Covering Carolina sports beyond just men's basketball and football — with the most complete women's basketball coverage
On a night when the shots just were rarely falling for North Carolina, the Tar Heels’ rebounding and defense proved to be the difference. The Tar Heels scored 15 second-chance points and outrebounded Georgia Tech by 21, finding just enough offense to pull out a 54–46 victory on Thursday at the McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta.
CHAPEL HILL — For four games, North Carolina’s defense had slipped from its identity to anxiety-inducing, a talking point that lingered through three losses and uneven performances.
CHAPEL HILL — Caleb Wilson knows that his Carolina career will be over after his only experience with March Madness, and he didn’t like how the last couple of weeks went. “For me, honestly, I just know that my time here is limited, and I want to make the most of it,” he said. “So, every game matters to me.”
CHAPEL HILL — The Carolina defense that had been missing for the last two weeks showed up on Tuesday, while the Tar Heels turned 3-pointers from a debilitating opponent weapon into a potent offensive force.
As UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts and the Board of Trustees advance plans for the Carolina North campus expansion off MLK Drive, a familiar debate has resurfaced with new urgency: what should happen to the Dean E. Smith Center? The question of whether to renovate the storied arena or build a new facility at Carolina North has been divisive, with prominent voices, including former coach Roy Williams and numerous program alumni, launching a passionate campaign to preserve and renovate the Smith Center rather than relocate.
While Elliot Cadeau set No. 3 Michigan’s tone early Tuesday, Ven‑Allen Lubin steadied N.C. State late, Vanderbilt’s rough patch continued despite a solid game from Tyler Nickel and St. John’s won despite Ian Jackson going scoreless.
North Carolina, as expected, has fallen in bracket projections after losing both games in the Bay Area last weekend. The consensus of the 81 NCAA tournament projections on Bracket Matrix made through Monday has the Tar Heels as the second-highest No. 6 seed. Nine projections have No. 22-ranked UNC as a 5 seed and seven as an 8 seed.
Here’s a look at the No. 22 North Carolina’s home game against Notre Dame on Wednesday night.
There are many opinions on the best option for North Carolina men’s basketball’s next home to replace the 40-year-old Smith Center, which lacks many modern amenities. Add one strong and legendary voice to that debate. Roy Williams made it clear in a video released on Monday that he’s in favor of renovating the Smith Center, rather than other options that have been mentioned, including building a new arena in Chapel Hill North or where the Bowles Lot now sits.
Drake Powell hit several injury-related bumps early in his rookie season, but he has settled into a rhythm at both ends of the floor and played his way into the Brooklyn Nets’ starting lineup.
After North Carolina dropped three of its last four games, Coach Hubert Davis emphasized one theme above all: accountability, on both ends of the floor and in every phase of the game.
After two losses in Northern California last week, North Carolina plummeted eight spots to No. 22 in the latest AP Top 25 men’s poll.
It’s a troubling pattern when one of the best freshmen in the country and a first-round NBA draft pick doesn’t get many shots down the stretch. In the last four games, Caleb Wilson’s shots have been hard to come by. Teams have been double-teaming the sensational forward all season, but Carolina is having particular issues getting him the ball when the Tar Heels have needed points in key stretches.
On a week that Tyler Nickel and Jalen Washington dealt with Vanderbilt’s unbeaten streak ending and Elliot Cadeau and Ian Jackson each had contrasting performances in wins, Puff Johnson’s long wait to get on the Ohio State roster finally ended.
The frustration of watching North Carolina fall behind by 20 points at Cal on Saturday wasn’t the only maddening experience for Tar Heels fans on Saturday.
tarheeltribune.com 