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USA Today
13-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UNC Basketball face off against Big 12 school in exhibition game
UNC Basketball face off against Big 12 school in exhibition game UNC will face one of its former top recruiting targets in an October exhibition. Thanks to another strong incoming high school recruiting class, combined with a significantly-improved transfer portal class, the UNC basketball team has a strong outlook heading into its 2025-2026 season. The crown jewel of North Carolina's 2025 recruiting class is 5-star power forward Caleb Wilson, who committed to Hubert Davis' program in January. Lacking height on their roster last year, the Tar Heels snagged a pair of tall, talented post players in Henri Veesaar and Chapel Hill native Jarin Stevenson. We also know a little bit about UNC's schedule, with a few non-conference matchups released for this fall. North Carolina will play both St. Bonaventure and Michigan State in the Fort Myers (Fla.) Tip-Off during Thanksgiving Week, travel to Kentucky for the ACC-SEC Challenge on December 2, then travel to Atlanta (Ga.) for a CBS Sports Classic matchup with Ohio State. On Friday afternoon, the Tar Heels released another teaser for their 2025-2026 schedule: an October 24 exhibition game in Salt Lake City, Utah against the BYU Cougars. BYU, which is coming off a Sweet 16 appearance in March, should be one of the top teams across college basketball this coming season. The Cougars fared well in the transfer portal themselves, but their top roster highlight will be AJ Dybantsa. Ranked the Class of 2025's top recruit, Dybantsa chose BYU over UNC during his recruiting cycle. This is the second-consecutive season North Carolina will open its season with a high-profile exhibition matchup. The Tar Heels traveled to face the Memphis Tigers on October 15, 2024, a 84-76 victory highlighted by Seth Trimble's 33-point outburst. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
Washington Post
17-03-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
North Carolina in, West Virginia out and more selection committee questions
The biggest subplot following Sunday's reveal of the NCAA men's basketball tournament bracket appears to be North Carolina's inclusion, right down to the fact committee chairman (and Tar Heels Athletic Director) Bubba Cunningham was joined for the customary interview with CBS by vice chair Keith Gill of the Sun Belt Conference. North Carolina was a borderline call the whole time. The Tar Heels turned out to be At-Large Team No. 37 when they just as easily could have been seen as At-Large Team No. 38 on the wrong side of the cut line. That's simultaneously a big difference in practice, but not a huge one in terms of evaluation. The real subplot was lurking in plain sight for the past three months, and it was alluded to at the very end of Sunday's final Washington Post bracket projection: Repeating from Saturday: If there's a seemingly safe team that might be in more danger than most think, it's West Virginia. The Mountaineers did much of their best work before Tucker DeVries got hurt in early December. Lo and behold, the Mountaineers were At-Large Team No. 38. West Virginia had six Quad 1 victories, two of them before DeVries was injured after eight games. The Mountaineers also lost to last-place Colorado in the second round of the Big 12 tournament last week, a misstep that seemed like it might relegate them to Dayton. Instead, West Virginia got sent to the NIT. And the one-Quad-1-win twins, North Carolina and Xavier, get to play on in the middle of this week. Among the biggest snubs and surprises from Sunday. … The Tar Heels were the team that, in retrospect, should have been rooting harder for Memphis in the American Athletic tournament championship game. Had the Tigers lost to UAB, Hubert Davis' Heels would have been squeezed out of the field. Instead, North Carolina gets a matchup with San Diego State, a game that features a pair of recent tournament runners-up. North Carolina didn't do much wrong; its worst loss was a one-point setback at home against Stanford. But it also didn't do much right, going 1-12 in Quadrant 1 games, the lone victory over UCLA. It beat two teams in the tournament field (Patriot League champ American was the other). Absolutely no one in Chapel Hill had any right to moan if the Tar Heels got excluded. But they're in after winning eight consecutive games against teams other than Duke over the final month of the season. North Carolina (22-13) needed every last one of those victories to secure a reprieve. The Tar Heels were the team that, in retrospect, should have been rooting harder for Memphis in the American Athletic tournament championship game. Had the Tigers lost to UAB, Hubert Davis' Heels would have been squeezed out of the field. Instead, North Carolina gets a matchup with San Diego State, a game that features a pair of recent tournament runners-up. North Carolina didn't do much wrong; its worst loss was a one-point setback at home against Stanford. But it also didn't do much right, going 1-12 in Quadrant 1 games, the lone victory over UCLA. It beat two teams in the tournament field (Patriot League champ American was the other). Absolutely no one in Chapel Hill had any right to moan if the Tar Heels got excluded. But they're in after winning eight consecutive games against teams other than Duke over the final month of the season. North Carolina (22-13) needed every last one of those victories to secure a reprieve. If someone does have the right to complain, it's the Mountaineers (19-13). Yes, the DeVries injury lowered their ceiling considerably, and they were 8-11 after Jan. 4. They also won at Kansas without the 6-foot-7 wing, and also picked off Iowa State in Morgantown after DeVries was lost for the season. That said, West Virginia was not a metrics darling (between 42nd and 53rd in six of the seven team sheet rankings), and the Big 12 tournament stinker against Colorado was a terrible last impression (especially when compared to North Carolina winning twice in the ACC tournament). Sunday's exclusion makes DeVries's injury an even bigger what-if than it already was. If someone does have the right to complain, it's the Mountaineers (19-13). Yes, the DeVries injury lowered their ceiling considerably, and they were 8-11 after Jan. 4. They also won at Kansas without the 6-foot-7 wing, and also picked off Iowa State in Morgantown after DeVries was lost for the season. That said, West Virginia was not a metrics darling (between 42nd and 53rd in six of the seven team sheet rankings), and the Big 12 tournament stinker against Colorado was a terrible last impression (especially when compared to North Carolina winning twice in the ACC tournament). Sunday's exclusion makes DeVries's injury an even bigger what-if than it already was. How the committee found three teams worth of difference between the Musketeers and North Carolina on its seed list is the most perplexing part of the evening. Regardless, Sean Miller's team made it in after a late-season high-wire act that included seven consecutive victories, largely against the bottom third of the Big East. This could have been much easier for Xavier (21-11) had it defeated Marquette in the Big East quarterfinals after holding a double-digit lead in the second half. Instead, the Musketeers will make the roughly hour-long drive north to Dayton for a play-in game for the first time since 2014. They should have plenty of support in the stands while facing Texas. How the committee found three teams worth of difference between the Musketeers and North Carolina on its seed list is the most perplexing part of the evening. Regardless, Sean Miller's team made it in after a late-season high-wire act that included seven consecutive victories, largely against the bottom third of the Big East. This could have been much easier for Xavier (21-11) had it defeated Marquette in the Big East quarterfinals after holding a double-digit lead in the second half. Instead, the Musketeers will make the roughly hour-long drive north to Dayton for a play-in game for the first time since 2014. They should have plenty of support in the stands while facing Texas. The Cardinals (27-7) ranked 28th or better in all seven team sheet metrics, and while their Quadrant 1 record wasn't fantastic (4-6), they were 11-1 in Quad 2 games and didn't lose to anyone outside that group. It's hard to believe Pat Kelsey's bunch is on the No. 8 line. Louisville is the most blatantly underseeded team in the field. The good news? They'll open the tournament in nearby Lexington and have a chance to pack archrival Kentucky's arena. The bad news? They likely will face Auburn in the second round. That's a much tougher ask than facing a No. 3 or No. 4 seed, even if that would have required some extra travel. The Cardinals (27-7) ranked 28th or better in all seven team sheet metrics, and while their Quadrant 1 record wasn't fantastic (4-6), they were 11-1 in Quad 2 games and didn't lose to anyone outside that group. It's hard to believe Pat Kelsey's bunch is on the No. 8 line. Louisville is the most blatantly underseeded team in the field. The good news? They'll open the tournament in nearby Lexington and have a chance to pack archrival Kentucky's arena. The bad news? They likely will face Auburn in the second round. That's a much tougher ask than facing a No. 3 or No. 4 seed, even if that would have required some extra travel.
USA Today
16-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
North Carolina basketball makes NCAA Tournament field as last team in: Social media reacts
North Carolina basketball makes NCAA Tournament field as last team in: Social media reacts Show Caption Hide Caption College basketball coaches: Who is overpaid and underpaid? USA Today's Paul Myerberg breaks down NCAA basketball coaches who deserve more money, and others that may not be up to their salary standards. Sports Pulse After days and weeks of wondering whether it would end up on the right side of the men's NCAA Tournament bubble, one of the most historically decorated teams in men's college basketball heard its name called on Selection Sunday. The fact it did, though, has generated some controversy. North Carolina was among the most debated teams heading into the NCAA Tournament selection show, with 22 wins and the pedigree of being one of the sport's blue bloods. REQUIRED READING: Men's March Madness live updates: Selection Sunday bracket predictions, schedule Coach Hubert Davis' team ultimately didn't have to wait long to learn its fate, with the Tar Heels' name showing up on the 68-team bracket in the first region that was revealed on CBS' selection show. North Carolina will head to Dayton, Ohio to take on fellow No. 11 seed San Diego State in the First Four, with the winner advancing to face No. 6 seed Ole Miss in the tournament's first round. It's a silver lining for a North Carolina program that has suffered through a disappointing 2024-25 season. After coming into the season No. 10 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll after earning a No. 1 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, the Tar Heels limped to a 14-11 start, but caught fire to end the season, winning eight of their final 10 games, with the only two losses coming to No. 1 Duke. Like many bubble teams, though, there were plenty of holes to find on their resume. REQUIRED READING: CBS pays tribute to Greg Gumbel on March Madness Selection Sunday bracket reveal show North Carolina went just 1-12 in Quadrant One games. While it stacked up some wins late in the final month of the season, none of its eight victories since Feb. 15 have come against a team ranked in the top 65 of the NCAA's NET rankings. Adding to whatever anger, frustration and shock there was over North Carolina's making the field is that the chair of the NCAA Tournament selection committee was Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham. While it could understandably be viewed as a conflict of interest, Cunningham was unable to be in the room while North Carolina was being discussed. This year marks the 19th time the Tar Heels have made the NCAA Tournament the past 21 times the event was held. UNC basketball makes NCAA Tournament: Social media reactions North Carolina went 1-12 in Q1 games this year. They were considered to be on the bubble. Their Athletic Director is the head of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. They made the tournament. 🤔 — DraftKings (@DraftKings) March 16, 2025 NORTH CAROLINA GOT IN? — ESPN BET (@ESPNBET) March 16, 2025
New York Times
13-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
NCAA Tournament Bracket Watch 2025: North Carolina has a needle to thread, Texas comes up big
(Editor's note: This article is part of the Bracket Central series, an inside look at the run-up to the men's & women's NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.) Ohio State's out, Xavier's in, Texas is alive, Vanderbilt should be fine and North Carolina is going to need serious help if it can't help itself with one of the upsets of the season. Advertisement Those are the Wednesday men's basketball happenings that helped shape Thursday's bracket, which had to say farewell to Ohio State after a damaging loss to Iowa in the Big Ten tournament. The 17-15 Buckeyes have some great wins, but it's hard to see them making it now. Xavier takes that spot — which means a different team from the state of Ohio playing in a First Four game in Dayton — and can go a long way toward keeping it by beating Marquette in Thursday's Big East quarterfinals. Texas kept itself in play — and the SEC in play for an absurd max out of 14 NCAA Tournament bids — with a 79-72 win over Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament that was more convincing than the final score. The Commodores have a sturdy profile and should have a stress-free Sunday unless utter chaos grips several of these conference tournaments. The Longhorns are the first team out at this point, with North Carolina and Xavier on the other side of the cut line. But if Texas follows this up with a second win over rival Texas A&M, this one on a neutral court? That's a giant add to the profile, compared with North Carolina trying to improve to 8-0 in Quad 2 (to go with a 1-11 record in Quad 1 games) if it can beat Wake Forest on Thursday. That would almost certainly earn a semifinals date with Duke. Being on the other side of the bracket of Clemson and Louisville is a tough break for Hubert Davis' team, which is playing well enough to have a real chance at a Quad 1 win against either. Beat Wake, lose to Duke, don't get all the help required and North Carolina will be down to hoping some of the selection committee members end up voting with brand-name bias on the brain. Thursday also sees some key Big 12 matchups that could affect seeding higher in the bracket. Iowa State-BYU is the headliner, Texas Tech-Baylor is a big one — and of course, the three SEC teams not named Auburn that have designs on a No. 1 seed will be rooting hard for Colorado to shock Houston after pulling an upset of West Virginia. The Bracket Central series is sponsored by E*Trade from Morgan Stanley. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Sponsors have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of RJ Davis: Bob Donnan / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Social media reactions to UNC basketball's win over Virginia
The North Carolina Tar Heels have now won three-straight games after beating Virginia 81-66 on Saturday afternoon. The wins are coming at the right time for the Tar Heels as they are still on the NCAA Tournament bubble with a few weeks left in the regular season. Saturday's win was a big one for the Tar Heels, taking care of business at home and doing so in a dominant fashion early on. The Tar Heels jumped out to a big lead early and really never looked back as Virginia only got to within eight a few times and that's it. It was another good performance from Hubert Davis' team as they look to continue stacking wins going into March. Before we turn the page to Monday's game against Florida State, let's take a look at how social media reacted to this win for the Tar Heels. North Carolina has been playing incredibly loose and connected the last two finally looks like they're having fun. — Tar Heels of NYC (@TarHeelsofNYC) February 22, 2025 TAR HEELS!!! 🩵 — 🩵 Helen & Biscuit 🩵 (@TarheelBlueGal) February 22, 2025 Keep it up Tar Heels — Sauce God 🍝🔥 (@robltate) February 22, 2025 Go Heels! — Tar Heel (@UNCisFamily) February 22, 2025 #GoHeels😀👏🏾🏀🩵 — Joseph Hill (@JosephHill3794) February 23, 2025 tar heels about to go on a generational run and turn my life around i believe i believe i believe — j✩ (@__jx3__) February 23, 2025 Tar Heels are coming — Bill's Burner (@CoachBeligoat) February 23, 2025 We turn the boys on no matter where we are! Heels by 40! LFG!!!!! — Brice Johnson (@bjohnson_23) February 22, 2025 Jae'Lyn Withers randomly on a 3 game stretch 4 months into the season — Armandoavenue (@Armandoavenu3) February 22, 2025 Bro we need this Jaelyn Withers every game. My goodness. — ELLIOT CADEAU SZN (@travyyy06) February 22, 2025 Jae'Lyn Withers has been an absolute sniper — UNC Zone (@ZoneUnc) February 22, 2025 This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Social media's reactions to UNC basketball beating Virginia
