Covering Carolina sports beyond just men's basketball and football — with the most complete women's basketball coverage
CHAPEL HILL — The agonizing wait for five-star stretch-four Ciera Toomey is nearly over. Carolina’s Nov. 4 opener against Charleston Southern will come 592 days after Toomey led Dunmore High School to the 2023 Class 3A Pennsylvania state title. In between, there has been plenty of rehab, work and patience as the 6–4 former Miss Pennsylvania Basketball worked toward that day.
Harrison Barnes got off to a sizzling start in his debut with the San Antonia Spurs, but it wasn’t enough to win Wednesday night in Dallas.
As if No. 2 Alabama’s visit to No. 9 North Carolina on Dec. 4 for the ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge wasn’t already big enough, it just got bigger when the Tide’s Mark Sears and the Tar Heels’ RJ Davis were named to the AP preseason All-America team.
Four former Tar Heels were waived on a tough day for UNC alums in the NBA as teams work toward reducing their rosters to 14 players.
During an NBA preseason without many outstanding performances from Tar Heels, Cameron Johnson had a memorable conclusion to the exhibition season. The preseason included some big games from Coby White and spotty playing time for rookies.
MEMPHIS — It was strange to see Memphis Grizzlies rookie Armando Bacot at courtside watching instead of playing, but No. 9 North Carolina was prepared for that this season. Playing without Preseason ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis was a different story. Seth Trimble scored 21 of his 33 points (after never scoring more than 12 in a game) as UNC took control before holding on for an 84–76 exhibition victory over Memphis on Tuesday at FedEx Forum in the Hoops for St. Jude Tip Off Classic.
With plenty of offseason changes and an influx of talent, North Carolina is ranked No. 15 in the preseason Top 25 women’s poll released Tuesday.
After four analysts rotated on the Tar Heel Sports Network men’s basketball broadcasts last season, there will be only two Tylers this season. Tyler Zeller and Tyler Hansbrough will rotate working alongside Voice of the Tar Heels Jones Angell on this season’s broadcasts, just as Joey Jauch and Brynn Renner do for football broadcasts.
North Carolina is No. 9 in the preseason AP Top 25, which was released on Monday, and will play three, possibly four, teams in the top 10.
CHAPEL HILL — There were wow moments and one anxious moment on Saturday as a tradition going back to the 1970s returned for the first time since 2003: A Blue-White men’s basketball scrimmage following a Carolina football game.
Tar Heels fans will either need to stay up very late or get up crazy early if they want to watch Carolina’s men’s basketball play at Hawaii on Nov. 22.
CHARLOTTE — Despite the program’s best efforts, North Carolina couldn’t lure any of the top centers in the transfer portal and must find a way to replace the numbers Armando Bacot and Harrison Ingram put up last season. The duo, now NBA rookies, combined to average 24 points and 19.1 rebounds per game, and it will undoubtedly take several players to fill that void.
Deja Kelly hadn’t publicly discussed why she transferred from North Carolina to Oregon for her fifth college season, but she had plenty to say in a TikTok video she posted on Monday afternoon.
CHAPEL HILL — With veteran guards and quick players throughout the lineup, Coach Hubert Davis’ fourth Carolina team will play faster and push for good shots and transition buckets. How fast? If the offensive team fails to get the ball over halfcourt in three seconds, his whistle blows, and he declares it a turnover.
Watch videos from UNC media day of Coach Hubert Davis’ press conference, interviews with players and the first portion of Friday’s practice.
tarheeltribune.com 