Five-star UNC recruit Brooks on roll with two titles heading to McDonald’s game Tuesday

Nyla Brooks, one of two five-star players in North Carolina’s incoming freshman class, has had quite a month and heads into Tuesday’s McDonald’s All-American game on a roll.

Five-star incoming UNC freshman Wilson says McDonald’s game ‘huge’

Caleb Wilson heads the three-player Class of 2025 class at Carolina, and his talents will be on display on a big stage Tuesday at the McDonald’s All-American Game in Brooklyn.

Heels can’t overcome offensive doldrums to get sweep of Miami

CHAPEL HILL — The choppy start to No. 21 North Carolina’s ACC season continued as the Tar Heels’ offense hit a weekend skid. UNC already had their second consecutive ACC series win secured, thanks to good pitching in the first two games, but couldn’t finish off the sweep. Miami got only its second league win of the season by riding a three-run ninth-inning rally to a 4–2 win Sunday at Boshamer Stadium.

UNC’s season comes to disheartening end after Gakdeng’s injury, long scoring droughts

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Scoring droughts that had been too common all season and the inability to hit the defensive boards down the stretch meant a sudden end to North Carolina’s season and a frustrating, painful finish to senior center Maria Gakdeng’s career.

Complete video, transcript of UNC’s postgame press conference, plus dressing room interviews

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Here is video and a complete transcript from North Carolina’s postgame press conference at Legacy Arena, with Coach Courtney Banghart, Lexi Donarski and Alyssa Ustby, after the Tar Heels’ 47-38 loss to Duke on Friday in the Sweet 16. In addition, there’s a video of intereviews in the dressing room with Maria Gakdeng, Indya Nivar and Reniya Kelly.

UNC among Sweet 16 teams facing challenges with transfer portal already open

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Playing during the second weekend of the NCAA tournament means double duty for coaches who must navigate the transfer portal while still preparing their teams for the Sweet 16. The women’s basketball transfer portal opened Tuesday, and with 90 players having entered in the first three days, there’s plenty of talent out there to recruit. Florida State star Ta’Niya Latson is reportedly about to add her name.

Kelly returns home to play in arena where she won four state titles

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Reniya Kelly has a lot of championship memories of playing at Legacy Arena, which is only 20 minutes away from her home in Hoover.

The most emotional was her last high school championship game two years ago when she led Hoover High School to a state Class 7-A championship.

Familiarity, suffocating defense will mark high-stakes Sweet 16 battle between UNC and Duke

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — North Carolina and Duke have played 110 times, but never on a bigger stage and with stakes as high as they will be Friday. It’s a product of the ACC getting eight teams into the field that the first NCAA tournament meeting between the rivals will take place in the Sweet 16, set for 2:30 p.m. ET Friday (ESPN) at Legacy Arena.

Video, transcript from UNC’s pre-Sweet 16 press conference in Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Here is video and a full transcript as No. 3-seed North Carolina met with the media on Thursday ahead of its Friday Sweet 16 clash with No. 2-seed Duke. For the Tar Heels, it was Coach Courtney Banghart, Alyssa Ustby and Reniya Kelly at the press conference. In addition, there’s video of dressing room interviews with Lexi Donarski, Indya Nivar, Maria Gakdeng, Lanie Grant & Grace Townsend.

Hubert Davis talks on radio show about transfer portal, player decisions and death threats

While enthusiastically making the transition from the disappointing end to the season to building the roster for next season, North Carolina coach Hubert Davis lamented how dramatically college basketball has changed in recent years. He made the comments during the final “Hubert Davis Live” radio show of the season on Wednesday night at Top of the Hill restaurant in Chapel Hill, covering a range of topics, from the differences in his postseason meetings with players to the death threats players receive after bad games to how the roster has to get taller.

Love talks little about about 2022 shot, wary of ‘fueling” Duke ahead of his eighth game against Blue Devils

Caleb Love smiled when asked Wednesday what he remembers about the 3-point shot over Mark Williams to give North Carolina a win over Duke in a national semifinal game in 2022. “I made the shot,” said Love, who is 4–3 against the Blue Devils after his Arizona team lost at home to the Blue Devils a 69–55 on Nov. 22.

Cadeau entering transfer portal after two seasons at UNC

Elliot Cadeau still appears in a Marriot Bonvoy ad in UNC gear, but he won’t be wearing a Carolina uniform anymore. Cadeau, who joined the UNC program a year early and played two seasons, will enter the transfer portal, according to multiple reports, a move that had long been rumored. This leaves UNC without a point guard on its current roster, making it crucial that the Tar Heels get a top point guard in the portal in addition to the need for a top center.

Video, transcript of UNC’s postgame press conference after earning Sweet 16 berth

CHAPEL HILL — Here is a video and a complete transcript of North Carolina’s postgame press conference, with Coach Courtney Banghart, Alyssa Ustby and Indya Nivar, after defeating West Virginia 48-47 to earn the program’s 19th Sweet 16 berth

Ustby, UNC’s defense shine in final home game as Heels earn 19th Sweet 16 berth

CHAPEL HILL — Alyssa Ustby stood on top of the scorer’s table, celebrating with the fans after she made her last home game — 1,580 days after her first — one to remember. It wasn’t always pretty, but it sure was sweet for No. 3-seed North Carolina, thanks to suffocating defense in the fourth quarter.

Love scores 29, hits clutch FTs as Arizona earns Sweet 16 date with Duke

For the 10th and final time, Caleb Love will go up against Duke, thanks to his heroics on Sunday. Love, who earned All-Big 12 honors in his fifth and final college season, repeatedly hit mammoth shots down the stretch and scored 29 points in No. 4-seed Arizona’s 87–83 victory over No. 5-seed Oregon in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Seattle.