Links to stories
Adam Lucas
There was a distinct feeling early Sunday evening that Hubert Davis might get used to it.
The Carolinas’ first-year head coach spent most of the program at his home at Sunday’s NCAA Tournament Preliminary Screening Party. He and his wife Leslie fed the entire team, the coaches and most of their wives, as well as a host of other support staff, an hour before the brace was announced.
As soon as the show aired, a distinct sense of nervousness swept through the players. The laughter and jokes subsided each time the eighth and ninth regions were revealed, proving that everyone present was well aware of most of the predictions. And after each of the first three regions, there was Hubert Davis, who circled around the lair, patting the player on the back here, throwing a short word there.
“It didn’t hit me until we got to Coach Davis’ house,” said Armando Bacott. “Seeing where all the teams are losing and having to wait to get into the last bracket announced has made us all worried.”
Some matches got the players talking – perhaps no more than Auburn and Jacksonville State in the first round, which might seem unusual until you realize the two former Tar Heels match up in this game – but it was mostly quiet when the teams were disclosed. .
Davis wanted to make sure his team knew it was a night of celebration. “The guys are gearing up for the NCAA Tournament,” he said. “This is one of the many goals I set for the team at the start of the year and I’m really proud of them. This season has had several ups and downs. They fought adversity and always bounced back. I’m happy to be their coach.”
By the time three-quarters of the full grid had been uncovered, the nerves in the room had begun to switch to arousal. There was no more uncertainty – the Tar Heels knew that they would be in the declared last region. During the commercial break, players and staff attempted to piece together the 16 teams remaining on the board and rank them among the most likely matches. Their projections were very close.
The announcement of Carolina as the eighth seed was met with the loudest applause in years. The Tar Heels have not competed in the “real” NCAA Tournament since 2019 as the 2021 event was canceled and the 2021 event was held in the midst of the pandemic. This time the excitement was obvious.
“Putting yourself in a position to fulfill your dreams and goals is an occasion to celebrate and have fun,” Davis said. “I’m glad that all the guys had smiles on their faces. It’s not guaranteed, even in Carolina. What I saw on their faces was exactly what I wanted to see.”
When Davis approached the team after the full draw was revealed, the nine-seeded Marquette matchup was out of the question. In many ways, he has an inexperienced team. The only player on the roster to win an NCAA Tournament game in Carolina is Leaky Black, who was part of the 2019 team and played exactly three minutes in the last Tar Heel NCAA win, a round-32 win over Washington that season.
“At the start of the season, I put a picture of the New Orleans Superdome in all your lockers,” Davis told the team, referring to the venue for this year’s Final Four. “I wanted you to know clearly and definitely where we are going.”
That journey will begin on Monday when the Tar Heels have their first practice session since the ACC tournament (Sunday was a public holiday set by the NCAA). Late Sunday night, Davis was still smiling.
In many ways, it was his perfect day. His team was one of 68 still in contention for the national championship. The players were free and comfortable in his house. All of his children were home for a few short hours, a rare luxury when you have a college-age child. Hubert Davies’ life is pretty good, and as hectic as the next few days were, he clearly understood the progress this group was making together.
He wanted them to enjoy it for a few more hours. Then the call begins.
“I want them to enjoy where we are and celebrate being a part of this tournament,” he said. “Then let’s get back to work in terms of preparation and practice. They must understand that this is everything. If you don’t play well, you go home. There is an urgency and seriousness to this that needs to take place. Our program and guys are in excellent condition to play at their best and in the end that’s all you need.”