UNC Basketball
Complete coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball.
Tar Heels Prepare For High-Tempo Alabama Offense After Last Season's 4 Overtime Bout
In the 2022 Phil Knight Invitational, UNC and Alabama combined for 204 points, 181 shots, 112 rebounds, 45 fouls, and 40 turnovers. It took four overtimes to determine a winner that day in Portland, with the Crimson Tide coming out on top after 60 minutes of play. More than a year later, UNC and Alabama will face off in Los Angeles in the Sweet Sixteen. (
Inside Carolina)
Mark Sears, Alabama’s prolific perimeter game challenges for UNC in Sweet 16
Another NCAA tournament game, another prolific scorer to stop. Against Michigan State, Tyson Walker’s point output was limited by Carolina guards
Seth Trimble and
R.J. Davis. The target for Thursday's Sweet 16 matchup will be Alabama guard Mark Sears. Sears averages 21.5 points per game, shoots 44% from 3-point range, and has scored 83 3-pointers. (
Tar Heel Tribune)
UNC, Arizona, and the chances an NCAA champion rests in the NCAA Tournament West Region
The world deserves a UNC vs. Arizona Elite Eight matchup in the West. We’ve been through enough.
Caleb Love against his former teammates with a Final Four on the line? Yes, please. Standing in the way of what would be must-see TV are a Clemson Tigers squad that won’t stop winning and an Alabama Crimson Tide group that won’t stop scoring. (
Saturday Road)
Alabama unsure of Latrell Wrightsell's status vs. North Carolina
Alabama senior guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is considered day-to-day ahead of the Crimson Tide's matchup against No. 1 seed UNC in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 on Thursday, coach Nate Oats said. "Latrell's being reevaluated by the medical staff every day," Oats said Wednesday. "I'm not sure if he'll be available or not. They'll let us know (Thursday)." (
ESPN.com)
Elliot Cadeau discusses his 'challenge' ahead of UNC's Sweet 16 game vs. Alabama
How will the Tar Heels deal with Alabama if the Crimson Tide's defenders sag off of
Elliot Cadeau and dare the freshman point guard to shoot jumpers? "I just view it as a challenge. They want me to prove to them that I can shoot it. That’s just what I gotta do." Despite his shooting struggles, Cadeau hasn’t lost the confidence of coach
Hubert Davis. (
Fayetteville Observer)
A storm surrounded UNC’s Hubert Davis a year ago. He made it out to the other side
The surprising thing was not what some disgruntled UNC supporters started to say about a year ago, but how quickly the discourse began. It was as though the Tar Heels’ March run of 2022 had never happened. "For a guy who just coached in the national championship game in his first year, it just flipped so quickly,” said UNC assistant coach
Brad Frederick. (
MSN.com)
Sweet 16 Wouldn’t Seem Right Without UNC
To this point, there has never been an NCAA Tournament in which the Tar Heels, the Blue Devils and the Wolfpack all advanced to the Elite Eight. If UNC beats Alabama on Thursday night, then Duke (against No. 1 seed Houston) and State (against No. 2 seed Marquette) both win on Friday night, the Triangle trio would enter truly unprecedented territory. (
Chapelboro.com)
UNC vs. Alabama Sweet 16 Preview, Matchup Analysis, Predictions
Alabama is 1-9 away from its home court of Coleman Coliseum against teams in the top 50 of NET. It's certainly possible Alabama could ride a wave of West Coast momentum, shoot the ball well, and continue to play improved defense to knock off the Tar Heels. But the body of evidence this season suggests the Tide has reached its ceiling in the Sweet 16. (
Inside Carolina)
Lucas: UNC Basketball Notebook - March 27
For the second straight NCAA Tournament game, one of the biggest storylines revolves around
R.J. Davis facing off against another All-America caliber opponent. On Saturday, it was Michigan State's Tyson Walker. Tomorrow night, it's Alabama's Mark Sears, who is adept both at putting the ball in the basket from the field and getting to the free throw line. (
GoHeels.com)
RJ Davis, Armando Bacot, Hubert Davis Pre-Sweet 16 Press Conference Video and Transcript
Hubert Davis: "Coach Oats has done a terrific job at Alabama. He’s a great coach. His teams have been consistent every year, from a defensive standpoint, tremendous athleticism. They can get steals and deflections, great rebounding team. They pressure you. Then from an offensive standpoint, they’re trying to get 3s, layups, dunks, and free throws." (
Tar Heel Tribune)