It's Ladies Night

This week in the sports office, we were looking at some video we shot of Duke women’s basketball games from the late 80s. It seemed that there were more players on the court than fans in the stands. It used to be that way at North Carolina and N.C. State as well, but not any more.

Thursday night’s matchup of  No. 1 Duke at No. 2 North Carolina brought historic Carmichael Auditorium to life. The place was packed and noise banged off the tin roof, creating a bin of noise worthy of a 1-vs.-2 meeting. The game was a bit sloppy, and both teams shot poorly, which led to an incredible 102 rebounds between the two teams.

But it was still a fun night at Carmichael with Duke snapping a five-game losing streak to Carolina. Thank goodness someone convinced Carolina to play these big games in smaller Carmichael instead of the spacious Dean Smith Center -- 8000 in Carmichael creates a buzz that would be diluted in the Dean Dome.

I truly enjoy covering ACC women’s basketball. The cast of characters are enjoyable to be around, and they are appreciative of the coverage they get.  The first thing Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell said to a packed press room after the game was, “Why aren’t you folks here for every game?”  Then she quickly thanked the media for being there. In their interviews, the players are less guarded, honest in their answers and well-spoken. They aren’t afraid to let their personality show. It is so refreshing!

Congrats, and thanks to the players and coaches who have helped escort women’s college basketball to where it is today. There is more ground to cover and that includes us in the media. But it’s a far cry from the days when bouncing basketballs were louder than the cheers from the fans at the game.