UNC Eyes Rivalry Sweep at Cameron: Physicality, Growth, and Grit Define the Challenge Ahead
CHAPEL HILL - If you've been around Courtney Banghart and this North Carolina team long enough, you've probably heard the phrase “Sweep week.” It’s not just a catchy mantra - it’s a mindset. And after rolling past SMU on Thursday night, the Tar Heels have a shot to make good on it.
But here’s the catch: to complete the sweep, they’ll have to go through Cameron Indoor Stadium and beat No. 11 Duke on their home floor - a place where very few walk out smiling, especially in February.
“You can’t sweep unless you win the first one,” Banghart said after the win over SMU. “And now to sweep it, we have to go to Cameron and get our sweep.”
That’s the task at hand for No. 21 North Carolina (21-5, 10-3 ACC), and it’s a tall one.
Duke (18-6, 13-0 ACC) hasn’t lost a conference game and is playing like a team built for March. And that’s exactly what Banghart sees when she looks across the court.
“They’re a March team, right? We’re a March team,” she said. “To beat teams that are March teams, you have to be good on both sides of the ball.”
And she’s not wrong. Statistically, these are two of the most balanced teams in the ACC.
UNC enters the matchup averaging 76.1 points per game while holding opponents to just 57.3 - a defensive effort backed by a 36.6% opponent field goal percentage and just 28.2% from three. Add in a +7.6 rebounding margin and nearly 18 forced turnovers per game, and you’ve got a team that can win ugly or light it up.
But Duke’s profile is just as impressive - and maybe even more so in conference play. The Blue Devils are undefeated in the ACC and bring a scoring margin of +25.6 points per game in league action. They’re putting up 79.2 points while giving up just 53.6, and they’re doing it with consistency, depth, and a defense that’s been suffocating.
So how does UNC pull this off?
It starts with physicality - a word Banghart repeated like a drumbeat heading into Sunday.
“There’s a lot of physicality,” she said. “Ball control will be important… securing the rebounds… the physicality will be important.”
The numbers back her up. UNC averages 39.3 rebounds per game, but Duke edges that with 41.1, including a +8.6 rebounding margin in ACC play. Both teams are stingy when it comes to second-chance points, so whoever wins the battle on the glass may just win the war.
“Do we not give up second-chance points?” Banghart asked. “Because both teams aren’t giving up a lot of second-chance points.”
Translation: this one’s going to be a grind. Every possession, every loose ball, every rebound - it all matters.
But what gives UNC an edge is something you won’t find in the box score: growth.
This team isn’t the same one that tipped off back in November. It’s sharper, more connected, and more confident. Banghart pointed to the development of freshman Taliyah Henderson as a perfect example.
“What you saw when you first saw her is how athletic she was,” Banghart said. “Now she’s in the right spot to begin with… she’s becoming a really good basketball player.”
And she’s not alone. Lanie Grant is shooting a blistering 42.5% from three - and an even better 44.4% in ACC play.
Nyla Harris is averaging 13.2 points and 7.6 rebounds against conference opponents. The ball movement is crisp, the spacing is cleaner, and the reads are more instinctive.
“If the ball moves,” Banghart said, “we can prove that.”
They proved it Thursday. But Sunday brings the real test.
Cameron Indoor is hostile, loud, and pressure-packed - exactly the kind of place where March dreams are either forged or fractured. Duke forces nearly 19 turnovers per game in ACC play and holds opponents to just 24.7% from deep. Every possession will be contested, and every mistake magnified.
UNC averages 13.9 turnovers per game, a number that ticks up slightly in conference play. Against a defense like Duke’s, that margin for error shrinks even more.
That said, this Tar Heel squad doesn’t seem fazed by the moment.
“I love playing in a tense, hostile environment,” Henderson said. “It makes winning just 20 times better.”
Banghart embraces the timing of this showdown. She sees a team that’s peaking at the right time - one that’s ready for the moment.
“I’m glad that it was this late because we needed to keep getting these pieces better,” she said. “We’re going to ride with their talent and with their heart and with their fight and with their spirit.”
Make no mistake - this is more than just a rivalry game. Four of UNC’s final five games are Quad 1 opportunities. NCAA tournament seeding, ACC tournament positioning, and momentum heading into March are all on the line.
Still, Banghart is keeping it simple.
“We’re focused on Sunday,” she said. “Then we’ll be focused on Thursday.”
No distractions. No looking ahead. Just one game, one goal: sweep the week.
To do it, UNC will need to match Duke’s toughness, protect the ball, and control the boards. That’s the formula. That’s the challenge.
And as Banghart keeps reminding us: “To beat teams that are March teams, you have to be good on both sides of the ball.”
Sunday will show just how ready this team is.