Tag: North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball

UNC basketball signs first two pieces of 2025 recruiting class

The UNC men’s basketball team just got two players better in the 2025 recruiting class on Wednesday.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are no stranger to signing high-profile basketball recruits – just look at what they did in their 2024 recruiting class.

On Wednesday, UNC officially added two recruits to its roster, nabbing the first two pieces of its 2025 recruiting class.

Davidson Day School’s Isaiah Denis and Gonzaga College High School’s Derek Dixon, a pair of 4-star combo guards who should step into major roles for North Carolina during the 2025-2026 college basketball season, officially signed to continue their basketball careers in Chapel Hill.

Denis and Dixon aren’t too far removed from their initial commitments. Dixon committed to the Tar Heels on Friday, Sept. 27, while Denis committed on Saturday, Nov. 2.

At 6’5, I see Denis playing a role similar to current UNC freshman Drake Powell. Denis can either run the point or play shooting guard, but also has the height to play the 3-spot – if UNC head coach Hubert Davis elects for a smaller starting lineup.

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Dixon is a bit shorter at 6’3″, so I see him being exclusively a point guard or shooting guard. Dixon’s recruiting profile points to him being a solid perimeter shooter, so in the best case scenario, he produces at a high clip like reigning ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis.

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The Tar Heels aren’t anywhere close to being done yet in the class of 2025, as they’re chasing the likes of top recruits Caleb Wilson and AJ Dybantsa. Plenty of high school kids are still undecided – and with Hubert Davis’ track record on the recruiting trail, expect several additional high school stars to choose North Carolina as their college basketball destination.

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UNC basketball recruiting target updates recruitment

ESPN is reporting that this UNC basketball recruiting target will cut his list soon.

The recruitment for five-star forward Caleb Wilson could be hitting the final stretch. As Wilson is not expected to announce a decision during the early signing period, he will commit to a program in the next month or so.

Paul Biancardi of ESPN is reporting that Wilson is set to cut down his list of schools within the next two weeks. From there, he will then make a commitment sometime in December or January. That’s significant news, especially for North Carolina, a program that has had Wilson on campus a few times.

Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels have made Wilson a priority in the 2025 class, one in which they have two commits.

Wilson is currently at the Champions Classic game between Duke and Kentucky on Tuesday with it taking place in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. The Wildcats are the rumored frontrunners for Wilson but both UNC and Arkansas are also programs to watch moving forward.

Biancardi also notes that Wilson has rescheduled his visit to Arkansas after postponing it a few weeks back.

The 6-foot-9, 205-pound Wilson is ranked No. 8 nationally, the No. 4 power forward and No. 1 player in the state of Georgia per the 247Sports recruiting rankings.

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Where do Tar Heels land in Andy Katz’ latest Power 37 rankings?

North Carolina stayed in the Top 10 of Andy Katz’ Power 37 college basketball rankings.

At halftime of Friday’s highly-anticipated, early-season 2022 National Championship rematch with Kansas, I had my doubts about UNC’s ability to mount a comeback.

I’ve never been more happy to be wrong, with North Carolina coming back from a 17-point deficit and, late in the second half, holding a 4-point advantage after a Jalen Washington free throw. All-around contributions aided the Tar Heels, as they eventually took a lead (80-79 with 7:09 remaining) on a Jae’Lyn Withers layup.

The Tar Heels ended up losing to the Jayhawks, 92-89, not scoring over the final two minutes. This was pretty disappointing, considering how hard UNC fought when it looked like the game was over.

With how North Carolina played against Kansas – and comparing its performance to the hundreds of others teams who did over the weekend – North Carolina found itself at eighth in Andy Katz’ latest Power 37.

The Tar Heels found themselves sandwiched between Iowa State (seventh) and Tennessee (ninth). The Volunteers (2-1) beat Louisville on Saturday, while the Cyclones didn’t play over the weekend.

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It’s always tough to be encouraged after a loss, but UNC has every reason to be proud of how it battled against the Jayhawks. The Tar Heels were playing just their second game with an essentially, all-new starting lineup – and took it to the Preseason Number One.

If North Carolina hosted Kansas, you wonder if the outcome – and rankings – would be different. The Dean Dome is no stranger to rowdy crowds, particualrly when a top-notch opponent comes to town.

UNC’s first chance to rebound will be Friday Nov. 15 as it hosts American University. Will the Tar Heels move up the Power 35 next week?

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Harrison Ingram the latest Tar Heel to record double-double in professional basketball

Harrison Ingram’s second professional basketball game saw him record a double-double.

How much do you miss watching Harrison Ingram play basketball for our beloved North Carolina Tar Heels?

Ingram was arguably the greatest transfer portal addition of Hubert Davis’ head coaching career, giving UNC an explosive stretch four who kept defenses guessing. Ingram was a double-double machine at North Carolina – not quite like Armando Bacot, but he helped give opposing defenses a headache.

When the 2024 NBA Draft rolled around, Ingram was lucky to hear his name called by the San Antonio Spurs. Ingram is currently on a 2-way contract – and is playing with the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G-League affiliate.

Already in his second game with Austin, Ingram is making quite the impact. Ingram recorded a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double in the Baby Spurs’ 122-120 victory over the Osceola Magic on Sunday, Nov. 10.

Ingram wasn’t the only former Tar Heel to record a double-double over the weekend, as Bacot did the same on Saturday.

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Ingram’s 13 rebounds were the most amongst his teammates, while his 35 minutes played were tied with Malachi Flynn for most. Ingram didn’t have the best shooting day, making just 4-of-13 shot attempts, but he converted on 4-of-5 free throw attempts.

North Carolina was in desperate need of a power forward ahead of the 2023-2024 college basketball season, as Pete Nance left for the NBA after a disappointing year. Hubert went out and aced UNC’s need, nabbing Ingram from now-ACC program Stanford.

Ingram tallied 11 double-doubles as a Tar Heel, with his final one coming in the regular-season finale at Duke, helping the Tar Heels complete a regular-season sweep of their archrivals.

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UNC falls in USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll

The UNC basketball program falls out of top 10 in the latest coaches poll

The North Carolina Tar Heels opened up the 2024-25 college basketball season with a 1-1 record. After holding on to beat Elon in the season opener on Monday, North Carolina took No. 1 Kansas to the brink.

But in the end, the Jayhawks pulled out the victory with a 5-0 run in what was a hard-fought game for both programs.

As UNC gets set for their only game of the week, hosting American this Friday, they are down in the latest USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll. UNC fell one spot with the loss to Kansas and is ranked No. 11 this week.

Below is the full poll for this week:

Ranking Team Record Points
1 Kansas 2-0 759 (21)
2 Alabama 2-0 724 (4)
3 UConn 2-0 702 (3)
4 Auburn 2-0 660 (2)
5 Gonzaga 2-0 651 (1)
6 Duke 2-0 608
7 Iowa State 1-0 576
8 Arizona 2-0 516
9 Tennessee 2-0 502
10 Houston 1-1 488
11 North Carolina 1-1 456
12 Purdue 2-0 437
13 Creighton 2-0 385
14 Baylor 1-1 328
15 Marquette 2-0 308
16 Indiana 2-0 234
17 Cincinnati 2-0 230
18 Kentucky 2-0 182
19 Florida 2-0 179
20 Illinois 2-0 151
21 Arkansas 1-1 150
22 Ohio State 1-0 148
23 Texas A&M 1-1 99
24 Rutgers 1-0 84
25 St. John’s 2-0 79

North Carolina hosts American before hitting the road next week to take on Hawai’i and then play in a loaded Maui Invitational field that includes No. 3 UConn, No. 4 Auburn, and No. 7 Iowa State.

The Tar Heels will open that tournament against Dayton and will play either Iowa State or Auburn depending on the result.

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Armando Bacot dominates with double-double in NBA G-League debut

Just how much of an impact did Tar Heel legend Armando Bacot have in his NBA G-League debut?

Armando Bacot etched his way into the UNC basketball history books during his five seasons in Chapel Hill, but that didn’t guarantee him a 2024 NBA Draft selection.

Bacot initially signed with the Utah Jazz‘ Summer League team, then later found his way onto the Memphis Grizzles, thanks to an Exhibit-10 contract. Bacot impressed in preseason ball with Memphis, but was later part of final roster cuts.

Now with the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzles’ G-League affiliate, Bacot is already making a quick impression.

On Saturday, Nov. 9 in his G-League debut, Bacot registered a 17-point, 18-rebound double-double as the Hustle’s starting center. Memphis lost, 103-97, but Bacot showed why he can be a key eventual contributor in the NBA.

Bacot shot just 6-of-18 from the field, but what’s most impressive about his performance are the types of shots he made. Bacot drained three 3-pointers in nine attempts. If you recall Bacot’s time at North Carolina, he rarely shot the basketball outside the paint, not making a 3-pointer until the 2023-2024 campaign.

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Bacot led the Hustle in two categories: minutes played (37) and rebounds (18). One of Bacot’s teammates, former Oregon Duck Miles Morris, also recorded a double-double (24 points, 10 rebounds).

In his five seasons as a Tar Heel, Bacot set the program record for rebounds (1,715) and double-doubles (87). You’d think this would be enough to get Bacot an NBA Draft Selection, but today’s professional big man is someone who can both play down low and shoot outside jumpers.

If Bacot keeps dominating at the G-League level like he did Saturday, it won’t be long before an NBA team is calling his name again.

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Does Jay Bilas consider UNC as a top 10 team?

The UNC basketball program is considered a top 10 team by Jay Bilas.

The college basketball season is officiall underway as the first week of games is almost complete. But not before a big top 10 showdown in Lawrence, Kansas as the No. 1 Jayhawks host No. 9 North Carolina.

It’s one of the premier non-conference games of the early schedule as it will be a big test for the Tar Heels early this season. Before we get to tipoff, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas released his top 68 teams for the season in the “Bilas Index“. And for North Carolina, they are ranked No.10 overall.

Here is what Bilas had to say about North Carolina as the season is underway:

The Tar Heels will look a bit different from what we have seen in the past. North Carolina has always been a big team up front, with anchors down low and on the glass. This team will be faster and more versatile, but the results will be similar. Hubert Davis has the ACC Player of the Year back in RJ Davis, teaming in the backcourt with speedster and facilitator Elliot Cadeau. RJ Davis is among the most productive guards in Carolina history, and he has a light shot to catch Tyler Hansbrough and become North Carolina’s leading career scorer. Seth Trimble is a powerful athlete, and transfer Cade Tyson (Belmont) can really shoot the ball. Cade Tyson is the brother of former Clemson star Hunter Tyson, and he will provide versatility on the wing. Freshmen Ian Jackson and Drake Powell and Vanderbilt transfer Ven-Allen Lubin are all super athletic wings who will improve this team’s speed, athleticism and length. Carolina also has Jalen Washington and Jae’Lyn Withers back to provide interior productivity. Different isn’t a bad thing. This team is how Hubert Davis envisions playing, and the Heels will present matchup problems and will really run. Buckle up.

Bilas’ ranking of the Tar Heels is pretty fair. They are a good team but they still have some questions including in the backcourt after losing their two best rebounders in Armando Bacot and Harrison Ingram.

While the Tar Heels had their struggles against Elon in the opener, it’s only one game and this Friday night showdown will be a measuring stick for them as they still have matchups against good teams like Alabama, Florida, UCLA and the Maui Invitational.

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RJ Davis says UNC’s 2022 Title Game loss to Kansas was “heartbreaking”

Two-and-a-half years later, RJ Davis says UNC’s loss to Kansas in the 2022 National Championship still stings.

When the North Carolina Tar Heels face the Kansas Jayhawks at 8 p.m. Friday in one of the college basketball season’s most highly-anticipated, non-conference matchups, there’s no doubt UNC will have some strong feelings – most notably the craving for revenge.

After holding a 15-point halftime lead, North Carolina lost to Kansas in the 2022 National Championship game. The Tar Heels later had a brief lead under two minutes, thanks to Brady Manek, but the Jayhawks quickly reclaimed their advantage and broke millions of hearts.

There’s still one holdover from that 2022 UNC squad – and he still feels the heartbreak: RJ Davis, the reigning ACC Player of the Year.

“Just to be that close, it was definitely heartbreaking for me,” Davis told TarHeelIllustrated’s Andrew Jones. “A lot of emotions I can remember from that game. I remember looking up at the clock and then watching it hit zero and the buzzer going off. It took a while for the tears to come, but they ended up going right down my face, in terms of a lot of the hard work that we put into it: as a team throughout that year and how we changed that whole year around. It was a tremendous feeling. But to end up short like that was heartbreaking.”

Davis was on that squad with the likes of Manek, Armando Bacot and Leaky Black, to name a few guys. North Carolina almost didn’t make it out of the first weekend, as Baylor rallied from a 20-point deficit itself, but lost in overtime.

The Tar Heels will enter Friday’s matchup with a shorter, younger squad than they had in 2022. Friday will be a true test for how good UNC is, as it faces the country’s top-ranked program.

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Roy Williams reveals why he didn’t take UNC job sooner

Roy Williams says this player kept him at Kansas in 2000 with UNC looking to hire him.

Before Roy Williams took the North Carolina head coaching job in 2003, he spent 15 seasons at Kansas. Williams was courted for the Tar Heels’ job in 2000 but ultimately turned it down.

After being pursued a second time with an opening, Williams just couldn’t turn it down again famously saying “There’s several factors [for my decision] — my roots, my dream and my family. And I think all three things are my factors. And I don’t mind saying this, but there’s Coach [Dean] Smith. It’s hard saying ‘no’ to him twice.”

But why did he turn it down the first time? Williams revealed that answer during his guest appearance on Theo Pinson’s “Run Your Race” podcast which was released on Wednesday.

“So in 2000, they asked me to come back at North Carolina when coach [Bill] Guthridge retired. I had promised Nick Collison, who is a freshman, that I would be there because a rival school had said ‘If you go to Kansas, Roy Williams is not going to be your coach. He’s going to go back to North Carolina.’ But I had promised Nick I was going to be there. So when they asked me the first time, I could never justify what I was going to say to Nick. I know that sounds crazy but you know I’m crazy. So I didn’t come back. But when they came back again three years later, Nick had graduated.”

Williams goes on to talk about the national championship loss to Syracuse and how UNC pursued him again. He credits Dean Smith for getting him to comeback to North Carolina.

“They asked me to come back and I felt like, Coach Smith, Nick Collison leaving is the biggest thing. But the second thing was Coach Smith saying ‘We wanted you last time, we need you this time.’ And that meant a great deal to me too.”

The rest is history as Williams won three national championships at North Carolina including in his second season, beating Illinois in 2005.

Williams’ former programs will meet Friday night in an early season showdown as No. 1 Kansas hosts No. 9 North Carolina.

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Re-visiting the 2022 NCAA Championship ahead of UNC-Kansas rematch

UNC and Kansas face off Friday in a rematch of the 2022 NCAA Championship. How’d that matchup two years ago turn out?

The North Carolina Tar Heels weren’t even supposed to be in the 2022 NCAA Championship game.

Throughout the regular season, UNC showed it struggled on the road against good competition. Playing in the NCAA Tournament, you’re away from home base the whole time – unless you’re hosting, like Creighton in Omaha.

Somehow, North Carolina ended up in the title game and played Kansas. The Tar Heels enjoyed a massive, 15-point halftime advantage, but that turned into a 3-point deficit and a 72-69 defeat.

On Friday, Nov. 8, UNC and Kansas will rematch in one of the college basketball season’s most highly-anticipated matchups.

Today, we’re here to re-visit that massive letdown. We know no lead is safe in college basketball, but when you’re as talented as UNC, what came in the second half was shocking.

After falling behind 7-0 early, then weathering a couple of early Jayhawk storms, the first half was all North Carolina.

The Tar Heels and Kansas found themselves tied at 22, then UNC embarked on a 16-0 run to give it the needed breathing room. Brady Manek, Armando Bacot and RJ Davis engineered this run, scoring all points during it.

Not even a minute out of halftime, Jayhawks center David McCormack slammed down a thunderous dunk that changed everything. Kansas kept chipping away, eventually taking the lead (53-50) on a Remy Martin 3-pointer at the 10:23 mark.

North Carolina wouldn’t lead again until just under two minutes remained, when Brady Manek tipped in a missed shot. 20 seconds later, McCormack gave the Jayhawks a lead they never relinquies.

Did the Tar Heels expend all their energy beating Duke in the Final Four? Was Kansas simply the better team (the answer is yes)?

Regardless, that 2022 title game left a sour taste in UNC’s mouth. Friday night is a perfect chance at revenge.

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