By R.L. Bynum
After mentioning during his radio show two weeks ago that he would hire a general manager, UNC coach Hubert Davis didn’t want to talk about it when asked to expand on the subject during the weekly ACC Zoom press conference on Monday. But he was more than happy to talk about Jae’Lyn Withers’ performance against Syracuse.
He didn’t like the “narratives” that he heard after those comments were widely reported.
“I’m gonna stay away from those comments in regards to a GM,” Davis said. “I feel like, over the last couple of weeks, or 2½ weeks, in response to my answer to a question on the radio show, it’s been twisted in regards to supporting different narratives. And my focus right now is this team and coaching this team and trying to reach our full potential and trying to become the best that we can become this season.”
Here’s what Davis said about other subjects during his 10-minute appearance:
— On what Jae’Lyn Withers gives UNC at the 4 spot and how it changes things:
“[It] changes us completely. He’s got size and athleticism. Against Syracuse, he’s a really good post-up player. He can score in a post. J-Wit, with his size and his ability to defend and rebound, we didn’t have to double the post. We didn’t have to double that position. His length and his athleticism just take us to a different level defensively, and then, on the offensive end, we have, as a team, struggled to shoot the ball off from 3-point range. It’s always been good to be able to have another guy consistently knock down shots, especially at that power forward position. With his ability to run the floor, finish — it just changes our team completely when he’s playing like that.”
— On the difference with a bigger lineup with two post players and whether Ian Jackson gets better shots:
“I don’t know in terms of specifically, whatever lineup was on the floor, that shots are available more with this lineup or that lineup. I don’t really have an answer to that one. But with J-Wit out there, as I said before defensively, it just really helps us. It’s another rebounder. And with his athleticism and being able to run the floor and not have to hit as many 3s as he hit against Syracuse. I thought not just the threes that he hit, I just thought he made really fundamental sound plays out there on the floor. And because of that, that really helped us in the game against Syracuse.”
— On Withers playing well after not getting minutes in many games:
“I think it’s great. I’ve said a number of times to the guys that you don’t know when, where, how, in the manner which your number is going to be called, but everybody’s going to get opportunities — plural — and your job and responsibilities when your number is called it is to be prepared and be ready. And J-Wit was prepared and he was ready. It was more than the 3s. It was his defense, rebounding. It was his presence out there on the floor that it was a huge benefit and huge plus for us. He got hurt in practice the day before, got hit in the eye. And there was a question if he was even going to be available to play. And so, for him to have the type of game that he had, and it was a question mark. Just really happy and really proud of him.”
— On his assessment of full-court defense and when he likes to go to it:
“I think, at times, it’s been effective for us in two ways. One, being able to create turnovers, or two, speeding up the opponent, and trying to get the game at our pace. When it’s working, those two things are happening. There have been times when you’re in that press that it puts you in transition defense, where we haven’t been great at transition defense, and so it opens you up a little bit from a defensive standpoint. And, so, really, it’s a game by game decision in terms of how much we do it, when we do it. We need to get into it after a missed free throw, and then we’ll start making them.”
— On how N.C. State has evolved since the first meeting:
“They’re a really talented team. The first thing that jumps out is just defensively, their athleticism and their pressure. In our first matchup, our turnovers and our shot selection were not very good at all, especially in transition. They made us run our offense real far out. We’ve got to do a better job taking care of the basketball. Got to do a better job at our shot selection, not letting their pressure defensively dictate and decide our pace and how efficient we are on the offensive end. It’s a team that can score at all three levels. You just know when you play N.C. State, whether it’s in Raleigh or here in Chapel Hill, both teams are going to be playing at a high level, and it’ll be a competitive, fun game to play in.”
UNC season statistics
| Date | Time/ scores | Month/day | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV/ record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | Exhibitions | |||
| 9 | W, 88–70 | Friday | vs. No. 21 USC in Greensboro | — |
| 18 | L, 76–58 | Sunday | vs. Indiana in Indianapolis | — |
| 27 | W, 89–82, OT | Tuesday | vs. Charlotte | — |
| November | Regular season | |||
| 2 | W, 80–72 | Monday | vs. Western Carolina | 1–0 |
| 6 | W, 109–70 | Friday | vs. Wofford | 2–0 |
| 10 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | vs. Wyoming | ACCN |
| 13 | 7 p.m. | Friday | vs. Georgia | ESPN2 |
| 20 | 9 p.m. | Friday | vs. Marshall | ACCN |
| 23 | 7 p.m. | Monday | vs. Monmouth | ACCN |
| 27 | 7 p.m. | Friday | Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte | ESPN |
| December | ||||
| 1 | 7:30 | Tuesday | ACC/SEC Challenge vs. No. 19 Arkansas | ESPN |
| 6 | 3 p.m. | Sunday | vs. Butler | ESPN2 |
| 12 | Noon | Saturday | at Georgetown | Peacock |
| 15 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | Tobacco Road Classic vs. N.C. State in Greensboro | ESPN2 |
| 19 | 2:30 | Saturday | CBS Sports Classic vs. No. 24 Kentucky in New York | CBS |
| 21 | 8 p.m. | Monday | vs. The Citadel | The CW |
| 30 | 4 p.m. | Wednesday | vs. California | ACCN |
| January | ||||
| 2 | 4 p.m. | Saturday | at Boston College | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 5 | 9 p.m. | Tuesday | at No. 10 Louisville | ESPN or ESPNU |
| 9 | Noon | Saturday | vs. N.C. State | ESPN2 |
| 13 | 7 p.m. | Wednesday | at Florida State | ESPN2 or ESPNU |
| 16 | 2:15 | Saturday | vs. Stanford | The CW |
| 19 | 9 p.m. | Tuesday | vs. No. 6 Virginia | ESPN |
| 23 | Noon | Saturday | at Syracuse | ESPN or 2 or U |
| 26 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | vs. SMU | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 30 | 6 or 6:30 | Saturday | Nashville Hoops Showdown vs. No. 3 Illinois in Nashville, Tenn. | ESPN |
| February | ||||
| 2 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | at Notre Dame | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 6 | 2:15 | Saturday | vs. Georgia Tech | The CW |
| 8 | 6 p.m. | Monday | vs. No. 10 Louisville | ESPN |
| 13 | 5:30 | Saturday | at No. 2 Duke | ABC |
| 20 | 7 p.m. | Saturday | at Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 22 | 7 p.m. | Monday | vs. No. 17 Miami | ESPN |
| 27 | 7 p.m. | Saturday | at Virginia Tech | ESPN |
| March | ||||
| 2 | 9 p.m. | Tuesday | at Pittsburgh | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 6 | 6 or 6:30 | Saturday | vs. No. 2 Duke | ESPN |
| 9–13 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament in Greensboro |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
