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After the Carolina women’s basketball program’s steady ascension under Coach Courtney Banghart in her first two seasons, the Tar Heels have rocketed toward the national spotlight this season. Banghart knew she had all of the elements for a special team before the season, even if most observers saw last season’s 13–11 finish and weren’t convinced. Only predicted to finish seventh in the ACC, the Tar Heels finished tied for third.
Cole Anthony has put together a run of good games of late, including his ninth double-double of the season. After scoring 14 points Tuesday in the Orlando Magic’s 94–90 home win over the Golden State Warriors, Anthony collected 17 points and tied his career-high with 11 assists in a 118–112 loss Wednesday at Oklahoma City.
Roy Williams thought his first Carolina basketball season as a fan after retirement would just be fun because he wouldn’t have to worry about coaching and could just enjoy the games. He soon found out otherwise and said that his biggest concern all season was to give first-year head coach Hubert Davis his space and to make sure not to “get in the way.” During an interview on the WCMC (99.9 the Fan) show “The OG” Wednesday with hosts Joe Ovies and Joe Giglio, he said that he quickly found out what fans have known for years: it’s stressful to watch a game when you can’t do anything to change the outcome.
Carolina is one of three schools with both its men’s and women’s teams in the Sweet 16 and fans will get the chance to gather twice Wednesday to send each team off for their Friday regional semifinal games. UNC, which has both teams in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015, joins Iowa State and Michigan as the only schools with its men’s and women’s team still playing in the NCAA tournament.
Carolina fans know how stressful it was to watch the Tar Heels blow a 25-point lead to Baylor in the last 10 minutes of regulation on Saturday. Imagine how it felt in a Dickies Arena dressing room for Brady Manek, who couldn’t watch the television feed for the game.
Players live for the sort of moments Carolina’s women’s team experienced Monday night. For the talented sophomore class that battled through a 13–11 freshman season that ended with a first-round NCAA tournament loss to Alabama, the road to a Sweet 16 berth was long but the realization of that accomplishment was thrilling. When third-year UNC coach Courtney Banghart took Deja Kelly out late in the game, there was one of those moments. The player and the coach she trusted so much that the Texas high school star committed to be a Tar Heel exchanged some emotional words.
Reggie Bullock returned after missing four games because of personal reasons but showed no rust from the break. Bullock scored 18 points and six 3-pointers, including a clutch 3 late in the game, as the Dallas Mavericks earned a 110–108 home victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bullock also had seven rebounds as the Mavs avoided their first three-game losing streak since December.
Carolina’s relentless defense has been frustrated many opponents all season. Add Arizona to that list, and put the Tar Heels down for their first Sweet 16 in seven years.
UNC held the Wildcats scoreless for nearly 11½ first-half minutes to take control on their way to a 63–45 true road victory Monday night in Tucson, Ariz., in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
From the time that Brady Manek got ejected after questionably being called for a flagrant-two foul, some wondered if that would lead to a suspension. There was even speculation about it Monday on ACC Network. But, since the ejection doesn’t involve fighting, there will be no suspension and Manek will play on Friday night at 9:40 p.m. in the East Regional semifinals against UCLA in Philadelphia (TBS).
North Carolina showed again what it has done many times when facing adversity this season: Handle it, show poise, take control and leave the opponent reeling. A sensational 28-point game from Deja Kelly, an animated halftime speech from third-year UNC coach Courtney Banghart and a decisive 14–3 fourth-quarter run ensured the first NCAA tournament win for her and all of her players.
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