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#UNC coach Courtney Banghart and players Lexi Donarski and Reniya Kelly after win over Va. Tech
Feb 14, 2025
#UNC coach Courtney Banghart and players Lexi Donarski and Reniya Kelly after win over Va. Tech
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0:00
what's your name
0:02
Landon Landon how old are youon five he
0:06
doesn't get to come very much but he
0:08
watches the
0:15
games all right tell me when you're
0:17
ready good coach whenever you're ready
0:20
oh people already calling
0:21
you anyone calling you
0:24
no me need it um okay well that was uh
0:29
another you know battle that's what you
0:31
expect late in conference and you know
0:33
especially when you've got that ranking
0:34
people are you know playing a little bit
0:35
with house money and they played a great
0:37
game I mean Caris was money I mean I
0:40
thought a lot of her shots were
0:41
contested um I thought a lot of their
0:42
shots in general were contested um and
0:45
they made a lot of shots I mean eight
0:47
for 13 from three it's hard to win those
0:49
games eight for nine from the line um
0:51
you know and our guys just continue to
0:53
find ways to to win 110 boards you know
0:57
obviously with the career high I thought
0:58
Lexi made a lot of great reads tonight
1:00
um um and you know 16 rebounds for
1:03
Alyssa I mean it's just it's hard to win
1:06
um and especially when the momentum's
1:07
going against you um but these guys just
1:10
keep finding a way uh and that's great
1:12
we'll take number 10 and keep it moving
1:15
could talk about the last play that led
1:16
to the baker Miss it's like you're
1:18
switching they through that play off can
1:20
you talk about how that played out it's
1:22
great when they need a three right
1:23
because you can switch everything you
1:24
don't have to worry about any slips to
1:25
the basket or um or anything like that
1:28
um and so we wanted to keep bodies
1:30
um away we wanted to make sure we
1:31
contest it at the arc so we switched
1:33
everything and if you if you miss your
1:34
matchup there they they might slip it or
1:36
curl it but that's worth too so we
1:38
didn't really care about that and then
1:40
how holding scles for the last few
1:41
minutes these guys when these guys clamp
1:44
down defensively it's a um we can be a
1:47
really good defensive team I thought in
1:48
the first half we were a bit kind of on
1:51
our heels um and we just got to we've
1:54
got to find that fire that we played
1:56
with in that fourth quarter um and we've
1:58
done it now three games in a row we've
1:59
been able to get key stops um but I
2:02
think we can defend better again they
2:03
made some contested shots I don't think
2:04
we were terrible on the defensive end
2:05
but the urgency um you know I know that
2:09
with these two sitting right next to me
2:10
I know on Sunday there'll be a a better
2:12
a better start defensively I think yeah
2:15
231 left in the the fourth quarter you
2:17
kind of get a free timeout what do you
2:19
say in the Huddle going into that final
2:20
stretch uh I don't remember at that time
2:22
of the game it could have been we were
2:24
we wanted to get um Lexi um it could
2:27
have been that we wanted to get more
2:28
movement and depends on when it was I
2:30
don't exactly know 6060 and who who made
2:32
the next shot yes who did who did she
2:34
did yes yeah or it was a ly Grant free
2:37
throw and then tied before the final so
2:41
she made the free throw do you remember
2:43
I don't remember the time I don't
2:44
remember the time of the game at all
2:46
sorry do you you guys are both in I just
2:50
if you give me a little more context
2:51
I'll be able to answer I don't really
2:52
remember it was after the the charge
2:53
call and yeah which was interesting yep
2:57
I
2:57
think team y oh okay so we at that point
3:01
so we needed to stop you're saying so
3:03
it's their ball yeah we were going to
3:04
switch everything at that point um you
3:06
know take them out of their favorite
3:07
things um you know again when when you
3:10
look at these type of Defenders that are
3:12
a mobility and size of Alysa and
3:15
obviously what these guys can do
3:16
defensively in India you know it's
3:18
really a matter of me reminding them the
3:20
things that they can do defensively and
3:21
urging that however tired you are you've
3:24
got to bring that um and so these guys
3:26
got key stopped for the last 2 minutes
3:28
and 30 seconds you know so they earn the
3:30
win um I think we can play better and we
3:32
will Rai can you talk about the past
3:35
last few minutes obviously the charging
3:36
call that how about the big and then and
3:39
then and then you drew a foul and then
3:42
got had to go to the sideline are you
3:45
okay happened there um so I twisted my
3:48
ankle I got a Char was it a charge or
3:50
did I get fou that one was the one you
3:52
got fou yeah so I just twisted my ankle
3:54
and I just need to come out for a minute
3:56
to get myself together and what about
3:58
the fire the last few minutes when when
4:01
when you know it looked like they were
4:02
going to I mean I feel like we didn't
4:03
have any energy the whole game so I feel
4:05
like the last few minutes of the game we
4:07
just needed it and we had it so I think
4:09
that was very important for the last few
4:10
minutes just a quick note on that I mean
4:12
with the energy I will say the VT
4:15
players that came in here said that
4:16
y'all really did like fluster them on
4:18
the defensive end of beginning of the
4:20
game but you said you felt like you
4:22
didn't have any energy until the end was
4:24
there a moment something someone said
4:26
like what sparked that just aggression
4:30
that we saw good question I mean I think
4:31
the team did I think we did I think we
4:33
was talking about it the whole entire
4:35
fourth quarter and we need to bring the
4:36
energy at that time cuz they we were
4:37
coming back they made a few runs so I
4:39
think we needed it then and there and we
4:41
did it I think Grace was really big too
4:43
yeah at that moment both offensively and
4:45
defensively in the fourth quarter and
4:47
just if I may follow up on that you guys
4:49
were going to her a lot I mean she was
4:51
hitting these really tough lays over
4:54
much taller competition and also you
4:55
know jumping up for some defensive
4:57
rebounds um on the other and just doing
5:00
a little bit of
5:01
everything what I guess is it about her
5:04
that makes yall so willing just to trust
5:07
her and put the ball in her hands so
5:09
much in the clutch there yeah she's
5:11
really good she's really experienced and
5:14
she just plays with so much joy and
5:15
energy that it helps all of us around
5:18
her she's willing to attack the paint
5:21
paint for herself or for others and
5:23
she's willing to give it all she has on
5:25
defense to force steals or to make the
5:27
ball handler feel clustered like you had
5:29
mentioned before so she just never takes
5:31
a playoff so athletic and fast so she's
5:33
an advantage downhill right um and RI I
5:37
think she played too many minutes again
5:38
yeah she played 30 almost 34 minutes um
5:41
and so you know she gets to a point
5:43
where she's she honestly just needs a
5:45
rest and so it's been great that Grace
5:47
can be aggressive but yeah her speed is
5:49
an advantage and we have to continue to
5:50
use it yeah with the with the veteran
5:53
nature of like many of the players Lexi
5:55
Alysa how do you like use that in the
5:57
game when it's tough moments like down
5:59
to the last quarter and really like
6:01
going into something like strategic I
6:03
feel like I I feel like I can help them
6:05
because they tell me they they get to
6:07
have a voice right so even you know
6:09
there's many of times in the game where
6:10
I'm asking uh Lexi about defensive
6:12
coverages and and anything that we she's
6:14
seeing or anything that we can shift up
6:16
there I'm asking Tan in terms of on the
6:18
offensive end what looks you know she
6:20
feels comfortable with with this group
6:22
um so when you trust them because
6:23
they've been around a while um you know
6:26
you're it's a conversation it's not a
6:28
presentation right it's it's a
6:29
conversation and um you know I we're
6:32
going to let Lexi make those decisions
6:34
late defensively and we're going to
6:35
follow her lead right because she's
6:36
proven it um and we're going to trust
6:38
Ria's call late um because she's proven
6:40
it um but there's a lot of conversations
6:42
which I appreciate for an experienced
6:43
team Lexi with them making eight
6:45
three-pointers how important was it to
6:48
get the perimeter game back I mean you
6:50
only the team only had three at Clemson
6:52
you had three I think in the first half
6:55
yeah I mean we need to have a well
6:57
balanced offense and I feel like being
6:59
able to or just taking the shots outside
7:02
opens up lanes for everyone else so it's
7:04
something that we need to get people to
7:06
be able to go off the dribble cuz
7:07
they're hugging me and they can attack
7:08
my gaps um so I feel like it just adds a
7:11
more well-rounded feel to our offense
7:13
yeah you guys should definitely write
7:15
about that take I mean we we set a flare
7:16
for her and then they rescreened her and
7:18
they just stayed glued to her and so she
7:19
caught it didn't hesitate got her got
7:21
herself right to the layup and got
7:22
herself right at The Rim um you know
7:25
that's that was a huge play and it might
7:27
have been the Clincher yeah follow up on
7:29
that Lexi how comfortable are you going
7:30
to your left hand like that was that
7:32
anything in your mind
7:34
anything yeah I mean we've been working
7:36
on a lot in practice and and all of my
7:38
individual workouts um it's been a focus
7:42
to really put the ball on the floor and
7:44
get to the rim and finish so it it just
7:47
came natural because that's what we've
7:48
been working on for a while coach going
7:50
off your eyes minutes how did you see
7:52
others stepping up um down stretch when
7:54
the score was a little tighter yeah to
7:57
help you know I thought we talked about
7:59
Grace I mean she she's she's fun to
8:01
coach I can only imagine how fun she is
8:03
to have with his teammate um she's she
8:05
she helps you on both sides of the ball
8:06
when she and Ray I went to like a
8:08
two-man press on their own and forced to
8:10
turnover um you know she just gives you
8:12
something a lot right and then Laney
8:14
she's really earned our trust I mean she
8:15
didn't shoot it well tonight but she
8:17
made good decisions right and she was a
8:19
a better secondary Defender than she has
8:21
been um and so those two have given us a
8:24
lot Sierra has had a good couple weeks
8:26
of practice and of course she just broke
8:27
her nose so um or at least heard her was
8:29
pretty bad in the game so she's that was
8:31
a bummer um and then Blanca you know was
8:34
able to get in and um get a get a help a
8:37
key kind of contest um but our bench you
8:40
know they they're they know that they're
8:42
needed um but that that we they've got
8:44
to be what these guys can't be in that
8:46
moment Coach quick turn around to you
8:49
know NC State on Sunday AC Play Never
8:52
rests um what stands out to you about
8:54
this NC State team and what are just
8:58
practices between
9:01
we always assess practices based on
9:02
their bodies and what the reads are
9:03
through our sport performance team so I
9:05
don't know how much of them I'll have so
9:07
uh it'll either be a it'll either be a
9:09
mental exercise of of understanding how
9:11
we want to play or a physical rep
9:13
exercise we don't really know until we
9:15
get the data that we need um you know NC
9:18
State they've got a lot of great guard
9:19
play I mean their guard play brought
9:21
them all the way to the final four last
9:22
year right um and so that's a
9:24
competitive very experienced group
9:26
they've got kind of you know senior
9:29
heavy guard play um which is a wonderful
9:31
thing to have right um and you know they
9:34
their their bigs have come along um so
9:36
they're a really formidable team I mean
9:38
I think they're in the top 10 I don't
9:39
know exactly but I think they're close
9:41
or are or whatever um and then of course
9:44
it's a team that we're really familiar
9:45
with right the fan bases are familiar
9:47
with each other so you know it's just
9:48
it's nexted up and a great opportunity
9:50
to have a great rivalry game at our
9:51
place um and I know Carmichael was is
9:54
excited to be hosting it and and they'll
9:56
have fans because their local will have
9:58
fans and that's kind of what it's all
9:59
about
9:59
I want to ask you about two statistics
10:01
you you uh had 11 offensive rebounds
10:04
basically you rebounded about a third of
10:06
your misses and what uh uh 13 Second
10:09
Chance points and then you had seven
10:11
players with at least two assists which
10:13
kind of speaks to the sharing the ball
10:15
well heck yeah and a lot of people
10:17
thanks so much A lot of people have
10:18
scored um yeah I said to them after the
10:20
game it's a great team to shoot on
10:21
because these guys are really good on
10:24
the glass um and so we've got to be able
10:25
to I know you don't have a lot of space
10:27
but I still want her to shoot more um
10:29
Ria is probably tired of me telling her
10:31
to shoot more too um but you know we got
10:33
a lot of great rebounders um but yeah
10:35
look at the scoring and the assisting
10:37
and this is a complete basketball team
10:39
and they just they all have to bring
10:41
their peace and I thought we were okay
10:42
in the first half today I know you said
10:45
that you s been working on that sort of
10:47
Drive in practice but obviously game is
10:49
a different thing can you take us
10:50
through what you saw on that that one
10:52
particular play and um what made you
10:54
decide all right this is the time I'm
10:55
gonna go yeah I mean I had come off a
10:58
flare and a pin down and she was right
11:01
up on me and so I mean at that point I
11:04
didn't have a shot and I'm like she's
11:06
too close so I was attacking the Gap and
11:09
just seeing what I had um if anyone
11:12
would have helped I would have gotten it
11:13
to our open Shooters on the wing but the
11:16
the lane was there so I just kept
11:17
going wouldn't know how quick Lexie is
11:20
with the ball she's really fast and um
11:23
it's going to be helpful when she
11:24
recognizes how fast she is with the
11:26
dribble hard to catch up with so many
11:28
tight games like this for y'all in the
11:30
ACC um want to go back to and maybe it's
11:33
a different moment but that FSU game
11:36
what a tough game but yall have had this
11:38
game the end at Clemson and really been
11:40
able to kind of like out games like that
11:43
what do you think you learned if
11:45
anything from that FSU game or again and
11:48
Georgia Tech right they went on a
11:49
momentum right they punched Us in the
11:51
face and we kind of traded baskets right
11:53
we didn't clamp and then the last three
11:56
games we've clamped when we're trading
11:57
baskets right um and so we've learned a
12:00
lot about I learned a lot we learned a
12:01
lot from those two games like there's
12:02
momentum that the other team has and you
12:05
don't get to roll with their momentum
12:06
you've got to stop their momentum um
12:08
defensively so I think we're a better
12:10
team than we were against those two
12:11
teams at that time and that's the goal
12:14
is to continue to get better any other
12:16
questions one more about that that play
12:19
coach mentioned use the word Clincher
12:21
and I I just wonder as players when you
12:23
make a basket like that in a crucial
12:25
time does that do you ever feel like
12:28
that might have been Clin that might be
12:30
might be the dagger we're just focused
12:31
on the next play she's all worried about
12:33
defense again at that point it's like
12:34
okay we need to get a stop like um yeah
12:37
it it's really just keep going the
12:39
game's not over yet Lexi made the right
12:42
choice to come and be a Tar Hill great
12:44
things are r
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