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Colts grant Downs’ trade request, deal him to Chiefs
Josh Downs has been granted his request that the Indianapolis Colts trade him. The Colts traded the former UNC wide receiver to the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday in exchange for 2027 fourth- and fifth-round picks, according to multiple reports. The deal came on deadline day and sends Downs, a third-round pick out of Chapel Hill in 2023, to a contender for the stretch run.
Tar Heel Tribune Podcast
The “Tar Heel Tribune Podcast,” with hosts Britt Whitmire and R.L. Bynum, gives Tar Heel Tribune readers a conversational companion to the site’s written coverage of Carolina athletics with interviews, opinions and insights.
Tar Heels in NBA: White dishes out nine assists, nearly has double-double, as Hornets snap losing streak
Coby White had six assists in his first three games this season. He handed out nine in 20 minutes Monday night and scored a season-high 10 points as Charlotte snapped a six-game losing streak with a 124–112 home win over Cleveland.
Tracking transfers: Evans hits career-high 26 with first career double-double in Gophers win at Cincinnati
Kyan Evans scored more than twice as many points Monday night as he had in his first two games at Minnesota combined. The former Carolina guard also helped fuel the comeback that gave Bobby Durkin a chance to win. Evans set career highs with 26 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double and added five assists in 39 minutes as Minnesota rallied for a 63–61 victory at Cincinnati.
From Brian Belichick in booth to McDonald: How UNC makes defensive calls
With Steve Belichick no longer North Carolina’s defensive coordinator, the question of who makes the defensive calls on Saturdays has a straightforward answer, even if the process behind it is shared. Defensive backs and safeties coach Brian Belichick sends the call in, and linebacker Derek McDonald, who wears the green dot, relays it to the defense on the field.
Tar Heels in NFL: Maye throws 3 TD passes, one to Hollins but 3 INTs in Pats’ loss; Williams has 101 yards, TD
Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes, including one to Mack Hollins on his return from injured reserve, but the New England Patriots lost 45–27 to the Green Bay Packers during a weekend that featured several strong performances from former UNC players.
Tar Heels in pros: Wilson bounces back with 18; Ryan stays red-hot with 31 points; Davis hits 21
Caleb Wilson bounced back from his lowest-scoring game of the season, but the Chicago Bulls’ losing streak reached seven. In the G League, Cormac Ryan put together another big scoring night to with a 59-point weekend as the Wisconsin Herd swept two games.
Tracking transfers: Efficient night for Jackson, tough rematch for Cadeau; several in double figures
Former Tar Heels saw mixed results after last week’s season openers. St. John’s guard Ian Jackson scored 17 points in 20 minutes in a blowout win, while Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau struggled against the team the Wolverines beat for the national championship in April.
After tough loss to No. 1 Gamecocks, Banghart says growth comes from being ‘uncomfortable’
CHARLOTTE — Elite programs always deliver tough lessons if you aren’t on your game, and No. 12 North Carolina got a few of those on Sunday. The Tar Heels are 0–2 for the second time in program history, after only hanging with No. 1 South Carolina for the first 11 minutes. The Gamecocks, deep with talent, kept pouring it on in an 84–39 victory in the Spectrum Center at the Ally Tipoff.
Wyoming at UNC: TV info, stats, scouting Cowboys, notes and lineup combinations
Here’s a look at UNC’s Tuesday night’s matchup at the Smith Center with Wyoming.
Hickman-Collins, Benjamin Hall top PFF grades in UConn win
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Timir Hickman-Collins played only 15 defensive snaps in North Carolina’s 38–21 victory at UConn on Saturday, but the linebacker made them count more than anyone else on the roster, according to Pro Football Focus.
Tar Heels in NBA: Sharpe dishes out 13 assists in his first career triple-double
By halftime, Day’Ron Sharpe had already matched the career-high in assists he had set three nights earlier. By the end of the game, the former Carolina center had his first NBA triple-double and a Brooklyn Nets record. Sharpe finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists, the most in a game by a Nets center, in a 124–121 road loss Saturday to the Atlanta Hawks. He went 4-for-8 from the floor and 4-for-4 at the free-throw line and blocked a shot in 32 minutes.
Pick-six, ‘snatched’ ball: Hickman-Collins steps up as UNC’s linebacker rotation shifts
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — When North Carolina lost linebacker Jonathan Agumadu to injury a few weeks ago, the Tar Heels needed someone to take more snaps in the middle of their defense. Redshirt sophomore Timir Hickman-Collins answered that need in a rainy 38–21 win at UConn on Saturday at Rentschler Field, with an interception returned for a touchdown and a fumble recovery that led to another. He led the team in Pro Football Focus defensive grade (93.7) and pass-rush grade (80.8) in 15 defensive snaps.
Heels finish off UConn with strong defense, big late plays
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Putting teams away has been a season-long problem for North Carolina, but the Tar Heels finally solved it in at least one game. On a rainy afternoon at Rentschler Field, UNC did the job with strong defense and a big late fourth-down conversion. The Tar Heels held UConn scoreless for the last 25 minutes in a 38–21 victory Saturday and are a win away from bowl eligibility with their third straight road win.
Good, Bad and Ugly Report: UConn
After not scoring 30 points against FBS competition in the first 19 games of the Belichick era, UNC has scored 30 or more for three straight weeks and the defense had three sacks and another tackle for loss to go with the three forced turnovers. Not a bad day at the office.