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CHAPEL HILL — It was always going to take a near-perfect game for No. 17 North Carolina to pull an upset against a loaded Notre Dame team. From the dazzling moves and menacing defense of sophomore guard sensation Hannah Hidalgo to the step-back and off-dribble 3-pointers from fifth-year guard Olivia Miles and the talent up and down No. 3 Notre Dame’s roster, UNC’s defense — its driving force season — didn’t have enough answers.
North Carolina’s thrilling 74–73 victory at Notre Dame on Saturday for the Tar Heels’ first Quad 2 victory moved the Tar Heels up to 44 in the NET rankings from a season-low 47 after the Louisville loss. But there was unhelpful news elsewhere for UNC.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — With Captain Jack directing the train, he needed some big-time passengers, and Elliot Cadeau was the man of the hour. Cadeau’s four-point play with 4.8 seconds left gave North Carolina a badly needed 74–73 victory Saturday over Notre Dame at the Purcell Pavilion.
LOUISVILLE — With defenses hyper-focused on making RJ Davis work for every basket and the fifth-year guard having difficulty finding the shooting rhythm, North Carolina will have to lean on freshmen Ian Jackson and Drake Powell.
After falling to 2–6 in Quad 1 games with Wednesday’s 83–70 loss at Louisville, Carolina fell five spots to a season-low 47th in the NET rankings and began to slip near bubble status.
LOUISVILLE — It’s a new year, but North Carolina issues that made the season a rough ride in 2024 created a familiar bumpy finish to the first game of 2025. Much like the loss to Florida in Charlotte, a disjointed half-court offense, rebounding woes and poor decisions led UNC to let a game get away late.
Louisville presents a potentially dangerous combination considering the vulnerabilities of North Carolina’s defense this season.
Bill Belichick hears from many people who want to come to Carolina, expects to fill out his coaching staff in two weeks with a “strong NFL presence,” and is prepared for a big month for the program.
CHAPEL HILL — Carolina continues to perfect high-level second-half play. lliot Cadeau jump-started the latest example against an overmatched Campbell team on a night when RJ Davis made school history.
The defensive effort for the North Carolina women’s basketball team was fitting all the way through its ACC road opener Sunday afternoon. The No. 17 Tar Heels were relentless in churning out a 69–60 victory against Miami in Coral Gables, Fla.
After spending most of the season on the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad, running back Michael Carter had his second-best career effort Saturday in his second game of the season. Meanwhile, Drake Maye set a New England franchise record for rookie quarterbacks and Mitch Trubisky threw a touchdown pass.
If you thought an interim coach, a lame-duck staff and significant numbers of players missing through a combination of injuries, opt-outs and the transfer portal were going to make for bad football, then you were right.
BOSTON — There was plenty missing from North Carolina’s offense that led to the equivalent of a near no-hitter at Fenway Park.
The Tar Heels couldn’t hit on any big plays other than Chris Culliver’s kickoff return until a late Caleb Hood-fueled drive, as UConn easily won the Fenway Bowl 27–14 Saturday at Fenway Park before a partisan Huskies crowd.
BOSTON — Why does Coach Bill Belichick’s Carolina contract buyout drop from $10 million to $1 million on June 1? Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham address that on Saturday.
BOSTON — For the second time in three seasons, North Carolina will play a bowl game in a Major League Baseball stadium. Unlike the 2022 Holiday Bowl at the San Diego Padres’ Petco Park, Saturday’s 11 a.m. game will be played in Fenway Park, one of baseball’s most classic ballparks and home of the Boston Red Sox.
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