UNC Women's Basketball among the finalists for transfer portal standout Marta Suarez

Maria Gakdeng's production in the post won't be easy to replace, but Courtney Banghart and the UNC women's basketball program are doing everything they can to add some talent via the transfer portal to bolster their front court.

According to Talia Goodman of On3, the Tar Heels are one of four finalists for Cal transfer Marta Suarez, The Oviedo, Spain native is considering four schools: TCU, Ohio State, Notre Dame and North Carolina.

Suarez is a 6-foot-3 forward who has four seasons of collegiate experience under her belt. Her career began at Tennessee, and it appeared that she would develop into a full-time starter for the Volunteers. She started 14 of the 22 games she played as a true freshman, experience that showed off her overall potential.

Unfortunately, an injury forced her to miss the entire 2021-2022 season, which would've been her true sophomore season. Returning from injury, Suarez played sparingly for Tennessee, averaging 12.5 minutes per-game in 14 appearances.

Looking for a fresh start, Suarez entered the transfer portal, finding a new home at Cal. She blossomed as a full-time starter for the Golden Bears, averaging double-figure scoring in each of her two seasons with the program. While she's very effective in the post, Suarez can shoot the ball from outside the paint, as she knocked down 31.5% of her three-point field goal attempts this season.

Now, Suarez is back in the portal with one season of eligibility remaining, as her hope is to find a program where she can continue building on her success.

We may be biased, but North Carolina could definitely be that place!

With Nyla Harris, a transfer forward from Louisville, on board, Suarez can essentially solidify the Tar Heels' front court heading into the new season. Along with returners Ciera Toomey and Blanca Thomas, this group of players would feature a ton of versatility and size, helping replace the big-time production that North Carolina received from Gakdeng and Alyssa Ustby.

Needless to say: this would be a MAJOR addition for the UNC women's basketball program, a team that is looking to build on their appearance in this year's Sweet 16.