Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels look to rebound after last season’s loss to the four seeded Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sweet 16.
The fourth year head coach will have to navigate life without former Second Team All-ACC player, Armando Bacot. Other notable losses for the Heels include Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan.
Bacot averaged 10.3 rebounds per game last season, leading the ACC. Davis’ most important task will be replacing the loss of production from his former center. However, he highlighted how “Armando is a one of one. He is not someone you can replace.”
Instead, Hubert believes the identity and culture of this team is their biggest advantage. “I’m really excited about this group, the versatility, the depth, the athleticism that allows us and puts us in a position to continue to be good in terms of rebounding the basketball”.
Luckily for Tar Heel fans, ACC Player of the Year and First Team All-American, RJ Davis will make his return for the final season of his collegiate career. RJ and Hubert Davis’ relationship is the core and foundation of this team.
RJ talked about the heart of a heel, and how Coach Davis has helped his confidence grow. “[Hubert] is a coach that I can rely on, and he’s put me in positions and has put so much belief in myself. Sometimes I didn’t have that within me, but he’s instilled that in me…we have a relationship that goes beyond basketball.”
NC State head coach, Kevin Keatts believes the ACC has been overlooked and undervalued due to notable names leaving the conference. “I think we lost some really unique hall of fame coaches over the years…we’re getting a little bit punished.”
Keatts is right. The Atlantic Coast Conference has seen hall of fame level coaches depart in recent years, but the new crop of coaching talent seems to be picking up where the greats left off.
North Carolina’s non-conference schedule takes no prisoners. The Heels will face Kansas, Dayton, Alabama, Florida (Jumpman Invitational), and UCLA (CBS Sports Classic) before facing Louisville on January 1st to tip off conference play.
Despite the tough schedule, UNC has remained the national standard in college basketball for nearly 50 years, with Hubert Davis looking to become the next hall of fame level coach in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
