March 7, 2023
Locked on Women’s Basketball: Courtney Banghart and North Carolina are ready to make noise in March
By The Next
Howard and coach Courtney Banghart chat about UNC's season, NCAA tourney and Ivy League
It’s time for another episode of the Locked on Women’s Basketball podcast. Courtney Banghart and North Carolina are ready to make noise in March, as the Tar Heels head coach tells host Howard Megdal. The two discuss Deja Kelly‘s evolution, the key moments in the UNC season, and a ton of Ivy League talk from the former Princeton head coach and Dartmouth alum.
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Courtney Banghart talks about how she sees her team right now coming into March:
“Yeah, we’re finally healthy. This year, what was really been marred by injury. Our point guard went out at the beginning of the year and hasn’t played until the last eight games of the season. And then we had two of our starters who missed almost a month and were kind of in the thick of the ACC season. So we’ve been in and out of injury and worked through that, which I think makes us deeper than we would have thought going into this tournament because now we’re healthy. And I have more options because I’ve got guys who played valuable minutes throughout the season.
We’ve earned six top-20 wins on the course of the year, two top-five wins, and no loss; it’s below 60 in the net, and 12 ranks strength the schedule. These guys, we have put them to the wolves; we knew we’d be pretty good. And, they responded. And so, we’re sitting in a good spot and excited for what’s to come.”
Courtney Banghart talks about the challenges of scheduling out of the conference schedule:
“The ACC has given us such great preparation, lots of great coaches, lots of great players, and lots of great systems. No two systems are the same. So we’ve had to go against night after night since Dec. 28. We’ve played every Thursday and Sunday all year long against a team that is one of the premier teams in our country. And so, that’s a little different than what I came from. And I’ve loved it; it has made me better, it’s made me sharper. And, I hope that the ACC as a collective does really well in the tournament because I think we’ve prepared each other well.”
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Certainly peaks a new interest into women’s basketball for me!!
Looking forward to more information and scheduling!