Covering Carolina athletics beyond men’s basketball and football, with dedicated reporting on women’s basketball and baseball, in addition to covering other sports that rarely draw media attention
CHARLOTTE — With its season unraveling in a blowout, North Carolina made a furious rally to show that the Tar Heels aren’t dead yet. UNC scored eight 3-pointers in the last 12 minutes to slice an 18-point deficit down to one before falling to Clemson 80–79 Thursday in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament at the Spectrum Center.
Here is video and the full transcript from No. 19 North Carolina’s press conference after the Tar Heels’ loss to Clemson in the ACC tournament quarterfinals, with Coach Hubert Davis and Henri Veesaar. Also: dressing room video with Jarin Stevenson, Luka Bogavac, Seth Trimble, Derek Dixon and Veesaar.
CHARLOTTE — When North Carolina and Clemson play for the second time in 10 days, the Tigers will be without a key starter. No. 19-ranked and No. 4 seed UNC (24–9), of course, will be without Caleb Wilson, but No. 5-seed Clemson (22–9) probably won’t have the services of 6–11 junior center Carter Welling (top and below photos), who is officially listed as out on the ACC availability report.
CHARLOTTE — Ven-Allen Lubin did what he has all season for N.C. State, where he’s put up consistent numbers as a senior for the Wolfpack. Lubin scored 18 points on Wednesday afternoon at the Spectrum Center as No. 7 N.C. State ended a four-game losing streak with a 98–88 victory over Pittsburgh in the second round of the ACC tournament.
As North Carolina’s men’s and women’s teams wait for Selection Sunday, ESPN’s bracket analysts say that both face challenges to get their preferred placements in the NCAA tournament.
St. John’s and Michigan are the top seeds in league tournaments this week, but Elliot Cadeau had an up-and-down week, while Ian Jackson’s slump continued. Ven-Allen Lubin had one good game for struggling N.C. State, while Cade Tyson had two big games.
Overall, No. 17 North Carolina improved its resume with its 76–61 loss at No. 1 Duke on Saturday night, as the Tar Heels continue to track toward a No. 5 seed one week away from Selection Sunday.
DURHAM — With no Caleb Wilson to keep Duke from blowing out North Carolina this time, the Tar Heels had no answers when the Blue Devils got rolling in the second half. A one-point game became 25 in a span of 13 minutes, as No. 1 Duke rolled to a 76–61 victory Saturday before a typically raucous Cameron Indoor Stadium crowd.
Caleb Wilson is out for the season after breaking his right thumb while dunking in a non-contact drill on Thursday. He will have surgery and be out for the rest of the season.
North Carolina still is trending as a No. 5 seed in the NCAA men’s tournament, but its resume got a little better since the Tuesday victory over Clemson.
In his fourth NBA start, Leaky Black had the best game of his career. Playing alongside Trae Young in the Washington Wizards’ backcourt, Black played 39 minutes, scoring 16 points and four 3-pointers, all career-highs, in their 122–112 home loss Thursday to the Utah Jazz.
CHAPEL HILL — When No. 17 North Carolina faced adversity, and the outside noise got loud, the Tar Heels narrowed their focus to something much smaller. “Just us.”
DURHAM — Duke coach Jon Scheyer will not know until Saturday whether North Carolina freshman Caleb Wilson will play for the rematch in Cameron Indoor Stadium, but he made it clear the uncertainty will not shape Duke’s defensive plan.
Three top arena plans of seven options have emerged as Carolina weighs a consequential decision for the future home of Carolina men’s and women’s basketball. Senior Associate Athletic Director Rick Steinbacher revealed the top options on Wednesday on the second episode of “The Arena Discussion” podcast.
With Roy Williams watching on Saturday, Coby White scored 20 points in his home debut with the Charlotte Hornets during a week when Harrison Barnes’ consecutive games streak ended, Cameron Johnson got hurt, Drake Powell headed to the G League and Cormac Ryan got a two-way contract.
