It’s crunch time for Carolina media people, too.

Most schools would like to have the problem of two basketball teams going to the NCAA tournaments in different parts of the country, playing one day or two after another, or maybe even on the same day. UNC is happy to have that again.

This week, the men’s eighth-seeded Tar Heels are already in Fort Worth getting ready for today’s first-round match-up with undersized but super-quick Marquette. Meanwhile, the fifth-seeded UNC women are heading for Arizona and a game with No. 12 seed Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, when the men might play a second-round game against top-seeded Baylor.

Somehow, men’s media director Steve Kirschner and his woman counterpart Dana Gelin figured out how to get Armando Bacot, RJ Davis and Brady Manek on one webinar from Fort Worth, followed by Hubert Davis, just after Courtney Banghart did a ZOOM before she and her team were heading for RDU.

Some media were already at the men’s location, but many more were tuned into the webinar that is like a ZOOM without everyone’s head in a square. Banghart was talking to every talking head in a box, but she made perfect sense.

As for how she handles being the second basketball banana at Carolina this time of the year, she said she loves it. “We have a heavy load of expectation here,” Banghart allowed. “Our name is synonymous with legacy. Recruits will call you back when they know you’re calling from Carolina.”

She came from Princeton, where sports are important but clearly kept in their Ivy League place. “I wouldn’t have taken this job if it didn’t matter,” she said. “It matters to the fans, the community and other coaches because it helps them in recruiting.”

Just after Banghart hung up and headed for Tucson, the next screen brought up the men followed by their coach.

They personified how Hubert’s team has gotten on the same page despite losing two members of the rotation at mid-season. “We’d run through a wall for Coach Davis,” RJ Davis said.

“I don’t want them to do that!” said the relaxed head coach on the way to practice.

 

Photo via UNC Athletic Communications/Anthony Sorbellini.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
‹
Chansky's Notebook: Hoops Galore
Between the men's and women's NCAA Tournaments, the Triangle will be the capital of the college basketball world this weekend.
UNC Basketball in the AP Poll: Women Up to No. 15, Men Down to No. 19
Both the UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams made moves in the most recent AP Polls, which were released Monday. The women’s team moved up one spot to No. 15, while the men’s team slipped two spots to No. 19. On the men’s side, the Tar Heels dropped after splitting their final two games of […]
UNC Basketball in the AP Poll: Men Up to No. 17, Women Up to No. 16
The UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams both rose in the latest editions of the AP Poll, which were released Monday. The men’s team rose one spot to No. 17, while the women’s team rose five spots to No. 16. The No. 17 Tar Heel men won a pair of home games last week, defeating […]
Chansky's Notebook: Bigger Challenges
The UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams took important steps forward on Saturday and Sunday and have positioned themselves well for March.
UNC Basketball in the AP Poll: Men Drop to No. 18, Women Rise to No. 21
The UNC men’s basketball team dropped two spots to No. 18 in the latest AP Poll, while the women’s team rose one spot to No. 21. Both polls were released Monday. The men’s team split its pair of games during the past week. The Tar Heels lost badly at NC State Tuesday night in Raleigh, […]
UNC Basketball in the AP Poll: Men's and Women's Teams Both Drop in Latest Rankings
The UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams each dropped spots in the latest AP Poll Monday after both suffered losses during the week. The men dropped five spots from No. 11 to No. 16, while the women dropped one spot from No. 21 to No. 22. The men’s team’s previous ranking of No. 11 had […]
Chansky's Notebook: Different Challenges
David Glenn compares the situations of the UNC men's and women's basketball teams as both enter the home stretch of the regular season.
UNC Basketball in the AP Poll: Men Rise to No. 11, Women Rise to No. 21
After the UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams each picked up big wins last week, both squads have risen in the latest edition of the AP Poll. The men’s team rose three spots to No. 11, while the women’s team rose four spots to No. 21. For the men, No. 11 is the team’s highest […]
Financial Report Shows UNC Athletics Operated at $15 Million Deficit in 2024-25 Year
The newest financial report from the UNC athletic department to the NCAA shows the department operated at a deficit of more than $15 million during the 2024-25 fiscal year. The department reported revenues of $172,951,034 and reported expenses of $187,967,260. The UNC athletic department had operated at a profit in each of the past three […]
UNC Basketball in the AP Poll: Men Up to No. 14, Women Back in at No. 25
Both the UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams are ranked in the latest editions of the AP Poll, which were released Monday. The men (17-4, 5-3 ACC) rose two spots to No. 14, while the women (17-5, 6-3 ACC) are back in the poll at No. 25 after three consecutive weeks unranked. The men played […]
›