Tag: North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball

How did UNC’s post players perform in closer-than-expected victory over Elon?

UNC might be better off in the frontcourt than you expect this coming basketball season.

Without Armando Bacot in a North Carolina Tar Heels uniform any longer, UNC is in big need of players to step up in the post this season.

Luckily for North Carolina, it has plenty of post guys to rotate with – and all are experienced upperclassmen.

Jalen Washington, who started at center in UNC’s 90-76 victory over Elon, is a junior. Jae’Lyn Withers, who started at power forward, is in his fifth season. Ven-Allen Lubin, the Vanderbilt transfer who came off the bench and can play both the four or five, is a junior. Cade Tyson, the sharp-shooting Belmont transfer seen as a Stretch Four, is a junior.

I’m really encouraged by what I saw from the Tar Heels’ post rotation Monday night, particularly from Withers and Washington. Withers grabbed a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Washington poured in eight points, grabbed four rebounds, blocked a shot, stole a ball and recorded an assist.

Lubin scored four points, registered seven rebounds and blocked two shots in 17 minutes off the bench, while Tyson scored two points – and grabbed two rebounds – in 16 minutes off the bench.

Look at the second sentence of what respected college basketball analyst Jon Rothstein said: Hubert Davis would sign for 3/4 of North Carolina’s post production on Monday night, particularly in a post-Bacot world.

I agree with Rothstein. There are bound to be some growing pains for UNC in the paint during college basketball season, but at least it has experienced upperclassmen in Lubin, Withers and Washington to count on for production.

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Jae’Lyn Withers takes advantage of season-opening start against Elon

Jae’Lyn Withers is a name UNC basketball fans should be keeping their eye on this season.

When Jae’Lyn Withers took his infamous 3-point attempt in UNC’s Sweet 16 loss to Alabama last year, many fans had a negative taste in their mouth.

With North Carolina leading 85-84, Withers, who shot just 20 percent from deep, launched a wide-open shot. The Crimson Tide pulled down a rebound and – moments later – took the lead for good on Grant Nelson’s layup.

After the Tar Heels’ 90-76 victory over Elon in their season-opener on Monday, fans should have a positive feeling about Withers.

Getting an unexpected start, Withers delivered in major fashion, showcasing he can be a crucial part of North Carolina’s success by recording a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Withers shot 4-of-10 from the field, but what’s even more encouraging is that he made two of three attempts from beyond the perimeter. Withers also showcased his abilities as a ball-handler and passer, generating an assist and one of UNC’s 11 steals.

It took Withers until January 17 this year to record his first double-double, when he scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Louisville, where he transferred from ahead of the 2023-2024 college basketball season.

Withers’ usage in Monday’s opener also points to him having an increased role throughout the upcoming year. Withers played 22 minutes, the most out of any Tar Heel post players. Jalen Washington played 21 minutes, Vanderbilt transfer Ven-Allen Lubin played 17 and Belmont transfer Cade Tyson played 16.

Withers started 79 percent of the games he appeared in at Louisville, but has started just 10.5 percent of his games as a Tar Heel.

If Withers continues to play like he did Monday night, we’ll be hearing the North Carolina native’s name called a lot more in the starting lineup.

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Hubert Davis praises rebounding from freshmen in first game

How did Ian Jackson and Drake Powell fare in their first collegiate basketball game?

The North Carolina Tar Heels barely avoided a massive upset in their 2024-2025 college basketball opener, thanks to their top returners and some needed defense late.

RJ Davis showed why he is the country’s best player, draining the tying jumper and, moments later, giving UNC the lead for good on one of his three 3-pointers. To no one’s surprise, Davis led all scorers with 24 points.

One of North Carolina’s key storylines entering the season was how much playing time their star freshmen: Drake Powell, Ian Jackson and James Brown, would get. Preseason predictions had Jackson in the starting lineup, with Powell playing plentiful minutes off the bench.

In Monday’s victory against Elon, Powell and Jackson didn’t have a massive impact on the scoresheet. They did, however, impress head coach Hubert Davis in their collegiate debut.

“I thought they did some really good things, both Ian and Drake,” Hubert said in the postgame press conference. “You know, one of the things that they just keep getting better every practice and every game. One of the things that I think people lose sight of is just to transition from high school to this level is real. And so you can be a McDonald’s All-American and still playing at this level, it takes time. I really love how they have bought in defensively. They do a good job, not particularly on the stat sheet, but they do a really good job of rebounding the basketball. And then on the offensive end, they can create, make shots, and so they’re going to play a ton of minutes this year. We need them to step up and be big. And I’m so glad that they’re here.”

Both Powell and Jackson came off the bench, with Powell seeing 17 minutes of action and Jackson seeing just 12.

Powell scored five points (2-of-8 shooting), recorded two rebounds, dished out two assists, stole the ball once and blocked a shot. Jackson also scored five points (2-of-7), plus he recorded a singular rebound.

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Tar Heels survive scare, hold off Elon to open season with win

RJ Davis helped power the UNC basketball program past Elon on Monday night.

For a few minutes late in the second half, there was a feeling of uneasiness in the Dean Dome on Monday night.

With North Carolina ahead for most of the game, Elon went on a run with RJ Davis off the floor. The Phoenix tied the game at 69 on a big three-pointer and then took the lead at 71-69.  But then Davis got back in the game and it was all Tar Heels over the final five or so minutes.

Davis scored five straight points to give UNC a 74-71 lead as part of a 21-2 run to close out the game and get a 90-76 win. And thankfully, Davis was there to save the day.

The veteran guard scored 24 points in the season opener to lead the Tar Heels and more importantly, avoid a major upset.

The Tar Heels controlled the game for most of the first half as Hubert Davis settled in with his rotations. UNC went with a starting five of Elliot Cadeau, Davis, Seth Trimble, Jae’Lyn Withers, and Jalen Washington. But it was Cade Tyson and Ven-Allen Lubin as the first off the bench.

With the Tar Heels holding a 51-39 lead at halftime, it felt like they were in control. But in the second half, UNC couldn’t get to the basket and Elon was getting everything they wanted.

Add in the fact that UNC was 7-of-18 on layups and 4-of-7 on dunks, there were a lot of points left on the rim. Elon’s zone defense also gave UNC fits as well in this one.

But that second-half push helped the Tar Heels get to 1-0 and hopefully woke them up as the season has started.

Cadeau finished the game with 17 points while Trimble added 15. Withers had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

UNC now heads on the road to face off against No. 1 Kansas on the road Friday night.

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Projected UNC basketball starter named to Karl Malone Award Watch List

Cade Tyson, arguably UNC’s greatest addition from the college basketball transfer portal, earned some major preseason recognition on Halloween.

I was a little concerned when the college basketball offseason started, as the North Carolina Tar Heels struck out on several, high-profile transfer portal targets to replace production from last year’s veterans.

With the regular season starting in just a couple days, though, that concern is no longer.

Not even a month after the NCAA Tournament ended, UNC head coach Hubert Davis landed sharp-shooting power forward Cade Tyson, the in-state junior who played his first two seasons of college ball at Belmont University.

Tyson hasn’t played a game yet in Carolina Blue, but he’s already gaining some well-deserved preseason recognition.

On Halloween (Thursday, Oct. 31), Tyson was named to the Karl Malone Award Watch List. Tyson is one of 20 total honorees, plus just one of two from the ACC (Clemson’s Ian Schieffelin)

If you’re a fan of the Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers or simply just basketball in general, you’re likely familiar with the Award’s namesake, as Malone is one of the best power forwards to ever play the game.

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Tyson is exactly the kind of player who fits the Tar Heels’ roster. He’s 6’7″ and can play at either the 3 or 4, possibly even the 5 in smaller lineups, sort of like a Brady Manek-type star.

More importantly for UNC, Tyson can shoot – and make – 3-pointers. His numbers at Belmont were unconscious: a career 44.6 percent mark from beyond the arc, highlighted by a season-high of 46.5% last year.

North Carolina isn’t always known for its perimeter shooting, so Tyson fills an immediate void. Tyson’s also the type of Stretch 4 that helped the Tar Heels to their surprise, 2022 NCAA Title Game run, with the only difference being his name isn’t Brady Manek.

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Vince Carter earns retirement gift, Raptors to honor him this weekend

It’s a good weekend to be Vince Carter.

When it comes to the best dunkers in basketball history, who are some names that come to mind?

For me, it’s former UNC standout Vince Carter, who truly developed himself into a star at the professional level.

Carter played at North Carolina for three seasons (1995-1996, 1996-1997, 1997-1998), helping his teammates make the Final Four twice. Carter averaged 12.3 points per game across his three years as a Tar Heel, highlighted by a career best 15.6 PPG in his final season.

Drafted fifth overall in the 1998 NBA Draft, Carter played 22 seasons with eight different teams, most notably his first six-and-a-half with the Toronto Raptors. Eight All-Star nods later and 21st on the NBA All-Time scoring list, Carter earned himself a 2024 Hall of Fame induction.

As a thank you for Carter’s service to the city of Toronto, Air Canada is also gifting Carter an A-220 aircraft – complete with his 15 on the side.

On Saturday, Nov. 2, Toronto will be also retiring Carter’s legendary number 15 during its game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Carter’s jersey retirement also marks a historical moment, with his 15 the first number to be retired in Raptors’ franchise history.

Carter is arguably one of the greatest professional basketball players to never win a championship – or make one. Carter’s 2010 season with the Orlando Magic was the closest he got, as Orlando advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, before losing to the now reigning NBA Finals champion Boston Celtics.

In 2000-2001 with Toronto, Carter averaged a career-best 27.6 points per game. This was one of Carter’s 10 seasons averaging a minimum 20 points per game, showcasing how efficient of a scorer he was.

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UNC basketball lands in Rothstein’s 45 for beginning of season

Where the UNC basketball program ranks in Jon Rothstein’s rankings for the 2024-25 season.

In just a few days, the North Carolina Tar Heels will tip off their 2024-25 season as they will host Elon in the Dean Dome on Monday night. It’s expected to be another season with high expectations as they are coming off a disappointing exit in the Sweet 16.

UNC does return some key players from that team a year ago including RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble. But they also lose their best player in the frontcourt with Armando Bacot and a key wing in Harrison Ingram.

As we get set for the new season, college basketball analyst Jon Rothstein has released his “Rothstein 45” ranking the 45 best teams in the country for the upcoming season. Not only did UNC crack the Top 10 but they checked in at No. 7 overall.

Here is what Rothstein had to say about UNC:

The Tar Heels are ahead of notable teams like Duke (No. 10), Auburn (No. 12), and Arizona (No. 14). They are the highest-ranked team in the Atlantic Coast Conference for the season.

There aren’t many rankings that have North Carolina ahead of Duke going into this season. So to see an analyst put the Tar Heels that high is very interesting.

But they are just rankings for a reason and UNC has to go out and prove they are one of the top teams.

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Top UNC basketball target postpones visit to SEC program

This UNC basketball recruiting target has postponed his visit to Arkansas this weekend.

North Carolina’s options for the 2025 recruiting class are starting to dwindle a bit here as we hit the Fall season. With just a few options left, Hubert Davis and his program need to put the full-court press on some prospects.

One prospect that is high on North Carolina’s radar is five-star power forward Caleb Wilson. The Atlanta product is a high-profile recruit who has drawn interest from some big programs in his recruitment.

Right now, Wilson is being pursued by UNC, Arkansas, Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Ohio State and Tennessee. Those programs appear to be the ones making the biggest push.

This weekend, Wilson is scheduled to head to Arkansas for his visit with John Calipari and the Razorbacks. However, he announced on Friday that he is postponing the visit because of the team scrimmage tonight as Adam Zagoria tweeted out:

That could be significant in terms of a timeline for his recruitment as many thought Wilson could be on the verge of announcing sometime in the coming weeks.

Wilson hasn’t canceled the visit which is good news for Arkansas but if he does eventually cancel it, that likely rules them out. It still feels like UNC has a lot of work to do in this recruitment but the longer it goes on, the better their chances could be?

This is a recruitment to continue to pay attention to moving forward still.

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Hubert Davis earns spot in Top 25 coach rankings

Where does UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis rank in the CBS Sports coach rankings?

North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis is heading into his fourth season in charge of the Tar Heels, making two Sweet 16 appearances, a Final Four appearance and has won an Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title.

As Davis goes into his fourth year, the expectations are high again for the program. And he’s considered as a top 25 coach for the upcoming season.

David Cobb of CBS Sports ranked his Top 25 and 1 coaches for the upcoming season, and after not being on the list last year, Davis is No. 22 this season. Here is what Cobb said about Davis as he’s going into his fourth year:

North Carolina won the ACC outright by two games in 2024, marking Davis’ first league title in three seasons on the job. With All-American guard RJ Davis back for a fifth season, the Tar Heels are poised to challenge for league supremacy again. Succeeding a legend like Roy Williams is a tall task, but Davis is handling it with a deft touch. (N/A)

The notable coaches that Davis is behind in the rankings include No. 1 Dan Hurley, No. 2 Bill Self, No. 5 Nate Oats, No. 9 Rick Pitino, and No. 17 Jon Scheyer. You can see the full list here.

Davis still has a lot to prove going into this season but he has a talented roster again that is motivated by a Sweet 16 loss a year ago.

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RJ Davis named to preseason watch list for 2024-25 season

RJ Davis earns some more preseason honors ahead of final season.

North Carolina guard RJ Davis returned for his final season in Chapel Hill, a year after he won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season Player of the Year award. And as he gets ready for his final season, he’s earning some preseason recognition.

On Tuesday, Davis was one of 20 guards named to the Jerry West preseason award watch list. Davis won the award last season and is looking to go back-to-back and win it again this year.

The guard averaged 21.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game last season, developing into one of the best players in the country.

Below is the full list of players on the preseason watch list:

Caleb Love Arizona
Boogie Fland Arkansas
Johnell Davis Arkansas
VJ Edgecombe Baylor
Caleb Foster Duke
Kon Kneuppel Duke
Tyson Grant Foster GCU
LJ Cryer Houston
Zeke Mayo Kansas
Kam Jones Marquette
Jalil Bethea Miami
Meechie Johnson Ohio State
Matthew Murrell Ole Miss
RJ Davis North Carolina
Fletcher Loyer Purdue
Kadary Richmond St. John’s
Tre Johnson Texas
Chaz Lanier Tennessee
Aidan Mahaney UConn
Hunter Sallis Wake Forest

There will be three rounds of fan voting for their favorite players beginning November 1. The list of 20 players will then be narrowed down to 10 in January and then five in late February. In March, the five finalists will be presented to West’s family and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, where winners will be selected.

Davis has already earned a spot on the AP All-American preseason team and was named the preseason ACC Player of the Year.

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