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#UNC coach Courtney Banghart and freshman guard Taliyah Henderson after blowout win over SMU
Feb 13, 2026
#UNC coach Courtney Banghart and freshman guard Taliyah Henderson after blowout win over SMU
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0:00
Well, um you know, we as we know this
0:03
time of year, we always want to go for
0:05
sweets, right? And so we got the first
0:06
part of our suite. Um we felt like we
0:08
needed to come out and um you know, play
0:11
with great purpose. Obviously, not
0:12
having Riah tonight, we had a little bit
0:15
more length um and a little bit more um
0:17
you know, we had obviously some great
0:19
shot making um and then there's a lot of
0:20
space. Um and you can see the effort
0:23
that these pieces have put into being
0:25
more and more getting better and better.
0:26
I mean, the kid sitting next to me is I
0:28
mean, you know, how much better she is
0:30
from two months ago, it's it's hard to
0:32
really fathom. Um, so yeah, obviously we
0:35
we were defensively I I want perfection.
0:37
Um, there were some things that we can
0:38
do better. Um, but we obviously were
0:41
pretty solid when I look at the the stat
0:42
sheet. So, um, I'll celebrate the fact
0:45
that we got a good win on both sides of
0:46
the ball today.
0:47
Many of your 400 wins come with such
0:49
ease.
0:50
I know, right? Um, you know, when you're
0:52
in it, you don't really think it's easy,
0:54
right? because you're trying to make
0:55
sure that we're kind of possession by
0:57
possession maintaining our standard, you
0:59
know. Um, forearms a lot. I mean, I'm
1:01
getting old. I've been doing this a long
1:03
time, especially for a kid that was sent
1:05
to the Ivy League because coaching
1:06
wasn't a vocation. You know, I think my
1:08
dad's probably uh down in Florida
1:10
chuckling that I'm still doing this. Um,
1:12
but you know, I'm certainly glad to do
1:13
it with this team. This team obviously
1:15
has a lot of special pieces that I've
1:16
just really loved to coach and have a
1:18
real bright future.
1:20
Courtney, you were talking about how
1:21
much has improved down the um the past
1:23
two months. How have you kind of seen
1:25
that?
1:25
Yeah, I think what you saw when you
1:26
first saw her is what how athletic she
1:28
was, right? And so you had some
1:29
competition where um her athleticism was
1:32
such an advantage that it didn't really
1:33
matter what was going on. Um and as the
1:36
competition has improved, you know, and
1:38
the physicality has improved and the and
1:40
the systems are more complex, there's
1:41
more adjustments in lifetime that are
1:43
happening. Um there's a much more of an
1:45
awareness. So it's I mean, if I was as
1:46
athletic as she was, I would rely on
1:48
that too, right? Um, but she has a much
1:51
better understanding of how of all the
1:53
she's seen more things, right? Like if
1:55
she's defending a shuffle screen or a or
1:57
a switch or now she's defending a a back
2:00
screen and like these are all things
2:01
that in high school are done at a very
2:02
different pace and physicality. Um, so
2:05
she's just she's not she's not making up
2:07
for it with her athleticism. She's in
2:08
the right spot to begin with. Um,
2:10
offensively, you know, she's playing
2:11
with confidence. Um, I think she's very
2:13
clear on where she can be most
2:15
effective. Um, she puts a lot of time
2:17
into her shot. So, she's obviously
2:18
become a really good perimeter shooter.
2:20
Um, you know, I could go on and on. I
2:22
mean, I think watching her was so fun
2:24
because she was wow, right? She's
2:26
becoming a really good basketball
2:27
player, right? And that takes usually it
2:29
takes more time than what she's putting
2:31
in than than what it's showing. But, um,
2:33
she's just getting much better at
2:34
basketball, which has been fun to coach.
2:36
And Talia, how has it been sort of
2:38
adjusting to college for you like what
2:39
you was saying? And also, what was
2:41
working for you today? [cough]
2:43
Yeah. Um it was definitely an adjustment
2:45
just in general from coming off an ACL
2:47
injury and like coach said high school
2:49
level it's a lot slower and less
2:52
physical. So um that was definitely
2:55
something that I struggled with coming
2:57
in. But the team and the coaches were so
2:59
positive and like encouraging that you
3:02
do you want to do nothing but learn. And
3:05
I think that's been shown throughout my
3:07
games this season is just like those
3:09
little things that I made a mistake in
3:10
last game aren't going to be made this
3:13
game. And I think honestly it was my
3:15
team that helped me today. You make the
3:17
right reads, but there's people that
3:19
give you the ball to make those reads
3:20
and trust you to make those reads. And I
3:22
think that's what they did for me today.
3:24
And what were the challenges of ACL
3:25
recovery? Like for you I know obviously
3:27
it's very talented, but how did you kind
3:28
of overcome that and kind of get back to
3:30
where you were?
3:32
Support system. my family that are here
3:35
today for the first time
3:36
a little bit. But um but they they
3:39
helped me. My coaches around me, the my
3:41
physical therapist, um these guys on the
3:44
phone, obviously I wasn't here yet.
3:45
I was there when it happened and that
3:48
was no good.
3:48
Yeah.
3:49
But we're bonding today.
3:50
Yep. We're good. [laughter]
3:52
Um but like I said, that support system
3:54
kind of gave me the confidence to
3:55
continue to get better and want to
3:58
learn, and that's still happening here.
3:59
So,
4:00
was this was this your family's first
4:01
home game? this yeah their first home
4:03
game. Surprised them with the trip and
4:05
they took it for SMU and then they'll be
4:07
at Duke as well.
4:08
You've had it seem like several games
4:10
where you didn't miss. Tonight was
4:11
another one of them. Uh what what gives
4:13
you the confidence like that? How can
4:15
you get on runs like that?
4:17
Um obviously our my team like we went on
4:21
tons of runs. They like Indie got a
4:24
steal that led to my fast break layup.
4:25
It's not [cough] just necessarily me.
4:28
That is kind of a contributing to my
4:30
points. And again, the confidence and
4:31
trust they have for me also gives me it
4:35
makes me excited like I want to go win
4:37
for my team. And then the work I put on
4:39
when nobody's watching is also plays a
4:42
factor. [clears throat]
4:43
And the Carmichael people love this kid.
4:45
I mean, God, she just walks in the gym
4:46
and people are like, "Dia." So, I'm sure
4:49
that helps.
4:50
What do you just What do you remember? I
4:51
mean, you said you were there when the
4:52
the injury happened. Just what do you
4:54
remember about that moment? terrible. I
4:56
mean, I was on the baseline. It happened
4:57
on that basket.
4:58
Um and um her mom was there and you
5:01
know, right away she shrieked and I was
5:04
like, "Oh, no." Right. Um and you know,
5:07
knowing to be honest, the adversity that
5:09
she went through with a different injury
5:11
and how she actually got a whole lot
5:12
better, somehow injured, she got better.
5:14
It was fascinating. Um she got much
5:16
better at shooting. Um I just by that
5:19
time I was already sold, right? And I
5:20
was like, "Well, now she's going to have
5:21
some adversity to go through." But um
5:23
never did I waver on on how good she was
5:26
going to be. I just I thought it would
5:27
take a little bit more time for her to
5:29
contribute immediately, right? Because
5:30
she hasn't played basketball,
5:31
competitive basketball in so long. Um
5:33
but this kid's wired in a way that she
5:35
can concentrate. She can although she's
5:36
athletic, her she can she can
5:38
concentrate enough for her to get her
5:40
brain to tell her body what to do and
5:41
then her body actually does it, you
5:43
know. Um so yeah, it was it was hard to
5:45
be there. Her mom was there and see her
5:47
mom so sad as a mom myself. Um, but you
5:50
know, you just you love her through it
5:52
and the rest is history.
5:53
You ask about all the three-pointers in
5:55
the first half. I mean, how how does
5:57
that help other parts of your offense
5:59
with it's not just one or two, it's
6:01
three several players are hitting
6:02
threes.
6:03
Yeah, you know, we have we've got guys
6:04
that can really shoot it. If the ball
6:06
moves, um, then I think we can we can um
6:09
we can prove that. And tonight we did
6:11
that. Um, and so they were not
6:13
contested. They were they were uh they
6:15
were open both in transition and in in
6:17
the quarter court. Um, you know, I think
6:19
this this group, especially when we get
6:20
these kind of young long ones in, um, I
6:23
think they're they're taking full
6:24
advantage of openings, right? And they
6:26
can all shoot it. I mean, Tia, Ila, and
6:28
Nyla, like literally like burn the nets
6:30
down with how much they practice. So,
6:32
it's just, as we call it, we just call
6:33
it a practice shot, right? And they um
6:35
it just happens to be you guys in in the
6:36
gym watching it.
6:38
You talked about a a series sweep. Um,
6:40
you start a new series on Sunday um
6:43
against rival Duke. Kind of what kind of
6:44
momentum does this give you going into
6:46
that game? Yeah, I mean we call it sweep
6:48
week. So every Thursday, Sunday, um you
6:50
know, they ask how do you you know, how
6:51
do you stay focused on one game at a
6:53
time? It's like because you can't sweep
6:54
if you don't win the first one, right?
6:55
And then once you win the first one, you
6:57
can't sweep unless you win the second
6:58
one, right? Um and so we just we just
7:00
want to sweep weeks and see where it all
7:01
plays out in March. And so now our next
7:03
one is a Sunday game and it's against a
7:05
rival. Um you know, and so we to sweep
7:08
it, we have to we have to go to have to
7:10
go to Cameron and get our sweep. So, um,
7:12
this is momentum in that every single
7:15
minute that, for example, Tia, cuz she's
7:17
sitting right here, gets is helpful,
7:20
right? Because now she's 18 or 19, 20,
7:22
however many minutes she played, she's
7:23
that much more experienced for Duke,
7:26
right? And then for who, you know, um,
7:28
Virginia Tech and Pit. Um, and so I
7:31
think with the with the pieces that are
7:33
really talented, they they just are
7:34
getting the more experience we can give
7:36
them, the better. Um, and so today they
7:38
they should have that as as as momentum
7:41
because they've they've gotten their
7:42
feet and hands into idle the basketball
7:44
again.
7:45
You talk about the stretch dance. Four
7:46
of the last five regular season games
7:48
are quad one. Obviously big for NCAA in
7:51
ACC seating purposes, but also big big
7:54
challenges every game. Talk about that
7:55
stretch coming up.
7:56
Yeah, I mean whether you play them early
7:58
or late, you just got to win one at a
7:59
time. Um, and you got to sweep them. And
8:01
so uh we have uh Duke on Sunday and then
8:04
we'll start a new sweep week. Um, but
8:06
you know, that's the beauty of our
8:07
league. It's why you come to the ACC is
8:09
you want to be challenged night after
8:10
night. Um, I don't think these guys even
8:12
know who they play on Thursday. We're
8:13
focused on Sunday and then we'll be
8:15
focused on Thursday. And I'm not
8:16
entirely sure they know who they play on
8:17
Sunday. Like I think they they really
8:19
do. They're worried about getting better
8:21
for the as a as an individual so they
8:22
can help our team win. And then they're
8:24
focused on the scout. It's like it's
8:25
it's really amazing. They're very
8:27
routine like that. like um so in Monday
8:29
they the guys that are trying to get
8:31
stronger, they lift on our off days, you
8:33
know, are um they're always in the gym
8:35
on their off days. Um they're watching
8:37
film. So I think they're focusing on
8:39
themselves on Mondays to get ready and
8:40
then the scout on Tuesday and then we
8:42
put it all together on Wednesday and
8:44
then we play Thursday and then Friday.
8:45
Like it's just kind of in a routine now.
8:47
I know uh I'm kind of I guess maybe
8:49
breaking that next game routine. This
8:51
one just ended, but just what do you
8:52
think are going to be some of the keys
8:54
for the Duke game on Sunday? two really
8:56
good teams on both ends, right? Teams
8:58
that can, you know, that last year sort
9:00
of struggled to score. I think both
9:01
teams are scoring at a much better rate.
9:03
Um, and then two teams that have a lot
9:04
of pride in how they defend. Um, there's
9:06
a lot of physicality um that I think we
9:09
can match better this year with this
9:10
group, although they're young. Um, and
9:12
so the the physicality of the game um
9:15
kind of is going to be important. Um,
9:18
ball control will be important for both
9:20
sides. Um, obviously securing the
9:22
rebounds um the with physicality will be
9:25
important. I mean, whenever you beat
9:26
when you they're a march team, right?
9:28
We're a march team. To beat teams that
9:30
are march teams, you have to be good on
9:32
both sides of the ball, right? And so,
9:34
there's no other kind of way to say it.
9:36
And and they have to be good on both
9:37
sides of the ball and we have to be on
9:39
both sides of the ball. Um, but I'm
9:40
excited about this group. I I I really
9:42
like this team and um I'm glad that it
9:44
was this late because we needed to keep
9:46
getting these pieces better. Um, and I
9:48
know they're excited and they can't, you
9:50
know, they don't know what they're they
9:51
don't know what they don't know because
9:52
they haven't experienced it yet. Um, but
9:55
we're going to ride with we're going to
9:56
ride with their with their talent and
9:58
with their heart and with their fight
9:59
and with their spirit and that's taken
10:00
us quite far. Do
10:01
you think there's a chance we won't get
10:03
rock fights like we've had in the last
10:05
couple of seasons?
10:06
You know, they're both so good
10:07
defensively, you know, that it's is hard
10:09
to score. I mean, against for both
10:11
sides. So, you know, I I think we have
10:13
more scoring on both sides, but defenses
10:15
are so good, too. So, you know, I think
10:17
it it it really will will depend on on
10:20
how much the possessions are uh how how
10:22
solid each team is defensively and do we
10:24
not give up second chance points on
10:25
either side. Um because also both teams
10:27
aren't giving up a lot of second chance
10:28
points last year either, right? Um but
10:31
you know, they're not going to score
10:32
easily and we're not going to score
10:33
easily. I'll tell you that. We we we
10:34
know that. Um and they'll have to play
10:36
well and we'll have to play well and
10:37
that's why you come. That's why you do
10:39
these rivalry games. You know, we we
10:40
were together to watch the men's game.
10:42
Um, it's one of the things when I
10:43
recruited Tillia, one of the things she
10:45
said is I, you know, she was like, "I
10:47
just have never liked Duke." And I was
10:48
like, "Well, you should come here
10:49
because that will fit right in." Um, and
10:52
you know, another thing to love about
10:53
her.
10:54
Just on that note, um, you don't mind me
10:57
asking, what was your reaction? Quite an
10:59
exciting game on on Saturday. And then
11:01
just on that note, what's your
11:03
excitement to then be playing in this
11:05
UNCC Duke rivalry?
11:07
Yeah. Um, obviously you kind of hear
11:09
about rivalries throughout the country,
11:11
but I think this is one of the strongest
11:13
ones um where there was people like the
11:17
day like that school week that like Duke
11:20
play or like students came to our campus
11:23
and like to see that rivalry.
11:24
You're talking smack. What's going on?
11:26
Yeah. I don't even I like went past.
11:28
She stayed out of that. [laughter]
11:30
Not trying to get in trouble, but um no
11:33
that like that rivalry that's so strong
11:36
that like you would come to the rivals
11:38
campus. I think that's like so exciting.
11:41
I love playing in that environment. I
11:44
love playing in a like tense hostile
11:46
environment because it makes winning
11:47
just 20 times better.
11:49
really quickly for um you I think we
11:51
spoke about this early in the season,
11:52
but now that we're so close to it. Um if
11:56
you could just kind of describe explain
11:58
the importance of the television slots
12:01
for this game.
12:02
So great. Yeah. You know, I said I've
12:04
been on record that I thought it should
12:05
be a double header. You should play and
12:06
then the men should play. You know, you
12:08
do one on the men's side, you do one at
12:09
at Duke, and then you come here and play
12:11
at at either Carmichael or Smith Center
12:13
depending on who's home and who's away
12:15
that that week. But um these are the two
12:17
premier, you know, um games and rivalry.
12:19
It's so it's so great. Um so um I don't
12:23
know. Is that what you asked? I don't
12:24
know what you asked.
12:25
No, I will say from a media standpoint
12:26
like that.
12:27
Oh, the TV windows. Yeah. Yeah, you
12:28
know. Yeah. I mean, espn's great. ABC's
12:31
even better. I mean, right. That's like,
12:33
you know, even my grandmother would have
12:34
that channel, right? And so, um we just
12:37
we I feel really proud to be at an
12:39
institution that can draw that
12:40
attention. And I feel really proud to be
12:42
the coach of a team that um deserves it,
12:45
you know, and we work tirelessly to
12:47
ensure that annually we have a team
12:49
people are are turning their channel on
12:51
to and I think they'll want to turn
12:52
their channel for this one.
12:53
Will we see Ren in uniform Sunday?
12:55
I sure hope so. I mean, we obviously are
12:57
going to roll with who we got, but um I
12:59
sure hope so because you you know, you
13:01
don't want to miss, you'd only have
13:02
eight of them, you know, in theory,
13:04
regular season, uh do Carolina rivalries
13:06
and uh you don't want to miss them.
13:08
So, you said you sit here today, you
13:09
don't know. Um, yeah. I don't I don't
13:11
know to be honest. I mean, I again like
13:14
I just want to make sure that she's
13:16
always in a good spot to help us when we
13:17
need it. And I know this game is super
13:18
important, but um but yeah, we've just
13:21
got to make sure that she's what we need
13:22
when we need it.
13:26
Guys, thanks for being here.
13:27
Yeah, thank you.
13:27
Go Heels.
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