A season ago, the North Carolina women’s basketball team was adrift. All four 2013 recruits had transferred, and the young team experienced growing pains as a result.
The return to the court after a disappointing 2015-16 season was still promising. Head coach Sylvia Hatchell looked forward to having a reliable, seasoned backcourt in her arsenal for the coming season. Stephanie Watts, last year’s ACC Freshman of the Year, and fellow sophomore Destinee Walker — the ACC leader in minutes played last season — joined two-year starter Jamie Cherry and finally-eligible Vanderbilt transfer Paris Kea in a crowded backcourt.