Deborah Stroman and News Director Brighton McConnell chat for the first “Stroman on Sports” segment of 2026 on Friday, Jan. 9. With both UNC basketball programs coming off of losses to start the new year (and the early stretch of conference play), Debby discusses the narratives around both teams and what questions are being asked about the head coaches’ strategies. Men’s basketball has had a strong start — but the team is still building chemistry and is searching for an identity. The women’s team, meanwhile, has lost critical conference games in the closing minutes while missing crunch-time free throws. The pair share their thoughts, as well as react to the news of Miami football punching its ticket to the College Football Playoff championship game.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

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