Tag: NCAA Womens Basketball

Tar Heels dominate Hampton University 62-32

The North Carolina women’s basketball program dominated Hampton University 62-32 on Wednesday afternoon.

The North Carolina women’s basketball team notched their third win after beating Hampton University 62-32.

The Tar Heels hosted the Lady Pirates and held a special outing called “field trip day”, which welcomed nearly 1500 elementary and middle school students. The game took place right before noon, and it was a blowout from the start.

UNC got off to a 15-6 start after the first quarter and never looked back with their juggernaut defense shutting down the Pirate’s offense. The defense was so good that according to the team voice by voice Matt Krause, it marked the first second time in college basketball history that a team did not produce a double-digit scorer. Meanwhile, on the flip side, UNC continued to show their depth with three players in double digits.

The Tar Heels are rolling, and if they can force teams into 29 turnovers like they did in this win, it could be a good season on the horizon. UNC will face off against Elon on Saturday, looking to push to a 4-0 start.

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Courtney Banghart starts her journey as president of WBCA

North Carolina women’s basketball coach Courtney Banghart starts her journey as Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) president.

North Carolina women’s basketball coach Courtney Banghart has cranked up her two-year term as Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) president.

Banghart started her tenure by presiding over her first in-person board meeting. Banghart continues to put her Tar Heel stamp on women’s basketball, working her way up the leadership ladder after spending two years as the Vice President of the WBCA.

In a press release done by Go Heels, Banghart explains what the honor means to her to represent women collegiate basketball coaches.

“The sport of women’s basketball is at such an exciting time,” Banghart said. “Serving our organization in this capacity is both an honor and a responsibility, and it will get my best. I look forward to working with our coaches to ensure this inflection point for our sport is fully realized.”

Women’s basketball continues to grow, with more eyes on the product than ever before. Last season, the LSU vs. Iowa NCAA championship game set a new viewership record (9.9 million), a 103% increase in viewership from a year prior to the South Carolina vs. UConn game (4.85 million).

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Deja Kelly delivers clutch free throws in Team USA’s 67-63 win over Canada

North Carolina women’s basketball star Deja Kelly drops eight points in Team USA’s 67-63 win over Canada.

North Carolina women’s basketball star [autotag]Deja Kelly[/autotag] continues to shine for the United States after a 67-63 squeezed victory over Canada.

Kelly helped USA advance to the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup gold-medal game against Brazil, finishing with eight points and three rebounds. Despite a sluggish shooting performance from the field, Kelly made plays when it counted. Down by three points with five minutes left to go, Kelly made a huge play to draw a foul, knocking down both free throws to get Team USA within one.

Kelly finished the game +6 in +/-, tied for the third highest on the team. In six games for Team USA, Kelly averages 6.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 19 minutes of action per game. Her best game came against Cuba in the group phase, finishing with 10 points, seven assists, and four rebounds.

Kelly and USA will look to bring home to gold medal when they face off against Brazil Sunday at 8 P.M. ET.

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UNC women’s basketball cracks the top 10 in way too early top 25

The North Carolina women’s basketball program cracks the top 10 in way too early top 25.

Women’s college basketball saw significant movement this offseason with another very active transfer portal that saw rosters get shaken up a little bit as we head into the summer months. And while we still have months to go before a new season, it’s nice to see where analysts think teams stack up.

Despite the stacked competition, UNC found themselves cracking the top 10 in the way too early top 25 released by Mitchell Northam.

The Tar Heels rank ninth on the list, one of the two Atlantic Coastal Conference teams to crack the top 10, with Virginia Tech ranking fifth. Unsurprisingly, the defending champion LSU takes the throne, especially when you factor in the Tigers snagging the fiery Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith.

The biggest surprise on the list is South Carolina’s placement, which sits just one slot above UNC.

Regarding UNC’s ranking, the judgment was clear on why they ranked No. 9 and the expectations for this season. According to Northam, much of the ranking placement is due to the new additions.

Losing Kennedy Todd-Williams was a bummer for the Tar Heels, but Courtney Banghart regrouped quickly and made this UNC roster better for the future. The additions include Iowa State sharpshooter Lexi Donarksi (who is also a former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year), young and athletic Stanford guard Indya Nivar and 6-foot-4 shot-blocker Maria Gakdeng from Boston College. Pairing those transfers with veterans Deja Kelly, Alyssa Ustby and Anya Poole – and No. 4 overall recruit Cierra Toomey – should make the Tar Heels contenders in the ACC.

The women’s basketball program team chemistry has grown every year under Courtney Banghart, and with the new talent coming in, it could be a massive year for the team.

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Ciera Toomey named Miss Pennsylvania Basketball

Incoming UNC five-star freshman Ciera Toomey named Miss Pennsylvania.

Incoming UNC five-star freshman [autotag]Ciera Toomey[/autotag] has been named Miss Pennsylvania Basketball for 2023.

The five-star recruit out of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, adds the title of Miss Pennsylvania to her long list of accolades, recently named the Player of the Year in Class 3A. In a story picked up by Yahoo News, Toomey explained why being named Miss Pennsylvania meant a lot to her.

“This is definitely at the top of the list because winning the player of the year in 3A, that’s only for one class. To get something like this where all girls in the state are nominated, it just means a lot.”

Toomey is one of the most exciting recruits in the nation, ranking 4th in the espnW 2023 HoopGurlz recruiting rankings. Toomey joins a thriving UNC program, who has built a new identity after Courtney Banghart.

Toomey will likely see the court a lot in her freshman campaign and is expected to be a key contributor for years to come.

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Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby earn All-America honorable mention

North Carolina Tar Heels Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby earn All-America honorable mentions.

North Carolina women’s basketball players [autotag]Deja Kelly[/autotag] and [autotag]Alyssa Ustby[/autotag] have been named honorable mentions for All-America. Both Tar Heels were pivotal in UNC’s success this season and rightfully have received high praise for their play this season.

Kelly was North Carolina’s top scorer, tying her career high for points averaged in a season with 16.5 per game. This is Kelly’s second straight year receiving this honorable mention showcasing another consistent season.

On the other hand, Ustby was the team leader in rebounds, averaging 8.3 rebounds. Despite missing five games, Ustby finished with 233 total rebounds, 45 more than the next Tar Heel.

The North Carolina women’s basketball season might not have ended as they had hoped. However, they were still welcomed with applause for a hard-fought season, with a lot of credit going to Kelly and Ustby.

Both Tar Heels will be back in Chapel Hill next season, pending any last-minute changes, and should be a shoe for the award in 2023-2024.

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Kennedy Todd-Williams announces her new team

Kennedy Todd-Williams is taking her talents to the Ole Miss Rebels after three seasons at UNC.

The transfer portal has already significantly impacted the North Carolina women’s basketball team, and now we know where one Tar Heel is heading.

It was announced last week that [autotag]Kennedy Todd-Williams[/autotag] would take her talents to the transfer portal. She revealed that she would be lacing up for the Ole Miss Rebels on Wednesday.

Losing Todd-Williams to Ole Miss was a big blow to the women’s basketball program, and they utilized her strengths well.

The junior started all 33 games she appeared in and was second highest in minutes average per game with 32. Todd-Williams also was second in point average, averaging 13.4 points per game. She also did work on the glass finishing the top three in rebounding for UNC, averaging 5.4 rebounds per game.

A massive chunk of UNC’s offense is now at Ole Miss. However, with the talent coming and culture building, the Tar Heels should be able to rebound from this loss.

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Twitter reacts in gratitude for UNC’s season following the loss to Ohio State

After a remarkable season, Twitter shares its support for the North Carolina women’s basketball program.

The North Carolina women’s basketball championship hopes came to a screeching end after losing 71-69 to the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Despite their dance ending, there is no denying the remarkable season UNC has had despite the injuries, mid-season retirements, and on-the-fly rotations. Even in the final game, North Carolina showed their ability to adapt with Deja Kelly leaving and returning to the court after an injury.

UNC culture is building, and there is no denying that this team can be champions one day, especially when you account that the core still has two years of eligibility left. Even in defeat, the loss feels more like a lesson as they showed fight to the very end.

Usually, when a team is knocked out of the NCAA tournament, disappointment fills the room and takes away from a season of growth. However, when the final whistle rang, instead of social media filling the timeline with anger, it was filled with gratitude as fans thanked the Tar Heels for an incredible season.

Let us look at how Twitter thanks the North Carolina women’s basketball team for a season of memories.

Deja Kelly’s legacy continues to grow after insane state line

North Carolina women’s basketball guard Deja Kelly Tar Heel’s legacy continues to grow after a historic stat line.

North Carolina’s [autotag]Deja Kelly[/autotag] continues to build her Tar Heel legacy, adding another insane achievement to her resume.

UNC played their last game of the season, losing to the Ohio State Buckeyes, but that did not stop Kelly from making history. Kelly became the first Tar Heel for the women’s basketball program since 2000 to finish with at least 20 points, five rebounds, and two blocks in an NCAA game. Kelly also tacked on three steals, displaying one of the best defensive performances in her career.

This performance showcased Kelly’s abilities on the offensive and defensive end. To make the stat line that memorable, Kelly left the game with an injury before returning to help North Carolina fight late, even hitting a game-tying bucket with 11 seconds left.

This season has been one of the books for Kelly, earning accolades left and right such as All-ACC and winning the MVP for the PKI tournament. The future is bright for North Carolina, a big part of that is due to Kelly’s impact.

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UNC signee Laila Hull named Gatorade Indiana Girls basketball player of the year

North Carolina women’s basketball signee Laila Hull was named Gatorade Indiana Girls basketball player of the year.

The momentum of the North Carolina women’s basketball program has been building over the years, with top recruits choosing UNC as their home.

As the Tar Heels prepare to compete for an NCAA title, their signee Laila Hull was named the Gatorade Indiana Girls basketball player of the year. 

Hull joins other North Carolina signee Reniya Kelly as their state representative for the women’s high school Gatorade player of the year—two players who bring great shooting to an already high-scoring UNC offense. 

Hull led Zionsville high school to a 20-3 record, eventually making it to the Class 4A sectional semifinals. The four-star recruit averaged 22.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists a game. In addition, the 6’1 small forward was a nightmare for opposing offenses, averaging 2.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. 

It is hard not to get excited about the team building at UNC. 

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