After NCAA Sweet 16 run, UNC women’s basketball is embracing increased expectations
The buzz has arrived for North Carolina women’s basketball after making the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16 last season and returning its top four scorers.
That means increased visibility for the program, increased interest in the program and increased expectations from outsiders. UNC head coach Courtney Banghart welcomes it all.
“It’s a team that has gotten a lot of energy and excitement around it and I think deservedly so,” Banghart said. “It’s not because we’re focusing the recruiting on me. It’s really letting the product be sold in terms of what they earn and these guys have earned it. They’re really fun to watch, and they play the game the right way and that’s being rewarded.”
Carolina made its biggest impressions last season with its win over then-No. 3 Louisville in the regular season, going on the road to take down Arizona in the NCAA tournament and giving eventual national champion South Carolina its toughest game of the tournament in a 69-61 loss.
That’s part of the reason why the Tar Heels are being projected as a top-10 team by many of the “way too early” polls including ESPN.com and The Athletic, where they are right at No. 10.
The Heels return four starters including leading scorer Deja Kelly, who will likely contend for the ACC’s Player of the Year award. Guard Alyssa Ustby led the team in rebounding and was the second leading scorer. And Kennedy Todd-Williams rounded out their double figures scorers at 10.8 points per game. Forward Anya Poole started every game last season as a sophomore.
If the NCAA hadn’t denied Ivy League players, who did not have a season in 2019-20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from getting a waiver for an added year of eligibility, they would have had all five starters back. But the decision ended the career of UNC’s Carlie Littlefield, who transferred from Princeton.
While having so many players who contributed to their success back is a start, Banghart said UNC can’t rest on what it accomplished last season.
“The big thing I’m imparting on my guys is that just because we were good last year, doesn’t mean we’re good this year,” Banghart said. “Just like just because we weren’t so good year the year before last, doesn’t mean weren’t going to be good.”
Entering her fourth season at the helm, Banghart believes the foundation has finally been set. The Heels aren’t heavy into the transfer portal because of their recruiting.
Freshmen Teonni Key and Kayla McPherson spent all last season rehabbing knee injuries, but Banghart is excited about what they could potentially bring to the rotation.
There’s also reason for optimism at point guard, despite losing Littlefield, because of incoming freshman Paulina Paris. She is considered a top-30 recruit nationally in the class of 2022 and could help fill the void.
Banghart said she’s noticed a bump in recruiting thanks to the success they’ve had.
“Some people were waiting and sort of didn’t know me, coming from my background, and also didn’t know enough about was this change really going to help grow the program,” Banghart said. “And so I think the consistency and there’s a lot of a lot of recruits across the country, were watching this team. And as you saw, this team became really adored, and it became adored by recruits as well.”
They won’t be so adored in the ACC, where Notre Dame, Louisville, Virginia Tech and N.C. State could all be ranked preseason top 15 once the polls come out. But Banghart and the Heels welcome the challenge.
This story was originally published June 2, 2022 at 5:35 AM with the headline "After NCAA Sweet 16 run, UNC women’s basketball is embracing increased expectations."