How Courtney Banghart Plans to Replace Top Three Scorers

Courtney Banghart and the rest of the UNC coaching staff will be without their three leading scorers from last season: Alyssa Utsby (10.9), Maria Gakdeng (10.8) and Lex Donarski (10.7).

The Tar Heels will have to find new leading scorers, but the return of senior Indya Nivar, junior Reniya Kelly, sophomore Lanie Grant, plus transfers Nyla Harris and Elina Aarnisalo, along with freshmen Nyla Brooks, Taliyah Henderson, Taissa Queiroz and Liza Astakhova, can put the ball through the hoop.

But what is Banghart concerned about? It's actually not about scoring.

UNC — North Carolina head coach Courtney Banghart at the 2025 ACC Tipoff | Nell Redmond/theACC.com

“No, I worry more about the rebounding, quite honestly, because there's not a better rebounder in program history than Alyssa Utsby, right? And then you throw in Maria Gakdeng out of it, too. You know, those are late clock — you can throw it to them, something's going to happen, right?

But the rebounding, the five-year experience of her and Grace Townsend, the four-year starting experience of Maria and Lexi, that's game pressure, which is why we're playing three Final Four teams from last year in the first month of the season."

UNC basketball | Matt Giles-North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

"You know, it's that we have to get as much game pressure and not worry about wins — ‘How many wins Courtney Banghart has?’ It doesn't matter.

What matters is how much can I quickly get game pressure so that available players become reliable players, so that we can be good in the ACC season? You know? I worry less about scoring with this team, and I did last year's team, we're going to have to make sure that we're as tough defensively and that we find a way to rebound.”

UNC — North Carolina head coach Courtney Banghart at the 2025 ACC Tipoff | Nell Redmond/theACC.com

UNC will not have the same post presence as it once did last year, but makes up for it with a variety of options around the perimeter and in the backcourt.

Rebounding Will Be Crucial for the Tar Heels

Utsby averaged 9.5 rebounds by the end of her graduate season, while the Tar Heels as a whole grabbed 38.9. Gakdeng finished second with 7.6 rebounds, with Kelly recording 4.5. UNC's heavy backcourt presence leaves them in question as far as they can become a strong rebounding group. The tallest players for this year's team are sophomores Blana Thomas (6-foot-5) and Ciera Toomey (6-foot-4).

Mar 28, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Vanessa de Jesus (2) slips past North Carolina Tar Heels center Maria Gakdeng (5) for two points at Legacy Arena in the Sweet 16. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Scoring will be one key for UNC that should be expected to be consistent, however, crashing the glass and securing the ball after a miss shot could become a concern if unable to do so, which can drastically change the outcome of a game.

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