CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) 鈥� North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart was a young member of Dartmouth鈥檚 coaching staff 20 years ago when she attended the in Boston and watched the Tar Heels face Maryland.
Those schools were Atlantic Coast Conference rivals at the time.
鈥淭hat was old-school ACC,鈥� Banghart said Saturday. 鈥淚 just remember the energy around women鈥檚 basketball in a league that I knew and in an area that I knew really well.鈥�
Maryland (24-8) and North Carolina (27-7) meet Sunday in the Fort Worth Region 1鈥檚 second round with a berth in the Sweet 16 at stake.
Maryland coach Brenda Frese was in charge of the Terrapins on the way to the 2006 national championship. That came during a period with several classic matchups with the Tar Heels as conference rivals.
鈥淵ou go back to our ACC days and all the battles that we had between the two teams,鈥� Frese said. 鈥溾�� I think for both programs to be able to sustain that consistency, it鈥檚 really hard to do.鈥�
The 2006 national semifinal marks the only NCAA Tournament matchup between the teams until Sunday.
Frese remembers past encounters when the Terrapins visited Carmichael Arena. That included nearly two months before the Final Four meeting when Maryland pulled off an overtime road victory against North Carolina. That鈥檚 one of the coach鈥檚 memories from this venue.
鈥淐oming back here into Carmichael, overtime win, Ashleigh Newman hits a shot for us to (force overtime),鈥� Frese said.
Frese鈥檚 early battles with North Carolina came with Hall of Famer Sylvia Hatchell coaching the Tar Heels. Frese recalled one instance when Hatchell chased game officials off the court at halftime.
鈥淪o many great battles both Maryland and North Carolina had over the years in ACC play,鈥� Frese said.
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Maryland guard Oluchi Okananwa was a big reason North Carolina was eliminated in last year鈥檚 Sweet 16. Then playing for Duke, she helped the Blue Devils oust the Tar Heels, producing game highs of 12 points and 12 rebounds in a 47-38 outcome.
鈥淚 remember the excitement that I was feeling and my team were feeling for having the opportunity to be in the Sweet 16,鈥� Okananwa said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 something this (Maryland) team is really chasing and why we鈥檙e so hungry or starving.鈥�
Banghart said she鈥檚 accustomed to seeing Okananwa play big roles in games vs. North Carolina.
鈥淩elentless travels across school lines, apparently,鈥� Banghart said. 鈥淵eah, we have great respect for her. Easy to root for her.鈥�
On the rebound
Maryland and North Carolina held sizable rebounding advantages in Friday鈥檚 victories against Murray State and Western Illinois, respectively. The Terrapins were plus-30, while the Tar Heels were plus-15 on the glass.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e got hungry rebounders,鈥� Banghart said of the Terrapins. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a grittiness factor to (Sunday鈥檚) game that both teams have to bring on the glass.鈥�
First to the Sweet 16
The winner in Chapel Hill will be the first team to secure a spot in the Sweet 16. The second-round game comes with a noon tip-off on North Carolina鈥檚 campus, where spring break is winding down.
鈥淗ey, we could be the first team to stamp our spot in the Sweet 16,鈥� Banghart said. 鈥淚f we win the game, it was a perfect (tip-off) time.鈥�
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This story has been corrected. A previous version misspelled the last name of Maryland coach Brenda Frese.
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