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#UNC coach Courtney Banghart and Nyla Brooks after the Tar Heels roll to a win at Wake Forest.
Feb 8, 2026
#UNC coach Courtney Banghart and Nyla Brooks after the Tar Heels roll to a win at Wake Forest.
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0:00
Yeah, you know, seven in a row. Um
0:02
really really uh tough week with three
0:05
games uh in a row. Hard to prep. We did
0:07
these guys off a one day prep and you
0:09
saw how much they have a bunch of
0:10
actions and things like that. But um
0:13
sitting here next to someone who um I'm
0:15
just so glad she's ours. You know, it's
0:17
hard to come in as such a heralded
0:18
player um have such a great
0:20
non-conference and then kind of um
0:22
everyone's kind of expecting her every
0:23
night to be, you know, this and that and
0:26
all that. And she just put her head down
0:27
and works, right, and got better and
0:29
better. She can defend at a high level
0:31
now. Um she's doing a lot more on the
0:33
glass. She had seven of those rebounds
0:34
in at halftime, right? Um and she's
0:37
coming off the bounce a little bit more,
0:38
seeing the floor. Um so I'm just so
0:40
happy for her. She's going to be so
0:42
good. She already is so good, but um
0:44
because of how she's wired, right, as
0:46
kids focused on the big picture, getting
0:47
better day after day. So she deserves
0:49
it. We needed it. Uh and just uh a big a
0:52
big day for Brooks. So, so not only
0:54
obviously you had a prolonged shooting,
0:56
so how did you finally break out of it?
0:59
And what was that like going through
1:01
that where the ball just wasn't falling?
1:03
Uh, well, not not seeing it fall. I
1:06
mean, I just kept shooting. I mean, in
1:09
practice falling in practice,
1:10
in in practice it goes in. So, I'm
1:12
prepared to, you know, shoot the ball.
1:13
I'm at a high club and just shoot my
1:15
shot. I didn't change anything. Just
1:16
kept shooting, kept working at it. And
1:18
then just seeing it go in today was
1:21
nobody but God. I mean, just I just stay
1:23
in the gym. So, I mean, letting the
1:25
letting seeing the work pay off. It It
1:26
was great today. So,
1:27
Well, as coach referred to, the the
1:29
seven rebounds is a is a season high as
1:31
well. I mean, I don't think I saw that
1:32
from you earlier in the season.
1:34
Yeah. Got to get on those boards. I've
1:35
been doing a lot of things, defending,
1:38
rebounding, trying to get some steals,
1:39
just trying to just trying to fill up
1:41
the stat sheet. I mean, I'm trying to
1:42
get that triple double, too. Heck yeah.
1:44
Yeah. So,
1:45
I mean, this is big girl basketball, ECC
1:47
basketball, and she's coming off of
1:48
playing in high school. And, um, you
1:50
know, for her to get 21 and seven, you
1:52
know, with only two turnovers, two two
1:54
steals, could have had a few more
1:56
assists because there were great passes
1:57
that we just didn't convert. Um, just an
2:00
allaround, but this is what we're seeing
2:01
from her, right? It's not like a flash
2:03
pan. Like, she has gotten better. Um,
2:05
she's working a ton with um with Raniah
2:08
and they're working on being stronger
2:09
with her finishes or being working on
2:11
she she lifts on her off days. She lifts
2:13
on what are you seven days a week now
2:15
lifting um you know so getting stronger
2:18
so you know this isn't a surprise to any
2:20
of us it's just it's really good that
2:22
she shot well today but even if she
2:24
didn't shoot well we take some of the
2:25
other stats right along with it
2:27
you talked about that first half and now
2:29
you were part of this six three-pointers
2:31
in that first half were y'all kind of
2:32
able to sort of break the game open and
2:34
generate offense momentum from
2:36
Yeah I mean I just I try to pour
2:38
confidence into him because I see him
2:39
shoot every day we chart every shot in
2:40
practice right and so when they don't
2:43
catch and shoot. I find it annoying,
2:44
right? Because these are those are great
2:46
shots for us. Um, and our interior, they
2:48
were really worried about our interior.
2:50
So, they played really low on that. Um,
2:52
and you can't guard at all. And so, they
2:53
gave us the arc in the first half and
2:55
then they governed the arc in the second
2:56
half a little bit better and and gave us
2:58
the the middle of the floor. Um, so I
3:00
thought again something that a young
3:02
player is able to pick up on that in
3:03
live time, right? because in at half,
3:06
you know, second half they came out with
3:07
a little bit more um uh attention to the
3:10
arc and I mean Nyla took one on the on
3:12
the off the dribble. She passed to the
3:14
the gap once. I mean um
3:16
yeah.
3:17
And now what were you seeing from that
3:19
in the first half?
3:20
Um [clears throat] well for us I mean we
3:22
knew they was going to play zone so
3:24
finding those gaps. I worked on
3:26
literally a shoot around just trying to
3:27
find those gaps and open looks so I
3:29
could let the three fly and then my
3:31
teammates as well just finding them
3:33
attacking that [clears throat] attacking
3:35
the middle seeing them um throughout the
3:37
gaps throughout the gaps. Laney was
3:39
getting high earlier too um during that
3:41
first half. So yeah, [snorts]
3:44
it's my understanding that they could
3:45
the team could have stayed in traffic
3:47
for the men's game if they decided to
3:50
come to win practice at 4:30.
3:52
Yeah.
3:53
Would they have had tickets? What does
3:54
that say? Yeah.
3:55
About the huge commitment.
3:57
Yeah. I mean, I have to say I was um a
4:00
little bummed because I have great
4:01
tickets. Um and yes, we were going to be
4:03
able to get them tickets. We obviously
4:04
have a lot of people that support these
4:06
kids. And um and so I gave them the
4:08
option. I said, you know, we can get you
4:09
to the the men's game, which is kind of
4:10
one of those really fun staple Carolina
4:12
Duke uh and that they they get to play
4:14
in a Carolina uh Duke rivalry. So they
4:16
probably means a little bit less to them
4:18
than it does a lot of the other people.
4:19
But um the only practice time we were
4:21
given here was because of their men's
4:22
game was at 4:30. Um so if they wanted
4:24
to practice at Wake, we had to do it at
4:26
4:30. Um which obviously we wouldn't
4:28
have been able to get back in time for
4:29
the game. And when I asked them at
4:31
first, I asked the captains, they talked
4:32
with the team and they came back and
4:34
said we we were definitely going to
4:35
practice at Wake.
4:36
So I gave it a couple days and I asked
4:37
them again secretly hoping they maybe
4:39
would change their mind. But uh that's
4:40
the kind of team I have. This is about
4:42
their journey and um practicing at Wake
4:44
was important because uh beating Wake is
4:46
important. Um so I'm I'm super proud of
4:48
them. I I'll admit I was a little
4:49
bummed, but we had a great time last
4:50
night. We watched as a team and honestly
4:52
in that arena we wouldn't have been able
4:54
to necessarily all sit together. Uh so
4:55
maybe it was more special that way
4:56
because we got to watch
4:58
in a room.
4:58
We did. Yeah, we rented out a room and
5:00
gave them lots of food, had big TVs and
5:02
um really got to I won't forget that.
5:04
I've been in I've been in big I went to
5:06
their national championship game. I've
5:07
um I've been in big environments like
5:09
that. But um I that was really fun
5:11
actually to be with our whole team and
5:13
just our support staff and kind of
5:15
experience that together. So maybe it
5:16
was the right decision after all.
5:18
Yeah, I agree.
5:20
You'll get you one. [clears throat]
5:21
Yeah, hopefully. [laughter]
5:24
You guys didn't give up any second
5:26
chance field goal. What was the kind of
5:27
focus from sort of a rebounding
5:29
standpoint?
5:30
I mean, honestly, getting getting Brooks
5:32
rebounding. I mean, she played almost 26
5:34
minutes today of a 40-minute game.
5:36
That's a lot of time, right? And so, um,
5:38
her conditioning and her strength are
5:39
allowing her to kind of absorb all that
5:41
a little bit more. Um, and so, you know,
5:43
she and India have to rebound the heck
5:45
out of it, and they they did today. Um,
5:48
and they stole, I'm sure, some of Sierra
5:49
and and everybody else's who played. Um,
5:52
but that'll be the new expect that
5:53
that's the that's the growing
5:55
expectation is that um is that Brooks
5:57
will be a part of our rebounding.
6:00
And Raya doesn't rest.
6:02
Yeah, Renayia's blocking a lot of
6:04
minutes. And we were hoping I think
6:05
again Brooks has continued to get better
6:07
and better. So, we got some we got some
6:09
room for her in the roster.
6:11
I mean I I asked you about the arena
6:13
situation before others have asked you
6:15
but I wanted to ask it again because I
6:17
become to understand that whatever
6:19
decision was made renovation or new
6:21
arena the Williamsburg will play there
6:24
and get its own practice facility. So
6:28
given given that what are your feelings
6:30
about going to a new or renovated
6:32
facility on the one hand and also
6:34
knowing that you might only have two or
6:36
three more seasons in Michael which is a
6:39
classic arena. It is. It's one of the
6:40
best arenas in college basketball,
6:42
especially for women. Um, you know, but,
6:44
um, I think people are change resistant
6:46
in general. It's just like a human
6:47
trait. I'm sure the new arena will be
6:50
really, really awesome, right? Wherever
6:52
it is. And it will be more updated with
6:54
all the recovery that these guys need
6:56
and and um, bigger space. I mean, our we
6:58
can't even fit our entire team and staff
7:00
in our film room all the time, right?
7:01
So, like, we need to we've kind of
7:02
outgrown in some ways. Um, and so, you
7:05
know, I I make decisions for a living
7:08
regarding my team. team, I don't have to
7:09
make that decision. Thank God. Um, and
7:11
so I support the decisions that are made
7:13
and I know we love playing in
7:14
Carmichael. Um, but Brooks, we'd be just
7:16
as happy playing in a new arena, I
7:18
guess.
7:18
Absolutely.
7:19
Wherever, right?
7:19
Absolutely.
7:20
Yeah. I don't think we get a lot of
7:22
player opinions on that. You know, I
7:23
know you're young, but you know, I'm
7:25
sure you've been a part of that
7:26
renovate. And,
7:27
you know, where do you stand on
7:28
Carmichael versus
7:30
I love playing Carmichael, but you know,
7:32
if we could get some new stuff, I mean,
7:34
we wouldn't mind it.
7:35
Yeah. [laughter]
7:37
Yeah. So I think sometimes people
7:38
because they love watching games in
7:40
Carmichael, they assume we want to stay
7:41
and uh we we we've kind of outgrown, you
7:44
know, our program also has outgrown kind
7:45
of the renovate and replace situation
7:49
now on a seven game win streak you
7:51
mentioned. Um
7:53
three games in a week.
7:56
Seven days.
7:56
That's that's crazy. How were y'all able
7:58
to sort of manage the load of everything
8:01
and also I mean getting a huge win like
8:03
this? How how does that feel as well?
8:06
Locked in. being locked in. Our our
8:09
athletic trainer, he I mean, yeah, our
8:11
strength trainer, he asked us to give
8:13
them one word and mine was locked in.
8:15
So, I feel like they took my word. I
8:18
mean, [cough] um we ran with it. So, we
8:20
just stay locked in. We knew it was
8:21
going to be a tough week. Our goal every
8:23
week is to sweep. So, um just being
8:26
locked into the scouts, into our
8:29
walkthroughs. Um we did it in Cancun, we
8:31
can do it now. So, I mean, just really
8:33
lock him in and getting these dubs,
8:35
especially then with Wake Forest. It It
8:36
was It was a great week for us.
8:40
Ask earlier in the season, coach
8:42
mentioned defense as being an area that
8:44
you really need improvement.
8:46
What's helped you make strides in that
8:48
area? Um, I would say just watching
8:50
film, talking with coach, talking to
8:53
talking to coach Corey, just really
8:55
seeing those clips of me in practice and
8:57
games, comparing them, just doing a lot
8:59
of onc court stuff, doing walkthroughs,
9:01
just getting extra reps. I would just
9:02
say just really locking into what I need
9:05
to do as a player and what the team
9:06
needs to do on the court so we could
9:08
have a great defensive game. And I've
9:10
been doing that and I had four blocks
9:12
last game. So,
9:13
and seven rebounds today.
9:14
Seven rebounds this game. So, just
9:16
really like like I said, locked in,
9:17
being locked in. um just really locking
9:19
on the defensive end and just playing my
9:21
game on the offensive end. So just
9:22
putting it all together. So yeah.
9:24
Yeah. She watches a lot of film. Yes.
9:26
Like I think sometimes you look at this
9:27
talent, you say, "Oh yeah, she's just so
9:28
talented." It's like, no, she's had to
9:30
really learn um how to defend because
9:32
she's defending 22 and 23 year olds.
9:34
In high school, you're defending your
9:35
kind of age appropriate, right? Um and
9:37
she's defending really experienced older
9:39
guys that are stronger and been in the
9:40
weight room for four years. Um and so I
9:42
commend she's she's willing to watch
9:45
good clips. she's willing to watch not
9:46
so good clips so that she can learn. Um,
9:49
she asks a lot of questions because she
9:50
knows that we are relying on her and
9:52
we're holding her accountable. Um, and
9:54
so like Nyla is not just didn't just
9:56
arrive. I I I feel passionately about
9:58
saying that because I think it's easy to
10:00
look at her and say she's joyful and
10:01
she's easy to love and the Chapel Hill
10:03
community loves her and all the things
10:05
like the kid earns it. Like she really
10:07
does. This kid puts so much time in. Um,
10:10
and she's lovable because that's who she
10:11
is, but she's really focused. She's not
10:14
silly. She's just fun and lovable,
10:16
right? Those are two very different
10:18
things, but um you know, she can take it
10:20
and I can coach her hard. I can coach
10:21
her real. I can hug her. I mean, all
10:23
those emotions all in the same five
10:25
minutes, right? And she just takes it.
10:27
And uh you seem to be locked in on
10:29
another game.
10:30
Yeah. Let's go. How can you not? I mean,
10:32
Drake May is like what a weekend for
10:34
Carolina. You know, we won three games
10:35
in seven days and obviously a big
10:37
rivalry win for our men and then Drake
10:39
May, one of the true Carolina guys. Um I
10:41
I couldn't not support him. um as just a
10:44
you know he's such a member of the
10:45
Carolina family. So yeah, we're go Pats
10:48
all day every day, but go Drake May even
10:49
longer.
10:51
Thanks guys.
10:52
Thank you.
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