20
Na Brooks her confidence seems to be
9:23
soaring. You've seen her working in the
9:24
last couple.
9:25
You know, I you know, I think India's
9:28
been it's her buddy. It's her assigned
9:29
buddy to start the year and she's been
9:30
great making kind of saying I'll take
9:32
care of it. You be confident, right? And
9:34
go out there and attack. Um and so you
9:36
know I always say there's three
9:37
decisions. The good decision, the bad
9:39
decision, and the no decision. And we've
9:40
told Nyla, we'll live with good or bad.
9:42
We're not going to live with no
9:43
decision, right? So right now what she
9:45
knows is to catch and shoot and that's
9:47
the good decision right now, right? Um
9:48
and you're starting to see her go off
9:50
the dribble and find others better and
9:52
better as it goes on too. So an
9:54
aggressive Nyla Brooks is what we need.
9:56
Um and a confident Nyla Brooks is um the
9:59
work that she puts in and and her
10:01
teammates telling her that's the no
10:03
decision is what we're not living with.
10:04
And Tyson and Blanca, will we see them
10:06
soon?
10:07
Yes, you will. You'll see both I would
10:09
hope by I don't know if Sunday. We'll
10:11
see. It's a quick turnaround, but we
10:12
you'll see them both soon.
10:13
And then we'll time for one last
10:15
question.
10:16
Oh. Oh, this is just like a curiosity.
10:18
It doesn't really pertain to the game,
10:19
but I'm curious. I mean, rule rule
10:21
change with like the women's side not
10:23
tucking jerseys.
10:25
I'm curious. You've seen you tuck your
10:27
jersey. A lot of your teammates have
10:29
like pretty much most don't.
10:32
Why do you choose that? And I mean, is
10:34
that like a big deal for maybe you as a
10:36
player, you as a coach for players to
10:38
like have that choice? Um,
10:41
I don't know. I just feel like it's
10:43
routine for me. Um, kind of like, you
10:45
know, shift my mindset when I'm all
10:46
ready for a game. That's just me. I feel
10:49
like
10:50
some of my teammates, they don't mind
10:51
it, so they just untuck it. But I feel
10:53
like it's not that big of a deal for us.
10:55
That's why I wear that's why I wear a
10:56
dress down on the sidelines. Gets me in
10:58
my zone. Um, you know, I think what
11:01
happened is is the jerseys are getting
11:02
smaller and smaller as the style goes in
11:04
and so they can't stay in and so the
11:05
refs were tired of telling everyone to
11:07
tuck them in and they don't stay in. you
11:08
know, Blancas actually doesn't actually
11:10
it's not long enough for how long she
11:12
is, right? Um, so that's why the rules
11:14
in place. Um, you know, when I coached
11:16
at USA basketball, there was you had to
11:17
tuck your shirt in, right? I don't know
11:19
if that's still the case. I don't know
11:20
if it will still be the case. You know,
11:21
everything's kind of changing. So,
11:23
uniforms are changing. Um, I think it's
11:25
funny those that are untucking it that
11:26
have uniforms that aren't made to be
11:28
untucked, right? And so, they're like
11:29
really low. Um, but that's because their
11:32
school hasn't figured that out yet. But
11:33
our guys, it doesn't it doesn't bother
11:35
me.
11:36
um just part of their style at this
11:38
point.
11:38
Awesome. Great. Thanks everyone.
11:40
Of course.