2018 ACC preview: Notre Dame, Louisville battle for top

COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 01: Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Muffet McGraw and her team pose for photos after winning the National Championship game between the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on April 1, 2018 at Nationwide Arena. Notre Dame won 61-58. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 01: Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Muffet McGraw and her team pose for photos after winning the National Championship game between the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on April 1, 2018 at Nationwide Arena. Notre Dame won 61-58. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

North Carolina Tar Heels

Projected finish: 9th

Last year’s record: 15-16, 4-12 ACC

Key Returners (last season’s stats):

G- Paris Kea, 5’9, (Greensboro, NC), R-SR- 19.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.8 APG, 37.4 MPG; First Team All-ACC; 3rd in scoring and assists in the ACC; averaged 27.5 PPG in 2018 ACC Tournament.

F- Janelle Bailey, 6’4, (Matthews, NC), SO- 15.3 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 32.3 MPG; 38 total blocks; 2018 ACC Freshman of the Year; All-ACC Honorable Mention.

(Photo by William Howard/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by William Howard/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Biggest losses (last season’s stats)L

G- Jamie Cherry, 5’8, (Cove City, NC)- 15.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 38.1 MPG; second in program history for free throw shooting percentage (.809); 222 career three-pointers; 1600 career points.

Newcomers

G- Shayla Bennett, 5’9, (Piedmont, SC), JR – 2018 WBCA Two-Year College Player of the Year; averaged 20.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG; transferred from Gulf Coast State College; 2017 NJCAA National Champion.

G- Kennedy Boyd, 5’7, (Mint Hill, NC), FR- 2018 CISAA Player of the Year; McDonald’s All-American nominee; 20.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.9 SPG, 2.6 APG senior year.

G- Claudia Dickey, 5’10, (Charlotte, NC), FR- also UNC Soccer player…will join the team in December; All-Mecklenburg Second Team; CISAA All-Conference First Team; 15.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 8.0 APG senior season.

F- Hunter West, 6’0, (Deep Run, NC), FR- South Lenior High School’s all-time leader in points (1,691), rebounds (1,141) and blocks (391); two-time Kinston Free Press Player of the Year; 23.0 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 5.8 BPG senior season.

Head Coach

Sylvia Hatchell, 33rd season

  • Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member (2013)
  • Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (2004)
  • Reached over 1000 overall wins in 2017-18 season
  • Seven wins away from becoming winningest ACC coach
  • Overall record of 1005-390, 733-310 ACC
(Photo by Andy Mead/YCJ/Icon Sportswire/Corbis via Getty Images)
(Photo by Andy Mead/YCJ/Icon Sportswire/Corbis via Getty Images) /

Key Games

Dec. 18– Rice (at Myrtle Beach): 8:30 pm ET; Carolina Challenge

Feb. 3–@ NC State: 2pm ET (ACCN)

Feb. 7– Duke: 7 pm ET (ACCN)

Outlook

Is the curse on Carolina finally over? North Carolina has a culture of winning, but has been plagued by NCAA repercussions the last few years. Following the scandal in various men’s sports at UNC, Paris Kea, Janelle Bailey and legendary head coach Sylvia Hatchell plan to bring back the winning culture of the Tar Heels.

After a monstrous display of talent from Kea at the 2018 ACC Tournament and a dominant freshman year by Bailey, Carolina is on track to improvement. They were 15-16 last year and just on the cusp of reaching the postseason.  Their nearly .500 record came without players Stephanie Watts and Destinee Walker who both suffered knee injuries, causing them to miss the 17-18 season.

Watts, herself, earned the honor of being ACC Player of the Year in 2016 and Walker was also on the All-ACC Freshman Team that year.  If the team can stay healthy, they will have the dynamic to not only be in the top half of the conference, but go on to have a post-season like the Blue are accustomed to seeing.

Coach Hatchell goes into the season being only seven wins short of becoming the winningest coach at an ACC school (she currently has 732 ACC wins, while the record holder, Debbie Ryan of Virginia, has 739).  Kea expressed her respect for her Coach, telling High Post Hoops that “playing under Coach Hatchell is a privilege.”

Though Carolina will miss Jamie Cherry, who had a successful run but graduated, Shayla Bennett will enter Chapel Hill as the 2016 WBCA Two-Year College Player of the Year.  Coming from Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Florida, she carries a reputation for being highly productive.  During her time in Florida, she averaged 20.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG and 3.0 APG.

This year’s Tar Heels should not have any problem in scoring with its newest additions and returners, and Kea who has the highest scoring average in program history with 18.3 PPG. Also, because of the aggression and size of Bailey, defensive presence will not be lacking much either.  The real test will be tipping over the .500 mark and entering post season.

Best case scenario:

North Carolina easily has the roster to reach the top of the conference. They have finally overcome the consequences of the NCAA investigation which affected recruitment for the past few years and now has had the time to rebuild and place within the top five. They’re very capable; the present is looking bright. Once injured players return, they, under the lead of Kea can make an actual post-season run.

Worst case scenario:

UNC will finish mid-bottom of the ACC. They will not be able to finish with a better record than UVA, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. Ending up on the bottom end of those swing teams, they just miss post-season yet again.