Bleav in Heels Hoops podcast

Hosts Desmond Johnson and R.L. Bynum and guest hosts, including former Tar Heels Pete Chilcutt and Tyler Zeller, talk Carolina men’s basketball on the “Bleav in Heels Hoops” podcast, presented by Tar Heel Tribune and Tobacco Sports Radio.

Pitching, Honeycutt help unbeaten UNC power by No. 11 ECU

CHAPEL HILL — Vance Honeycutt’s good arm and improved power stroke were just what No. 15 North Carolina needed to emerge from a terrific pitching battle with No. 11 East Carolina. The junior center fielder led off the eighth inning by launching a 1–2 curveball 409-foot feet over the left-field fence as the Tar Heels won the opener of a three-game series Friday over the Pirates 2–1 at Boshamer Stadium.

Is there a way for Bacot to get his jersey in the rafters?

CHAPEL HILL — Could RJ Davis and Armando Bacot become the first Carolina teammates to have their jerseys go up in the Smith Center rafters since four members of the 2015–16 team earned the honor?

Puff Johnson gets key bucket in Penn State’s upset of No. 14 Illinois; Love hits 27 in loss; Garcia scores 22 in win

It hasn’t always gone smoothly for Puff Johnson in his first season at Penn State, but he made a huge play Wednesday when the Nittany Lions pulled off a huge upset of No. 14 Illinois. That was one highlight for the former Tar Heels during a week that Caleb Love and Dawson Garcia scored in the 20s while Destiny Adams and Kennedy Todd-Williams each scored 15.

UNC keeps foot on gas, runs over No. 6 N.C. State, led by 23 from Donarski

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina’s record would be dramatically different if a few plays at the end of close losses had gone differently. The Tar Heels repeatedly shot down any chance that Thursday’s game against No. 6 N.C. State would come down to one or two possessions like the other defeats. UNC came through with its best perimeter shooting game of the season, never trailing after the opening quarter, on its way to an 80–70 win at Carmichael Arena.

UNC gains Quad 1 win but falls in NET rankings after two blowouts on Tuesday

Just because No. 10 Carolina isn’t playing a mid-week game doesn’t mean there aren’t fluctuations in the Tar Heels’ NCAA resume. A pair of Tuesday night blowouts both helped and hurt the league-leading Tar Heels (20–6, 12–3 ACC), who fell one spot to 10th in the NET rankings.

Depleted backcourt has led to plenty of adjustments for UNC women

With some of the players UNC expected to create good guard depth watching from the sidelines, Coach Courtney Banghart has had to adjust. Redshirt sophomore Kayla McPherson is out for the season with a knee injury. Lower-body injuries have kept sophomore Paulina Paris out for the last eight games and freshman Reniya Kelly sidelined for the last two.

Carolina falls in AP men’s poll, extends streak of top-10 ranks to eight weeks

North Carolina fell three spots to No. 10 in the AP Top 25 men’s poll Monday as the Tar Heels were one of four top-10 teams in last week’s poll to lose.

Ustby’s career-high carries UNC to win over Deacs with tough games ahead

WINSTON-SALEM — With expected wins this week over the two teams at the bottom of the ACC, Carolina will try to keep the momentum against two teams at the top of the league. That will be a challenge if the Tar Heels don’t play better than they did in Sunday night’s 58–50 victory at Joel Coliseum over a struggling Wake Forest program.

Nickel has productive return to UNC; Adams, Love, Todd-Williams McKoy have good games

Tyler Nickel’s trip back to the Smith Center didn’t produce a victory for his Virginia Tech team, but he reminded the Tar Heels of his perimeter shooting prowess.