Bennett and Tshitenge's double-doubles lead UNC women's basketball over CSU

Three-pointers were the name of the game for the UNC women's basketball team on Friday.

After hitting only four in the game against Navy last week, North Carolina matched a program record for made three-pointers with 14 in its 85-54 win over Charleston Southern at Carmichael Arena, with five UNC players scoring in double digits.

With just over five minutes left, UNC had a chance to beat the three-point record as multiple players put up shots outside of the arc, but the clock wound down before the Tar Heels could sink another triple.

"We only took about 10 threes against Navy because their zone was more extended,” head coach Courtney Banghart said. “These guys really packed it in (today), tried to take away our inside game, so we had to share it and shoot it. We did that.” 

Senior Taylor Koenen led the team with 16 points and had four of the team’s three-pointers. Koenen’s growth since the last time UNC played the Buccaneers has been impressive. In her last matchup against CSU, Koenen was a first-year and put up six points. Now, she is captaining the Tar Heels and has stepped up into the leadership role to lead by example.

“Just being a person to confide in,” Koenen said of her leadership style. “Just being there for people, talking to people. I know what it’s like to be a freshman, so just being able to reach out to the freshmen, really just communicating.”

First-year forward Malu Tshitenge followed right behind Koenen in scoring, putting up an impressive 15 points and 16 rebounds for the first double-double of her collegiate career. Although it was a hot start for the first-year, she is still working to improve and achieve some of her personal goals. 

“Personally, I want to build confidence in myself,” Tshitenge said. “There’s some points where I’m not as confident in myself, but Coach B really helps me with that. She yells at me if I don’t take the shots I’m scared of taking, so she makes me push myself.”

Madinah Muhammad had a career night in three categories with 14 points, five rebounds and five assists, all bests for the redshirt senior.  Adding to the team effort was senior Shayla Bennett, who notched a double-double with a career-high 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

“To have five in double-figures, to have two double-doubles, to have Shayla Bennett come outside of herself and celebrate others in such an aggressive way was really fun to see,” Banghart said. 

Finding an identity has been the key for the women’s basketball team this season with all of the new faces and new roles on the team. After the exit of Sylvia Hatchell, Banghart was named the head coach in April, the first new face in that position since 1986.

However, the new faces worked with familiar ones to roll to a big victory against the Buccaneers on Friday.  

“The identity is a work in progress,” Banghart said. “This is a team that has continued to grow and sometimes that’s a step forward, sometimes that’s a step backward, but all of these experiences are helpful. They’re a work in progress and we’re getting a different version, hopefully an improved version, every night.”

@macyemeyer

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