There's a mother-daughter, coach-player duo in Sweet 16. Just on different teams

FORT WORTH, Texas — March Madness is demanding for any coach chasing a championship. For North Carolina women's basketball associate head coach Joanne Aluka-White, this one is deeply personal.

Aluka-White is taking on both the intensity of tournament preparation and her role as a mother. On Friday, Aluka-White and the fourth-seeded Tar Heels face top-seeded UConn in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. On Saturday, her daughter, Virginia freshman guard Gabby White, plays TCU in Sacramento.

Thus, a geographic and logistical gap.

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But Aluka-White stays connected, talking to her daughter as often as she can. “We FaceTimed (Wednesday) night,” she said.

There's a mother-daughter, coach-player duo in Sweet 16. Just on different teams

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