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Carolina fans know how stressful it was to watch the Tar Heels blow a 25-point lead to Baylor in the last 10 minutes of regulation on Saturday. Imagine how it felt in a Dickies Arena dressing room for Brady Manek, who couldn’t watch the television feed for the game.
Reggie Bullock returned after missing four games because of personal reasons but showed no rust from the break. Bullock scored 18 points and six 3-pointers, including a clutch 3 late in the game, as the Dallas Mavericks earned a 110–108 home victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bullock also had seven rebounds as the Mavs avoided their first three-game losing streak since December.
From the time that Brady Manek got ejected after questionably being called for a flagrant-two foul, some wondered if that would lead to a suspension. There was even speculation about it Monday on ACC Network. But, since the ejection doesn’t involve fighting, there will be no suspension and Manek will play on Friday night at 9:40 p.m. in the East Regional semifinals against UCLA in Philadelphia (TBS).
FORT WORTH, Texas — When Hubert Davis said early in the season that the goal for his first North Carolina team was a national championship, it seemed a little far-fetched to many observers. After holding off reigning national champion and No. 1 seed Baylor in overtime 93–86 in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday at Dickies Arena, his Tar Heels are making believers of the college basketball world.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Baylor coach Scott Drew is familiar with Brady Manek from the Bears’ battles with Oklahoma the previous four seasons. A lot has changed since his Big 12 days, though. Manek has gone from the clean-shaven Larry Bird look as a Sooner to a full beard and long, flowing hair. But there are plenty of much-more important differences this year at Carolina (25–9).
By R.L. Bynum FORT WORTH, Texas — Carolina can beat anybody in the country when Caleb Love and Brady Manek … More
Playing time with Brooklyn has been hard to come by lately for Day’Ron Sharpe, but he has made his mark in G League appearances with the Long Island Nets. On Wednesday afternoon, who collected 30 points and 20 rebounds in 36 minutes of Long Island’s 118–114 road loss to the Westchester Knicks.
Don’t let Coach Hubert Davis’ calm sideline demeanor. There is a lot of passion, and the first-year Carolina coach has a way of transferring that onto his team during pregame speeches. His players say that they are ready to run through a wall after those speeches. “You know you see him scowling before the games?” senior Leaky Black said. “Just imagine a pregame speech. It makes you want to run through a brick wall. That’s the message I get. I just try to go out there and play as hard as I can every time for him.”
Hubert Davis knows the pressure of an NCAA tournament game, specifically when facing a No. 1-seed, which is a situation he hopes his Carolina team faces Saturday. As a sophomore for a No. 8-seeded UNC team against a No. 1 seed in 1990, he wanted no part of taking a big shot in the final seconds.
Going to the NCAA men’s tournament is routine for North Carolina but the Tar Heels haven’t had to navigate the dreaded No. 8-seed vs. No. 9-seed matchup very often. For the second consecutive season, though, the No. 25-ranked Tar Heels (24–9) will have to deal with that assignment. This time, UNC is the No. 8 seed in the East Region, facing No. 9-seed Marquette (19–12) on Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas. Should UNC win, it would likely face No. 1-seed Baylor (26–6), which plays No. 16-seed Norfolk State. If Coach Hubert Davis’ team makes it to the second weekend, it would play in Philadelphia.
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