Tag: North Carolina Tar Heels

Why UNC’s Seth Trimble surprised this NY teacher with tickets to Syracuse game

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Syracuse

Alicia Thomas, a physical-education teacher in Watertown, New York, was already planning on making the roughly hour-long drive to the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday for UNC’s men’s basketball game against Syracuse. She’d bought her tickets in January. But then, on Tuesday, she got a call from an old friend offering an upgrade.

“A couple days ago, Trevor (Trimble) called me and said, ‘Hey we’ve got two tickets for you,’” Thomas told the N&O on Saturday, referring to Seth Trimble’s dad. “He said, ‘Seth and I, our family, want you to sit with us.’”

And so it was that Thomas found herself seated next to the Trimbles — in the front row, just behind the UNC bench — to watch the Tar Heels beat the Orange, 77-64, on Saturday with forward Henri Veesaar back in the lineup.

Thomas, despite living deep in the heart of Syracuse country and spending her whole life in upstate New York, is a North Carolina fan. As you might imagine, it’s not often she gets to make the trip down to Chapel Hill to see UNC play. But that hasn’t stopped Thomas from forging a relationship between her school, H.T. Wiley Intermediate, and the Trimble family, as detailed in the N&O last fall.

It all started when Thomas met Trimble’s parents in a chance encounter outside the JMA Wireless Dome after a UNC-Syracuse game back when Trimble was a freshman. They kept in touch over the years and, during Trimble’s junior year, he recorded a short video for Thomas’ class.

Trimble, wearing a North Carolina Jumpman hoodie and standing outside on a sunny day on campus, spoke directly into the camera and delivered the following message to Thomas’ students:

“Coach Thomas, what’s up, I hope you’re doing well. Coach Thomas and you kids in the classroom at the Wiley School, I hope you guys are doing great. I just want to motivate you guys to keep going, keep up your grades in the classroom, to not be afraid to say ‘no’ and just stay focused. I promise if you guys stay focused and chase your dreams each and every day, that you guys will live the life that you want to live. So just keep going, and continue to be great. Appreciate y’all and go Heels!”

Thomas said that, when she showed the video to her students, “the whole class just erupted.”

“I was the cool one that day,” she told the N&O’s Luke DeCock last year.

And Thomas was the cool aunt on Saturday, bringing her nephew along to the game with her. Both wore Trimble’s jersey — “once they dropped in the (store), we immediately ordered them,” she said — and chatted with Trimble after the game.

The photo Thomas took with Trimble will, no doubt, be shared with her students come Monday.

“We have a little over 300 students, and some of them are Cuse fans — I’ve seen a lot of them here tonight, actually, when they were walking by — (but) I’ve converted some of them,” Thomas said. “The thing about these videos… we never get big-time athletes to send our kids anything. So when Seth shouted them out, it was game over. And the kids were constantly like, ‘When is he playing? When can we watch him?’ And so it really got a lot of them into it more.”

This story was originally published February 22, 2026 at 12:25 PM.

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February 22, 2026
Duke’s Manny Diaz the latest ACC coach to teach Bill Belichick a lesson

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From the moment he was hired, the other ACC coaches have been waiting for their moment to match wits with Bill Belichick. Thinking. Planning. Scheming. Lining up to outsmart the master. Most of them have.

Manny Diaz was the latest Saturday night. He beat Belichick at his own game, appropriated one of his own gimmicks and used it against him — and then caught North Carolina on a game-changing fake field goal that Belichick and the Tar Heels never saw coming and left them for dead.

Belichick has been waiting 72 years to “beat Duke,” according to his purported first words, and he’ll have to wait a little longer after yet another ACC coach got the best of him in Duke’s 32-25 win. Eight rings, but he may never ring the Victory Bell. Belichick had to walk back to the North Carolina locker room past the Duke players ringing it over and over on the UNC logo at midfield.

North Carolina coach Bill Belichick embraces Duke coach Manny Diaz following the Blue Devils’ 32-25 victory on Saturday, November 22, 2025 at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com

It was a slower walk than Duke kicker Todd Pelino’s 26-yard sprint to just short of the goal line with 2:20 to go and Duke down one after holder Kade Reynoldson flipped him the ball, but just as memorable in its own way. The Tar Heels had fought their way back into the lead only to get suckered so badly like that. It was no coincidence: Diaz told Pelino and Reynoldson before the game to be ready to run that fake, one the Blue Devils have been working on for weeks and ran flawlessly in practice on Tuesday.

Duke’s Todd Pelino runs the ball after faking a field goal attempt during the second half of the Blue Devils’ 32-25 victory over North Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer

Plans like that have been in the works across the ACC, marinating, fermenting, stewing. Diaz and his staff went to one of them early, scoring Duke’s second touchdown by using the four-lineman formation Belichick used in a playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens in 2014 and was quickly declared illegal by the NFL. Tight end Jeremiah Hasley lined up as an eligible left tackle and was left uncovered by the caught-unaware Tar Heels for an easy 14-yard touchdown catch.

“They must have assumed I was a tackle,” Hasley said. “I wouldn’t take that as a compliment. I was able to hide when we huddled up. They just never picked me up as a receiving threat.”

Duke’s Jeremiah Hasley runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown during the first half of the Blue Devils’ game against North Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer

This is what happens when you come roaring into a job letting everyone know that you invented the sport and give competent college coaches 10 months to stew over it. From the moment Belichick came in the door, his ACC peers have been scheming against him, just to prove a point.

Dabo Swinney ran a trick play for a touchdown on the first play of the game, a leave-no-doubt Clemson thumping. Jake Dickert, who has made a lot more progress in Year 1 at Wake Forest than Belichick at UNC, ran up the score after Belichick called a pointless late time out. Diaz threw one of Belichick’s own gimmicks back at him — and then made sure to point out who should actually get the credit for it.

“I don’t know that’s his invention,” Diaz scoffed. “That play’s been around in college ball for a long, long time.”

Given that level of communal disdain among Diaz and his peers, dear God, what’s Dave Doeren been cooking up this whole time? In the wake of Friday night’s win over Florida State, the N.C. State coach was openly giddy at the prospect of welcoming “baby blue” to Raleigh next Saturday, already trying to pump up a crowd that had barely had time to get home from Carter-Finley.

Then again, North Carolina does enough self-inflicted damage, sometimes all the effort to shove Belichick’s arrogance back in his face is almost overkill. The Tar Heels are undisciplined enough to make Chuck Amato blush, taking 12 penalties including three unsportsmanlike-conduct fouls in the fourth quarter alone. (Duke had three penalties. Total. All night.)

That Hasley touchdown that threw Belichick’s own gambit back in his face? Duke only had the chance because serial offender Marcus Allen turned a missed Duke field goal into a first down by roughing the kicker.

“There was defensive penalties and there was offensive penalties,” Belichick said. “We had them both. We had too many penalties on everything.”

North Carolina coach Bill Belichick shakes hands with Duke coach Manny Diaz following the Blue Devils’ 32-25 victory on Saturday, November 22, 2025 at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com

That’s not even North Carolina’s biggest problem. The Tar Heels arrived at these two rivalry games with the potential to salvage at least something from this season, and Kenan Stadium had none of the buzz that accompanied the opener against TCU, all those months ago when there was still hope this operation could work, when it was only partly a laughingstock.

North Carolina went and paid Belichick billions to give its football program some juice, and it’s a completely juiceless operation. The offense is plain. The defense too often has what are known to football experts as Traditional UNC Tackling issues. The penalties are infuriating. The crowd is barely engaged.

What’s changed, other than the finances? Other than missing a bowl game for the first time in seven seasons, barring an unlikely win over State and some APR shenanigans?

Belichick talked a lot about beating Duke, as a toddler and as a head coach. But there’s always an argument to be made, especially in football, that beating State is as important, if not more.

“I’m not, like, real smart but I’ve learned that pretty quickly,” Belichick said. “I understand the rivalry.”

The Tar Heels at least showed some fight in this one, rallying in the second half to demand everything Duke had. But North Carolina faces the very real possibility of going 0-for-NC if it can’t pull an upset at Carter-Finley. And if Duke was this ready for this, just imagine what N.C. State has planned.

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This story was originally published November 22, 2025 at 8:34 PM.

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Luke DeCock

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Sports columnist Luke DeCock joined The News & Observer in 2000 and has covered nine Final Fours, the Summer Olympics, the Super Bowl and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup win in 2006. He is a past president of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, was the 2020 winner of the National Headliner Award as the country’s top sports columnist and is a three-time North Carolina Sportswriter of the Year.

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November 22, 2025
Bill Belichick’s daughter-in-law unleashes profanity-filled rant at Jordon Hudson after Tar Heels game: report

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Bill Belichick’s daughter-in-law reportedly lashed out at the legendary coach’s girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, in a “nearly hour-long profanity-laced tirade” after a game, adding to the whirlwind of controversy in his first year as UNC Tar Heels head football coach.

The New York Post first reported the outburst by Jen Belichick, the wife of the coaching legend’s son, Steve Belichick, who serves as UNC’s defensive coordinator.

The incident allegedly occurred Nov. 8 inside the elder Belichick’s office, where Jen Belichick didn’t hold back her opinions on Hudson — from fashion choices to her relationship with her father-in-law to her body — while the 73-year-old coach was in the room.

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Jordon Hudson stands on the sideline as the North Carolina Tar Heels take on the California Golden Bears in the fourth quarter at California Memorial Stadium Oct. 17, 2025. (Eakin Howard/Imagn Images)

The Tar Heels are not enjoying the best season. The team is 4-6 in Belichick’s inaugural college heading into a matchup with Duke at home Saturday. But the rant from Jen Belichick came after a win over Stanford. The feeling of victory seemed to be short-lived because Jen Belichick was “furious with Hudson” regarding an interaction they had earlier in the day.

Jen Belichick proceeded to call Hudson “bats— crazy,” while adding that all she “does is control s—.” It reportedly got to the point where Jen Belichick allegedly said Hudson was “f—ing twisting” her father-in-law’s brain and even pleaded for him to “wake up.”

Jen Belichick allegedly told the room, which included more than just her husband, father-in-law and Hudson, that she didn’t care if her tirade resulted in her husband’s firing or her father-in-law disowning her.

BILL BELICHICK RELEASES STATEMENT INSISTING HE WON’T BE PURSUING NFL COACHING JOBS

“He wants to fire you, fire you. He wants to f—ing disown me, disown me. I don’t f—ing care,” Jen Belichick allegedly told her husband in front of the group.

Another part of the rant included Jen Belichick berating Hudson about her fashion choices, visible at Tar Heels games as she watches from the sideline. Jen Belichick specifically took a shot at Hudson’s snakeskin prints she’s worn to games, while commenting on her body as well.

“You also need to eat a burger,” Jen Belichick allegedly told Hudson.

The Post reported that Jen Belichick’s tirade lasted about 40 minutes.

Jordon Hudson attends a game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium Oct. 25, 2025, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (Lance King/Getty Images)

This isn’t the first time Jen Belichick has said something about Hudson, and it dates back to the infamous “CBS Sunday Mornings” interview, when the 24-year-old interrupted awkwardly after Bill Belichick received a question about how the couple met.

At the time, a pair of Bill Belichick’s former New England Patriots players, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, were commenting on it during their “Dudes on Dudes” podcast. They alleged that Hudson was “working with Coach Belichick in the professional world” as his publicist.

Comedian Nikki Glaser, who was part of the Tom Brady roast on Netflix that featured Edelman and Gronkowski, supported what the former NFL stars said in an Instagram comment. She wrote, “100% this. She’s acting as his publicist. Publicists do this during interviews. People are out for blood.”

Jen Belichick jumped in to the comment section to reply to Glaser.

“Publicists act in a professional manner and don’t ‘storm’ off set delaying an interview,” she wrote.

Fox News Digital did not immediately get a response for comment from UNC Athletics about whether this argument took place after the game Nov. 8.

It’s been a roller-coaster ride for Bill Belichick since entering the college football world with a struggling on-the-field product and off-the-field distractions.

North Carolina Tar Heels football head coach Bill Belichick and girlfriend Jordon Hudson during the first half of a game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils at Dean E. Smith Center March 8, 2025, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

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However, with NFL head coaching vacancies already open following mid-season terminations, Belichick reassured everyone at Chapel Hill he plans on staying put.

“Since arriving in Chapel Hill, my commitment to the UNC Football program has not [wavered],” Belichick said in a statement after the New York Giants fired Brian Daboll, leading to talks about him becoming their next leader.

“We have tremendous support from the university, our alumni, and the entire Carolina community. My focus remains solely on continuing to improve this team, develop our players, and build a program that makes Tar Heel fans proud.”

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

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November 22, 2025
If ‘Beat Duke’ were really Bill Belichick’s first words, time to make them count

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It’s the game Little Billy was born to coach, if you believe bigger Bill. Bill Belichick’s claim that “Billy’s first words were ‘Beat Duke’” at his introductory press conference was more engagement with what the job he took actually entails than he’s shown since.

If you believe it, that is. Very little about the Belichick hagiography has proven accurate in his time at North Carolina, although Saturday’s Duke game — and next week’s Lamish Duck Bowl against N.C. State — does give him one last chance to get out an old hoodie and polish what’s left of this dismal debut season at least a little bit.

The one moment Belichick dug into the truly collegiate part of the job, the local rivalry stuff that runs as hot here as it does anywhere, even in years like this when everyone has long ago moved along to basketball, was probably the most optimistic moment of that entire event. Maybe he did get it, after all? Of course, then he would have known that State’s the real football rival, not that Duke hasn’t done its part in recent years.

Subsequent events have proven he didn’t know much after all, from the badly botched roster assembly to the Georgia-style rash of traffic violations to all the stuff in his personal life that has made Belichick and his girlfriend tabloid superstars for 11 months. The Belichick hire certainly put the UNC football program on the front page, but no one realized it was going to be the front page of US Weekly, a fine McClatchy Media journalism product.

These final two games are a chance to put the focus back on football, at the last possible moment. Duke is spiraling, having gone from potential CFP disruptor to battling for bowl eligibility, needing a win over either UNC or Wake Forest. N.C. State may also need a win to become bowl eligible at what could very well be the end of the Dave Doeren era in Raleigh, and if Doeren is done, there would be no better way to go out.

And still, there may be more on the line for North Carolina than either. Two wins gets the Tar Heels into a bowl. Two wins sends them into the offseason with momentum they have struggled to build under Belichick. Two wins go a long way toward silencing the mocking laughter that has wafted on the wind toward Chapel Hill from other corners of the Triangle from the moment North Carolina started writing Belichick great big novelty checks.

Even after getting embarrassed by Wake Forest, the latest low in a memorably mediocre season of mediocre Triangle football — 5-5, 5-5, 4-6 — North Carolina still has a chance to come out on top after a season full of shenanigans, as hard as it is to believe that Doeren could lose a game he’s been thinking about winning for 11 months.

Oddly enough, even with some of Belichick’s strange in-game decisions, coaching overall probably hasn’t been the issue. The defense has improved, and by the historic standards of UNC, anything approaching “vaguely competent” is a veritable miracle. The persistence in sticking with Gio Lopez at quarterback over Max Johnson feels like a business decision, not a football one, but the Tar Heels have been able to run the ball effectively at times. That’s all progress.

It’s everything else that’s gone haywire. Last week, Belichick notified the world that he was not interested in the New York Giants opening in a statement released by North Carolina. Good to know. Thanks. But the fact that he inserted himself into that conversation when the NFL is clearly not going to be his escape route just shows how fractured his worldview is, just as pulling the plug on the documentary he commissioned did.

The hastily announced pivot to focusing on freshman once things started to go sour suggests there’s still no real plan, no real foundation, just a bunch of guys who thought they could come in and do Real Football stuff and outsmart everyone. The reality of college football in 2025 is obviously far different. Maybe he should have prepared that 400-page binder after all. It has been a rude awakening, but there’s also no easy way out for Belichick or North Carolina.

There’s no soft landing in the NFL. If there was ever going to be an agreement on a mutually acceptable buyout, it would have happened in October when both sides were looking for parachutes. If North Carolina’s ever going to get a chance to hire the reset button, it’s going to be costly. But maybe that’s the price to pay for going down this silly road in the first place. Even two wins in the Triangle wouldn’t change the fact that North Carolina’s millions bought it nothing.

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Luke DeCock

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Sports columnist Luke DeCock joined The News & Observer in 2000 and has covered nine Final Fours, the Summer Olympics, the Super Bowl and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup win in 2006. He is a past president of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, was the 2020 winner of the National Headliner Award as the country’s top sports columnist and is a three-time North Carolina Sportswriter of the Year.

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November 21, 2025
Caleb Wilson scores 23, UNC men’s basketball tops Navy. Here’s what we learned

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North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) soars above the rim for a dunk during the second half, for two of his game high 23 points, in the Tar Heels’ 73-61 victory over Navy on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Robert Willett

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Chapel Hill

A good portion of the Navy bench was already standing and applauding before 5-foot-11 Austin Benigni drilled a 3-pointer to cut the Midshipmen’s deficit to single digits entering halftime at North Carolina. Two more Navy buckets to start the second half made it an even closer affair.

But a Jarin Stevenson dunk soon opened up scoring for UNC and the Tar Heels kept rolling to an 73-61 win over Navy (2-3) at the Dean E. Smith Center on Tuesday night. With the victory, UNC (5-0) ended its five-game, season-opening homestand and became the third NCAA men’s basketball program with 2,400 wins, joining Kansas (2,417) and Kentucky (2,425).

The Tar Heels entered Tuesday night on the heels of a historic defensive performance against N.C. Central on Friday. UNC blocked 14 shots against the Eagles, the most single-game blocks by the Tar Heels since the 2013-14 season.

North Carolina’s defensive showing against the Mids was far less dominant.

Navy rattled off a 15-0 run in the game’s final minutes — a stretch that saw the Mids score half of their second-half points in three minutes. That flurry cut Navy’s deficit to nine points before a Stevenson 3-pointer put UNC back ahead by double digits.

North Carolina coach Hubert Davis directs his team on offense in the first half against Navy on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com

This is the first time UNC has started its season with five consecutive wins since 2022-23. The Tar Heels return to play on Nov. 25 when they take on St. Bonaventure in the first of two games at the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida.

Here’s what we learned from North Carolina’s latest win:

Caleb Wilson. That’s the takeaway.

After Wilson recorded his second consecutive double-double — and first career 20-point double-double — against N.C. Central on Friday, NCCU head coach LeVelle Moton called the freshman “absolutely incredible.”

“If there’s anyone better in the country, I’ve got to see that for myself,” Moton said. “Because that kid is remarkable.”

And Tuesday night’s 23-point, 12-rebound performance was a reminder that he’s not slowing down anytime soon.

North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) dunks over Navy forward Donovan Draper (11) in the first half on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com

After being hamstrung by two first-half fouls, Wilson recorded 15 points in the second half on six-of-eight shooting.

One second-half stretch saw Wilson dunk the ball four times, sink two jumpers, hit two free throws and assist on a lob to Henri Veesaar. The Wilson show powered a 17-5 UNC run in that nine-minute stretch.

Only one of the points during that period, a free throw from Luka Bogavac, wasn’t scored by or assisted by Wilson.

Stevenson attacking rim, Wilson soaring high

When an Aidan Kehoe layup cut Navy’s deficit to four points early in the second half, Stevenson responded by soaring to the rim for a putback dunk — throwing the ball down with a bit more flair than we’re used to seeing from the Alabama transfer.

He got the dunk party going. Wilson, of course, was the first guest to arrive. The freshman scored his next three buckets on dunks — the trio of slams took less than two minutes — to complete a 10-3 run for UNC. After the third slam, the second of two straight dunks in transition, Wilson and Stevenson found each other and bumped chests in celebration.

The Tar Heels recorded 10 dunks on the game.

According to Bart Torvik, North Carolina ranked third in the nation in dunks as a team, behind Georgia and Kentucky, entering Tuesday. Dunks made up approximately 24.3% of UNC’s offense, per Bart Torvik.

That mark ranks second in the nation and should increase after this game.

North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) drives to the basket against Navy guard David Burnett (7) and center Aidan Kehoe (99) in the first half on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com

Do the Tar Heels have a solid option at backup post?

While North Carolina’s guards have shown plenty of depth from Derek Dixon to Jonathan Powell, UNC’s backup forwards haven’t been as convincing through the team’s first five games.

In October, head coach Hubert Davis said the return of sophomore Zayden High would be a “huge benefit” for the team.

“He’s a big, versatile big that can do a number of things for us,” Davis said at the 2025 ACC Tipoff in Charlotte. “Defensively, he can guard multiple positions. He’s an excellent rebounder. He’s a great offensive rebounder. He has the ability to shoot the ball from the outside, but also he’s a willing and instinctive passer. And so you bring all those different things alongside his size.”

Entering Tuesday night, High — who is back on to the team this year after serving a suspension last season — had recorded as many field goals this season as he had fouls: four. He also entered the Navy game showing 30.8% from the field.

James Brown, the other reserve forward UNC’s gone to, hasn’t posted much better numbers. Brown has recorded five points in 18 total minutes this season. He’s also drawn four fouls.

On Tuesday, Brown and High combined for two points and 10 minutes of playing time.

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November 18, 2025
Bill Belichick says he never sought an early departure from the North Carolina job

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Bill Belichick has denied reports that he’s been seeking an exit strategy from his North Carolina coaching role.

“Some of the reports out last week about my looking for a buyout and trying to leave here and all that is categorically false,” Belichick said Monday during his first public comments since a blowout loss to Clemson. “Glad I’m here. Working toward our goals and the process.”

Next up for the Tar Heels (2-3, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) is Friday night’s game at California (4-2, 1-1).

During the second of two off weeks in a three-week span, the subject of Belichick’s status and future with the Tar Heels was a hot topic, so much so that last Wednesday the university released brief statements from the coach and athletics director Bubba Cunningham reaffirming commitments between Belichick and the school.

“It’s a learning curve,” Belichick said Monday. “We’re all in it together, but we’re making a lot of progress.”

On Monday, there was double the media turnout compared to Belichick’s normal game-week availability. University chancellor Lee Roberts also attended along with high-ranking officials in the athletics department.

With only one game during a span of nearly a month, it has allowed off-field drama to command plenty of attention. Yet Belichick was spotted attending a high school game Friday night, perhaps an indication of normal in-season functions in terms of recruiting.

Belichick said the program has approximately 40 high school players committed for the next recruiting class.

Results on game days haven’t given Tar Heels fans much reason to be encouraged.

“Obviously we’re all a little frustrated with the results, but the only thing we can do is continue to work and improve,” Belichick said. “We’ve made a lot of progress. Right now, unfortunately, the scoreboard doesn’t reflect that, but I’m confident that it will.”

The former Super Bowl-winning coach disputed suggestions that there’s division within the team and a lack of progress.

“We’ve made a lot of improvements,” Belichick said. “I think that’s exciting for all of us to see, certainly for the individual players to see it, in the units that they work with. So I don’t know what kind of perspective some of those people have that are saying that.”

Offensive lineman Christo Kelly, who talked about the team coming together and buying into the process, said the Tar Heels shouldn’t be bothered by reports regarding Belichick.

“Some of that outside noise stuff doesn’t affect what we do day-in and day-out,” Kelly said.

Belichick referred to the Tar Heels as a developmental program, calling them similar to other teams he has overseen.

“I’ve been involved in a lot of programs where things started and where things ended up are honestly where they should go,” he said.

Belichick is in the first year of a deal that guarantees $10 million in base and supplemental pay for each of the next two seasons. Team general manager Michael Lombardi, a former NFL executive who’s largely a partner with Belichick in this college endeavor, is making $1.5 million for each of the next two seasons.

Belichick defended Lombardi, who has been the subject of criticism stemming from some local media reports.

“I think Michael has done a great job of keeping the people close to the Carolina program up to date in what we’re doing, what our process is,” Belichick said. “We’re all working together. We’re all learning together.”

North Carolina has been blown out in three games against power conference opponents, including a 38-10 belting from Clemson in the most-recent game that resulted in a largely empty stadium in the second half. The Tar Heels surrendered 28 first-quarter points in that game.

Running back Caleb Hood announced last week that he was ending his playing career. Belichick said he had a conversation with Hood similar to ones he has had with many athletes through the years.

“For him, it was time, so I respect that,” Belichick said.

There was a light moment Monday when Belichick was asked about a phone call he made to ESPN commentator Kirk Herbstreit during the weekend. He said he was answering a text sent by Herbstreit, though the timing wasn’t ideal.

“I didn’t realize he was on the air,” the coach said.

Also last week, the school announced that cornerbacks coach Armond Hawkins has been placed on suspension for violating rules connected to improper benefits. He’s on leave while the school “further investigates other potential actions detrimental” to the team and school.

This comes following months-long tabloid-level interest involving Belichick’s 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, who has been on the sidelines prior to games.

___

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October 16, 2025
The AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll is out. Are Duke, UNC, NC State ranked?

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Duke’s Cameron Boozer (12) and his twin brother Cayden Boozer (2) practice at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025.

Ethan Hyman

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Two Triangle men’s basketball teams are ranked in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll, which was released on Monday.

Duke came in at No. 6, while North Carolina is slotted at No. 25. N.C. State — bolstered by head coach Will Wade’s arrival and a revamped roster — is the first team outside the poll, just three points behind the Tar Heels. Purdue, meanwhile, made history by earning its first preseason No. 1 in program history.

The ACC as a whole had three teams ranked, with Louisville at No. 11. The Big 12, Big Ten and SEC dominated the poll with six teams each — making up 72% of the field.

After earning four NCAA Tournament bids last season, the ACC will need some teams to outperform expectations for the conference to have a rebound year. It’s possible, even as commissioner Jim Phillips contended yet again at this year’s ACC Tipoff he remains “restless” with the general state of men’s hoops in the league.

“This is, historically in men’s college [basketball], the very best conference in the country… we don’t have a problem winning when we get into the tournament,” Phillips said last week in Charlotte. “We’ve had a problem getting into the tournament.”

Duke coach John Scheyer accepts the ACC Tournament Championship trophy from Commissioner Jim Phillips following the Blue Devils’ 73-62 victory over Louisville in the ACC Tournament Championship game on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com

Blue Devils lead ACC in preseason poll

Coming off a Final Four run, Jon Scheyer’s Duke squad enters the preseason as the highest-ranked ACC program in the AP poll.

The Blue Devils, who are without No. 1 NBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg this season, will be tested early thanks to a grueling non-conference schedule filled with ranked opponents: No. 3 Florida, No. 7 Michigan, No. 10 Texas Tech, No. 14 Arkansas, No. 19 Kansas and No. 22 Michigan State. The regular season tips off against Texas, a team that just fell short of the Top 25 and stands as the nation’s fourth-highest “others receiving votes” team in the preseason poll.

Duke will also take on No. 18 Tennessee on Oct. 26 at Food City Center in Knoxville in the Blue Devils’ second exhibition game.

This demanding schedule is by design. Scheyer said in September that he and his staff intentionally built the daunting slate and didn’t want a “cruise.”

“We set it up to learn and be at our best at the end,” Scheyer said in a September press conference, later adding. “Certain nights, I’ll stay up a little bit later thinking, ‘What did I do?’ But in the moment, it definitely made sense. I think it makes sense, but there’s no question it’s going to be challenging and exciting.”

North Carolina coach Hubert Davis smiles as he talks about his roster during a press availability on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com

Tar Heels sneak in at No. 25

North Carolina just managed to grab a spot in the preseason poll, sneaking in at No. 25.

The Tar Heels are coming off a roller-coaster season in which they posted a 23-14 record and were selected last for the NCAA Tournament. UNC’s postseason was brief: the team lost in the first round of the Big Dance after winning a First Four game in Dayton.

A new-look roster will take the floor this year, with only two scholarship players returning from the 2024-2025 squad. Senior guard Seth Trimble is the lone returning starter for coach Hubert Davis.

This squad boasts more positional size, as Davis emphasized at last week’s ACC Tipoff, and will face a tall task early. The Tar Heels travel to Salt Lake City for a preseason contest against No. 8 BYU at the Delta Center on Oct. 24. The Cougars are headlined by AJ Dybantsa, the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class and a projected top NBA draft pick.

N.C. State head coach Will Wade talks with Tre Holloman (5) during the Wolfpack’s first official practice on Sept. 22, 2025, in Raleigh. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer

Wolfpack narrowly misses Top 25

Wade — a former LSU and McNeese State head coach — nearly landed his squad in the preseason AP Top 25, finishing just behind North Carolina in the voting. The Wolfpack’s reloaded roster features four top-150 transfers, a five-star freshman signee in Matt Able and a top-15 overall recruiting class, per 247Sports rankings.

The Wolfpack has already leaned into the underdog role in the preseason — especially the perception that N.C. State is overlooked compared to its ACC counterparts.

Look no further than ACC Tipoff, when the league mistakenly displayed Malik Thomas’ headshot as Darrion Williams took the stage alongside Wade and Ven-Allen Lubin.

“Shows where we’re thought of right now,” Wade joked during the press conference. “It’s all right. We gotta change that. We gotta get a little better.”

Here’s the full 2025-26 Associated Press preseason top 25 men’s college basketball poll:

1. Purdue (35 first-place votes) 2. Houston (16) 3. Florida (8) 4. UConn (2) 5. St. John’s 6. Duke 7. Michigan 8. BYU 9. Kentucky 10. Texas Tech 11. Louisville 12. UCLA 13. Arizona 14. Arkansas 15. Alabama 16. Iowa State 17. Illinois 18. Tennessee 19. Kansas 20. Auburn 21. Gonzaga 22. Michigan State 23. Creighton 24. Wisconsin 25. North Carolina

Others receiving votes: N.C. State (101), Oregon (98), San Diego St. (74), Texas (35), Ohio State (23), Kansas State (13), Mississippi (11) USC (10), Missouri (8), Washington (7), Vanderbilt (7), Iowa (6), Boise St. (4), Mississippi State (3), VCU (2), Virginia (2), Saint Mary’s (2), Indiana (1), Oklahoma (1), Baylor (1)

This story was originally published October 13, 2025 at 7:15 PM.

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October 13, 2025
Bill Belichick gets ripped on social media after Clemson blows out UNC: ‘Complete dumpster fire’

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The Bill Belichick experience in Chapel Hill is not going smoothly.

The Tar Heels fell to 2-3 on the season Saturday, after suffering an embarrassing 38-10 loss to Clemson, who entered the day winning just one of their first four games.

UNC trailed 28-3 after just one quarter, on the heels of losing to UCF 34-9 last week.

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Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney meets with North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick before a game at Kenan Stadium on Saturday. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

North Carolina’s two wins came against Charlotte and Richmond. The Tar Heels began the season with a 48-14 loss to TCU.

As the Tigers were blowing out UNC, many took to social media to rip the eight-time Super Bowl winner.

“I would not hold it against Belichick if he just quit at halftime and was never seen again,” Dave Portnoy said. “Somebody has to get him the hell out of college football asap.”

“Bill Belichick needs to tip his cap and call Tom Brady his daddy. This will go down as the worst ending to an otherwise legendary career in the history of sports,” one user wrote.

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels fell to 2-3 on the season Saturday. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

POLICE DEFEND FINDINGS OF KYREN LACY CRASH INVESTIGATION AFTER ATTORNEY PROVIDES NEW EVIDENCE

OutKick’s Clay Travis added, “So the Bill Belichick UNC tenure is a complete dumpster fire. Not sure he makes it to year two. He should have retired when Tom Brady left New England, his coaching legacy would be infinitely higher. Now he’s just lighting all of that on fire.”

Antonio Williams threw a 75-yard trick-play touchdown pass to T.J. Moore on the first offensive snap to start Clemson’s dominating show. Cade Klubnik threw four touchdowns in the game’s first 30 minutes.

Clemson was favored by roughly 14 points, but ranked No. 4 entering the season, the Tigers have had, by their standards, a nightmare of a season so far.

North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick reacts to a play while on the sidelines Saturday in the second quarter at Kenan Stadium. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

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UNC is off next week before traveling to Cal next week.

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October 4, 2025
Bill Belichick’s UNC coaching debut ends in blowout home loss to TCU

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Bill Belichick had a “welcome to college football” moment on Monday night, as his North Carolina Tar Heels were blown out by the TCU Horned Frogs, 48-14, to begin the 2025 college football season.

It was a night filled with expectation, celebrity appearances and pure hype at Kenan Stadium, as Belichick’s first taste of being a college football head coach started on home turf in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels were hoping to usher in a new era with a victory to not only notch another first under Belichick’s resume, but get the program heading in the right direction from the jump.

The Horned Frogs had another thing in mind, though, as they were fazed by the screaming crowd of over 50,000, which included the likes of Randy Moss, Michael Jordan, Roy Williams, Lawrence Taylor and many more.

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Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on from the sideline during the first half of the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Kenan Stadium on Sept. 1, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

The Belichick era began with an impressive North Carolina opening-drive touchdown, as the Tar Heels went 83 yards down the field with Caleb Hood capping it with his first score of the season.

But it was all TCU after that, scoring 41 unanswered points on their way to an easy victory.

TOM BRADY DISHES ON THE ‘CHALLENGE’ FOR BILL BELICHICK IN 1ST SEASON AT NORTH CAROLINA

Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover was dicing up the Tar Heels’ defense, and it started with a 27-yard strike to Jordan Dwyer, who was a favorite all night long in the pass game, for a touchdown that tied the game at seven apiece following the extra point.

TCU got more physical on defense, especially at the line of scrimmage, which hindered what UNC wanted to do when they had possession. The Horned Frogs held them to three straight three-and-outs, while taking the lead with a field goal early in the second quarter.

Josh Hoover #10 of the TCU Horned Frogs drops back to pass during the first half of the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Stadium on Sept. 1, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

North Carolina seemed to get some momentum back when Hoover’s pass was too high for his intended receiver, and the Tar Heels’ Kaleb Cost made an acrobatic interception to flip the field.

But UNC quarterback Gio Lopez gave the ball right back to TCU, and it was in the worst way as veteran safety Bud Clark jumped a route and took the interception 25 yards to the house for a pick-six that made it 17-7. The Horned Frogs would end the half with a short field goal, taking a commanding 20-7 lead into the locker room as the crowd was stunned.

That feeling wouldn’t end, though, as the very first play of the second half was a 75-yard touchdown run by Horned Frogs star running back Kevorian Barnes, who went untouched down the right sideline to break the game open.

UNC was unable to come back at that point, as the Horned Frogs continued to run up the score with running back Trent Battle rushing for 28 yards to make it 34-7, and Lopez was sacked by Jonathan Bax, leading his Horned Frogs teammate Devean Deal to scoop up the fumbled football and run it back 37 yards for yet another touchdown.

North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the sidelines in the first quarter at Kenan Stadium on Sept. 1, 2025. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

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At that point, Belichick switched quarterbacks, going with Max Johnson, who led a touchdown drive late in the third quarter to add some points for the Tar Heels. But the game was out of reach, and it’s clear the Tar Heels have much to work on heading into next week.

Meanwhile, Hoover showed out in front of many NFL scouts, going 27-of-36 for 284 yards with two touchdown passes and one interception thrown. Barnes had 11 carries for 113 yards, while Dwyer hauled in nine receptions for a whopping 136 yards to help TCU’s cause.

No one expected Belichick to immediately turn the program around and get them to compete for a national title, but this was a shocking result to be dominated at home to kick off his collegiate coaching career.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

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September 1, 2025
Jordon Hudson enjoys Bill Belichick’s UNC debut in suite with Randy Moss as celebrities flock to Chapel Hill

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The hype is real at Chapel Hill, as celebrities and alumni flocked to see Bill Belichick debut as the North Carolina Tar Heels’ new head football coach.

It was expected that many were going to be heading to Kenan Stadium to see what the Tar Heels could do, but the names that made their way over on Monday night were stunning.

Among them, of course, was Belichick’s girlfriend Jordon Hudson, who was spotted in a suite alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss. Moss played his college football at Notre Dame and Marshall, but he was decked out in Carolina blue cheering on the Tar Heels.

But the celebrities only shined brighter as the cameras made their way around the stadium.

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Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on prior to the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Kenan Stadium on Sept. 1, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

After the Tar Heels began the 2025 season with an opening-drive touchdown, Tar Heels legendary former head basketball coach Roy Williams was clapping in his own suite alongside Michael Jordan, the UNC sensation who turned into one of the best NBA players of all time.

TOM BRADY DISHES ON THE ‘CHALLENGE’ FOR BILL BELICHICK IN 1ST SEASON AT NORTH CAROLINA

Jordan was rumored to be one of the alumni heading to Kenan Stadium, and it would make sense considering his “Jumpman” logo is all over the Tar Heels uniforms and accessories.

Another alumnus who was spotted at the stadium was Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, the New York Giants legend who went second overall in the 1981 NFL Draft out of Chapel Hill.

Even Aaron Boone, the New York Yankees manager, took the time to watch the Tar Heels before his squad faces the Houston Astros on the road Tuesday night.

Head coach Bill Belichick of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels walks onto the field prior to the game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs at Kenan Stadium on Sept. 1, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Alex Halloway/Getty Images)

From NFL legend Julius Peppers and Team USA soccer star Mia Hamm to country music singers Eric Church and Chase Rice, the buzz was all over Chapel Hill on Monday night as everyone showed up to support Belichick as he embarks on a first in his illustrious coaching career.

Belichick may have Super Bowls under his belt, but he has never taken on the gauntlet that is college football, famously shocking everyone when he accepted North Carolina’s job this season. He worked fast to get his staff together, including his son, Steve Belichick, coming over from Washington to serve as defensive coordinator.

Bill Belichick’s girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, in attendance at Loudermilk Center for Excellence on Dec. 12, 2024. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)

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The Tar Heels are unranked to start the season, but much like the Colorado Buffaloes and the hype they got with Deion Sanders taking over the program, Belichick’s squad could work its way up the rankings as the year goes along.

Unfortunately for Belichick, it wasn’t the start he was hoping for on Monday night. The Horned Frogs came to play, dominating the game in a 48-14 win on the road, as Belichick has a lot of work to do with his players heading into next week against the Charlotte 49ers.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

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September 1, 2025

Ranking 134 college football teams after Week 8: BYU can no longer be ignored

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Editor’s note: The Athletic 134 is a weekly ranking of all FBS college football teams.

It’s time to take notice of BYU.

The Cougars are undefeated and have delivered Kansas State and SMU their only losses of the season. Yet BYU remains outside the top 10 in both the AP and Coaches polls. But not here. BYU is up to No. 7 in this week’s edition of The Athletic 134.

I’m surprised the Cougars haven’t gotten more love. They’re undefeated at 7-0 and have two really good wins, both of which are better than the best wins of Iowa State (Iowa) and several other teams around their place in the polls. They’ve actually been in my top 10 for weeks.

Perhaps it’s because BYU has twice played on Friday nights, or because its 38-9 win against Kansas State was a 10:30 p.m. kickoff on a Saturday. Yes, the Cougars have played some close games and needed a late touchdown to beat Oklahoma State, but this team and especially this defense looks legit, now 13th in yards per play allowed.

You should also take notice because the second half of the schedule is manageable. BYU and Iowa State don’t play each other in the regular season. The Cougars already beat K-State and won’t play 5-2 Colorado. If the Big 12 wants to get two teams into the College Football Playoff, BYU would likely be one of them.

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AP Top 25: Oregon new No. 1; Vandy ends poll drought

We’re more than halfway through the season, and we’re still getting surprise results that shake up the rankings. Here is this week’s edition of The Athletic 134.

1-10

Rank	Record	Prev
1	7-0	1
2	6-1	3
3	6-0	4
4	7-0	6
5	5-1	5
6	6-1	2
7	7-0	8
8	6-1	12
9	6-1	11
10	6-1	9

Georgia slides up to No. 2 after its win at Texas, while the Longhorns fall to No. 6 because their best win at this point is a sliding Michigan team or a sliding Oklahoma. The Bulldogs’ loss to Alabama keeps them from the top spot, especially after the Tide lost again and are now ranked next to Boise State, which Oregon beat.

Miami jumps Ohio State after its win at Louisville, but the Ohio State-Penn State game in two weeks will be another shakeup game.

Tennessee and LSU jump into the top 10 after the Vols beat Alabama and the Tigers beat Arkansas 34-10. Tennessee and LSU’s resumes are incredibly even, but Tennessee has the better Best Win, so the Vols get the slight edge.

GO DEEPER

Tennessee proved against Alabama it’s not a one-hit wonder under Josh Heupel

11-25

I’d been a little skeptical of Indiana’s ceiling after beating up on bad teams, but Saturday’s 56-7 demotion of Nebraska has turned me into a believer, moving the Hoosiers to No. 11. The bad news: Quarterback Kurtis Rourke is out indefinitely with a thumb injury. But the path to 10 or even 11 wins is there. Iowa State slips two spots mostly due to the performances turned in by Tennessee, LSU and Indiana on the same day that the Cyclones needed to rally late to survive UCF.

Illinois is the only newcomer to the top 25, back after a 21-7 win against Michigan to move to 6-1.

GO DEEPER

Stewart Mandel’s 12-team Playoff projections after Week 8

26-50

Teams just outside the top 25 took all kind of losses this week. As a result, Syracuse, UNLV, South Carolina, Memphis, Army, Duke and Cincinnati make big jumps into the top 35. Michigan State also jumps to No. 39 after a 32-20 win against Iowa. Next up is a Michigan-MSU game that could have major bowl implications for both.

Is it weird that we’ve stopped talking about Colorado right as the Buffs became a solid team? Colorado is 5-2 and No. 38 after a 34-7 win against Arizona, which comes after a last-minute loss to Kansas State and a win against UCF. It’d be a shocker if Colorado didn’t go bowling, which is another improvement for coach Deion Sanders.

No. 46 Florida and No. 47 Virginia Tech also move into the top 50 after handling Kentucky and Boston College, respectively. Utah continues to slide and is now just hanging onto No. 50 after losing to TCU.

GO DEEPER

Mandel’s Final Thoughts: Georgia’s defensive havoc takes down Texas and more from Week 8

51-75

USC has tumbled to No. 52 after blowing another 14-point lead and losing at Maryland to drop to 1-4 in Big Ten play. No. 53 Rutgers lost a shocker to UCLA and dropped out of the top 50.

Louisiana continues to sneak around the top of the Sun Belt, now No. 60 after beating Coastal Carolina to move to 6-1 overall, while Georgia Southern took control of the Sun Belt East in beating James Madison and moves up to No. 63 from No. 82. Toledo is up to No. 68 after beating Northern Illinois.

No. 65 NC State and No. 66 Cal are the toughest teams to rank. NC State recently lost to Wake Forest but turned around and beat Cal, which is 0-4 in ACC play by a total of nine points. If the Golden Bears could make a field goal, their record would be completely different.

GO DEEPER

Morales: USC has invested heavily in Lincoln Riley and his staff. Where are the results?

76-100

Baylor jumps to No. 76 after a surprising 59-35 win against Texas Tech. Texas State drops to No. 77 after a loss to Old Dominion. Auburn blew a double-digit lead against Missouri, dropping to 2-5, and slips to No. 80.

No. 82 Western Michigan is actually atop the MAC at 3-0 after beating Buffalo, which has defeated Toledo and NIU. Marshall jumps up to No. 81 because the Herd have a win against WMU and beat Georgia State last week.

The bottom of the Power 4 is bunching together. Purdue is the lowest of the group at No. 95, but Florida State is just ahead at No. 94 after losing to Duke for the first time ever. No. 93 Mississippi State has played Georgia and Texas A&M competitively in recent weeks, while Houston slides back down to No. 89 after a 42-14 loss to Kansas.

GO DEEPER

Big 12, ACC should relish multiple bids if they get them: College Football Playoff Bubble Watch

101-134

New Mexico has won three games in a row after a 50-45 barnburner against Utah State to move up to No. 106 in Bronco Mendenhall’s first year. UTSA’s win against Florida Atlantic bounces the Roadrunners back up to No. 110.

UTEP got its first win of the season, beating FIU, to move up to No. 129. That leaves the FBS with just two winless teams: Kennesaw State and Kent State.

The Athletic 134 series is part of a partnership with Allstate. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

(Photo: Chris Gardner / Getty Images)

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October 21, 2024

Kerolin scores after returning from ACL tear, NC Courage take down Chicago Red Stars 3-1

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Kerolin scored her first goal since returning from an ACL injury, helping the North Carolina Courage beat the Chicago Red Stars 3-1 on Sunday night.

It was just the second game back for Kerolin, who was named MVP of the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League season.

In the 15th minute at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, the Courage (11-9-2) jumped into the lead when Ashley Sanchez crossed to Brianna Pinto, who forced an own goal while battling for the ball. Pinto was injured on the play and had to sub out a few minutes later.

Just before halftime, Tyler Lussi passed back to Denise O’Sullivan at the top of the 18-yard box, and O’Sullivan fired a shot into the upper right corner with her first touch to double North Carolina’s lead.

Kerolin got on Olivia Wingate’s cutback pass to make it 3-0 in the 65th.

Ludmilla responded for Chicago (9-11-2) a few minutes later, scoring from a tight angle.

The Courage finish the weekend in fifth place while the Red Stars hold onto sixth.

U.S. women’s national team coach Emma Hayes attended the match.

BAY 1, REIGN 0

Asisat Oshoala scored a penalty kick, and Bay FC held on for a 1-0 road win against the Seattle Reign at Lumen Field.

In the 27th minute, Oshoala sent her penalty into the lower left corner after the Reign were whistled for a foul in the box.

The win moved Bay (9-12-1) into eighth place, the final playoff position, with four games remaining. The expansion team is tied with Portland for seventh place with 28 points.

After going unbeaten in seven straight games, the Reign (5-12-5) have now lost three straight.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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September 29, 2024
North Carolina Courage defeats San Diego Wave 4-1 in Alex Morgan’s final professional soccer match

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Defender Malia Berkely had three assists as the North Carolina Courage earned a 4-1 road win against the San Diego Wave on Sunday evening in the National Women’s Soccer League.

The Courage (10-8-1) came away with their second road win this season and played spoliers on a special evening, as 26,516 fans filled the stands at Snapdragon Stadium to witness Alex Morgan’s last professional soccer game.

Morgan announced earlier this week that Sunday’s game would be her last, as she is retiring and pregnant with her second child. The longtime U.S. women’s national team forward retires with two World Cup titles, one Olympic gold medal and a bronze medal. She also won the NWSL Shield with San Diego in 2023 and helped fight for equal pay and to bring light to abuse in the NWSL.

All three opening goals came off corner kicks.

In the 4th minute, North Carolina’s Haley Hopkins headed in Berkely’s corner kick.

Morgan had one final chance to add to her goal tally with a penalty kick, but Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy saved the attempt. Shortly after, Wave teammate Kennedy Wesley got her head on a corner kick to tie the score.

In the 13th minute, in honor of her jersey number, Morgan subbed out of the match for a final time to a thunderous applause.

Felicitas Rauch rose up to head in another corner from Berkley in the 21st minute, while Bianca St-Georges scored off Berkley’s pass just before halftime.

Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan received a red card in the 61st minute for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.

Meredith Speck finished Olivia Wingate’s cross to give the Courage an insurance goal in the 94th minute.

The Wave (3-9-7) are winless in 12 straight games.

GOTHAM 2, DASH 1

Esther González scored in the 93rd minute to give Gotham a 2-1 home win over the Houston Dash.

The forward got the ball with her back to the goal, turned and fired into the left corner to seal the win at Red Bull Arena.

Lynn Williams, in her first match back from the Paris Olympics, assisted the goal.

Yazmeen Ryan opened the scoring for Gotham (11-4-4) in the 10th minute, dribbling into the box and shooting into the left corner.

Diana Ordóñez headed in Avery Patterson’s cross to bring the match level in the 17th minute.

Houston (3-11-5) have lost five straight games and finished the weekend in last place.

PRIDE 1, RED STARS 0

Marta’s first-half goal gave the Orlando Pride a 1-0 win on the road against the Chicago Red Stars.

Orlando (14-0-5) is now undefeated in a league record 20 straight games, dating back to last year.

In the 37th minute, Marta whipped a left-footed shot into the far post to put Orlando ahead.

Chicago (7-10-2) was held to just three shots and has lost three straight games.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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September 9, 2024
The Tar Heels faded in past 2 years with QB Drake Maye. Now they must fix that issue without him

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Mack Brown’s return to North Carolina stabilized the program. His sixth season begins with a pair of hurdles to accomplishing more.

The Tar Heels are moving forward after star quarterback Drake Maye headed to the NFL, and Brown is determined to figure out how to finish better after two straight late-season fades.

“It’s a problem, it’s an issue,” Brown said. “And it’s the only thing that’s keeping us from being where we need to be.”

The Tar Heels were 9-1 in 2022 after clinching a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, then lost their last four. Last year’s team started 6-0 and reached No. 10 in the AP Top 25, then finished 2-5.

Now Maye is gone as the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, and Brown is focused on how to get the Tar Heels to finish with some zip.

“When we come out here and say the offense had a bad day in practice, that means you’re probably going to be an inconsistent team,” Brown said after the first preseason-camp practice. “And we’ve had too much of that around here.”

This year’s team is picked to finish eighth in the expanded 17-team ACC.

Brown is touting depth as the best of his second tenure in Chapel Hill, as well as showing optimism for growth under former Georgia Tech and Temple head coach Geoff Collins as defensive coordinator.

Maye is the highest-profile of 11 departed offensive and defensive starters, though losses include one of the nation’s leading tacklers in linebacker Cedric Gray.

Powering the offense

Running back Omarion Hampton was an Associated Press second-team All-American last year after ranking fifth in the Bowl Subdivision by averaging 115.7 yards rushing. He’s studied film on players like NFL star Christian McCaffrey to expand his game.

“I’m trying to catch the ball … and then pass block, because I know that’s what they do in the (NFL),” Hampton said. “I feel like doing that, it can expand my game and show them I’m able to do that as well.”

Maye’s successor

The Tar Heels have a preseason-camp battle to replace Maye, headlined by redshirt sophomore Conner Harrell and Max Johnson, a transfer with stops at LSU and Texas A&M.

Harrell got his first career start in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl loss to West Virginia after Maye declared for the NFL draft, throwing for 270 yards and two scores while also running for 75 yards and a score. Johnson, son of former NFL quarterback Brad Johnson, has 22 career starts.

There’s also the return of Jacolby Criswell, who started his career at UNC before transferring to Arkansas for a year.

Linework

Willie Lampkin, who started eight games at right guard last year, is the only returning starter to the offensive line. The Tar Heels bolstered their numbers at the position through the transfer portal, including adding Austin Blaske (Georgia), Howard Sampson (North Texas) and Jakiah Leftwich (Georgia Tech).

Brown said his goal is being able to reliably play nine offensive linemen.

More defensively

Brown is on the third defensive coordinator of his second UNC stint in Collins, who replaced Gene Chizik. UNC hasn’t ranked higher than 10th in the 14-team ACC in scoring or total defense for the past three seasons. Losing Gray (10.1 tackles per game) won’t help, though fellow linebacker Power Echols returns with pass rusher Kaimon Rucker (8 1/2 sacks last year).

“More aggression — ‘Master of Mayhem’ describes him perfectly,” Echols said of Collins. “He’s going to call a real aggressive game.”

Brown also sounded high on secondary that includes cornerback Alijah Huzzie (three interceptions) and adds safety Jakeen Harris from rival North Carolina State.

The schedule

The Tar Heels open at Minnesota on Aug. 29 and visit rival Duke (Sept. 28) in their ACC opener. There’s also a trip to No. 10 Florida State (Nov. 2), the reigning league champion and preseason favorite. The slate doesn’t include any of the league’s three new schools and is rooted in longtime instate or league matchups, including a trip to Virginia (Oct. 26), a visit from Wake Forest (Nov. 16) and the home finale against No. 24 N.C. State (Nov. 30).

___

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August 19, 2024
Ranking CFB teams better off (Texas), worse off (USC), or same (Nebraska) in new era
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There has been much discourse since the latest round of realignment and media deals that every team in the ACC and the Big 12 should want to be in the Big Ten or SEC, because those conferences make the most money. But the fans themselves aren’t seeing a dime of it. Their lone concern is whether their team wins on Saturday — and more money hardly guarantees more victories.

With college football undergoing a massive facelift in 2024 — bigger conferences, an expanded College Football Playoff — every fan base in the country should be asking just one question: Is any of this going to help us win games?

For example: Oklahoma will make a lot more money in the SEC than it would have in the Big 12. But it also faces a much tougher path to a national championship, whereas Kansas State’s chances of reaching the CFP have increased due to the Big 12’s bigger field and the loss of Oklahoma and Texas.

So what about your school? Does its chances of success increase, decrease or remain the same in the sport’s new world order?

To assess, I’ve given all 67 power-conference schools a score between minus-5 and positive-5. The score is solely about a team’s ability to win, and does not take into account the team’s current coaching staff or roster. Scoring a 0 means the school is neither better nor worse off. A score from 1 to 5 ranges from mildly better to far better, and -1 to -5 ranges from mildly worse to … uh oh.

ACC

SMU: +5

Has there been a bigger realignment winner in the last 30 years? SMU had not finished in the Top 25 in four decades at the time it got the call up to the big leagues last September. Now it comes in with momentum after finishing last season No. 22.

Clemson: +3

Dabo Swinney’s 2015-2020 teams had to be near-perfect to reach the four-team CFP; his 11-2 ACC title squad in 2022 would have earned a top-4 seed. His aloof portal approach doesn’t help his cause, but it doesn’t factor into this score.

Florida State: +3

The irony of FSU trying to sue its way out of the ACC is that the new system works in its favor. Would it rather be the best team in the ACC and earn a top-4 seed and a first-round bye, or the fourth-best team in the SEC and live on the bubble?

Louisville: +2

Louisville has upside. The school has the resources and recruiting footprint to be a regular ACC and CFP contender, and it helps that Louisville is no longer trapped in a division with Florida State (which it does not play this season) and Clemson.

Miami: +2

The U has been stuck in the mud for two decades, but it began flexing its muscle as soon as NIL went into effect in 2021. The program has most of the elements needed to be a 12-team CFP regular, provided the right coach is in place.

Virginia Tech: +2

The Hokies would have made a 12-team CFP nine times in a 16-year span (1995-2010) under Frank Beamer. They may never replicate that level of consistency, but there’s no reason they can’t become a semi-regular contender again.

NC State: +1

The Wolfpack have not won a conference title since 1979. That might be a tad more attainable now that they’re no longer in the same division as Florida State and Clemson. (At least elsewhere, Wolfpack vibes are high.)

Georgia Tech: 0

Recruiting has always been challenging for the Yellow Jackets, made even more so now by NIL. But based on its history, Georgia Tech could make an occasional CFP appearance. It would have gone in 1990, 1998 and 2009, and would have been the first team out in 2014.

North Carolina: 0

This unquestioned basketball school has been long considered a sleeping giant in football but has yet to wake up. If it finally does, it will more likely be due to an inspired head-coaching hire than the various changes to the sport.

Pittsburgh: -2

Pitt is nearly 50 years removed from its national heyday, but it did win the ACC in 2021, which would have garnered a 12-team berth. But star receiver Jordan Addison’s jump to USC the following spring was a window into new NIL reality.

Syracuse: -2

It’s early, but new coach Fran Brown has discovered there’s money in the banana stand. Landing Ohio State QB Kyle McCord raised eyebrows. More broadly, though, it’s hard to argue the new landscape does much to benefit the Orange.

Virginia: -2

Arguably the one thing UVA had going for it was the mediocrity of the ACC Coastal Division, which it won in 2019 while going 9-3. Now, the Cavaliers — who last finished in the Top 25 back two decades ago — risk falling into deep irrelevance moving forward.

Wake Forest: -2

The tiniest school in Power 4 has more donor support than one might assume, and it’s not a championship-or-bust fan base. But reaching a 12-team CFP could be largely unattainable. Will programs like this be able to sustain interest?

Boston College: -3

BC is the type of school that suffers in a world of roster-poaching and NIL deals. Success will also be increasingly defined by Playoff appearances, and the Eagles have finished in the top 12 only twice since World War II.

Duke: -3

Duke just lived through the downside of its new reality. It lost coach Mike Elko to an SEC school after just two seasons and quarterback Riley Leonard went to Notre Dame, likely for a seven-figure NIL deal.

Stanford: -4

The Cardinal will always attract recruits that covet that degree. But the school’s admissions process limits it to taking only a few transfers a year, which creates a big disadvantage in the new landscape. And like Cal, the ACC is not ideal.

Cal: -5

Serious question: Would Cal have been better off getting Washington State/Oregon State’d? An already lagging program must now compete in a far-away Power 4 conference while receiving 30 percent of its money (and without SMU’s boosters).

GO DEEPER

Feldman’s CFP 12-team projection: Why I like Miami, PSU and Texas

Big Ten

Ohio State: +4

Only once in the past 19 seasons have the Buckeyes lost more than two regular-season games. That means they would have made a 12-team Playoff all but once in the past 19 seasons. And probably pulled off an extra national title or two.

Michigan: +3

For the most part, Michigan will still be Michigan. The Big House will still pack in 110,000. The season will still be defined by whether it beats Ohio State. But a 12-team Playoff field certainly doesn’t hurt.

Penn State: +3

Had the 12-team Playoff been in place all along, James Franklin would have made five appearances in his first 10 seasons. The format is ideal for programs like PSU: not quite “elite,” but has the resources to compete nationally.

Michigan State: +2

While the Spartans only made the four-team CFP once, they could have made a 12-team field as many as five times from 2011-21. They also get Ohio State off the books in 2025 and 2026 after having played the Buckeyes in 14 consecutive seasons.

Oregon: +2

The Ducks are the best-positioned of the four West Coast schools joining the Big Ten. They recruit nationally and have Phil Knight’s war chest. While national titles have remained elusive, regular CFP appearances are realistic.

Maryland: +1

The Terps are free! They are no longer stuck in the Big Ten East, where their ceiling would forever be 7-5 and fourth place out of seven. But the upside may be limited until the school’s donors make a bigger splash in the NIL world.

Rutgers: +1

Like “rival” Maryland, Rutgers is finally out from under the Big Ten East. It’s also doing surprisingly well in NIL. The program’s ceiling may still be limited to 8-4 or so, but that would still be much better than its first decade in the conference.

Nebraska: 0

It may be tougher for the Cornhuskers to contend for Big Ten championships in a bigger league. But right now, that’s not even the target, given they haven’t even reached a bowl game in eight years. How much worse can it get?

Wisconsin: -1

The program has long churned out double-digit wins by “holding serve” against most of the conference while occasionally punching up against Ohio State or Michigan. That could become harder with the arrival of USC, Oregon and Washington.

Illinois: -2

This program has struggled to find its footing for more than two decades, and nothing about this new world helps it. If anything, it will be tougher. Right out of the gate, the Illini face Penn State, Michigan and Oregon this season.

Indiana: -2

The good news: no more getting clobbered by Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State in the Big Ten East. The bad news: Indiana, long known for apathy in football, is not likely to be as flush in NIL money as most of its competitors.

USC: -2

While it didn’t play like one for most of the past 15 years, USC was the most prestigious program in its former conference. In the Big Ten, it will be, at best, the third banana to Ohio State and Michigan, and possibly fifth behind Penn State and Oregon.

Washington: -2

The Huskies were the class of the Pac-12 the last two seasons, but it helped not to have an Ohio State or Michigan in their league. Now they have both, plus USC, Oregon and Penn State. Will the brief Kalen DeBoer era go down as an outlier?

Minnesota: -3

It’s unfortunate for the Golden Gophers that they have yet to reach the Big Ten Championship Game, because now it may never happen. A Playoff berth is not impossible, but Minnesota has had one top-10 season in the past 60 years.

Northwestern: -3

The new world may not be kind to overachiever programs like Northwestern. While it regularly makes bowl games and posts occasional Top 25 seasons, it has not finished high enough to make a 12-team CFP since 1996.

Purdue: -3

Not likely to contend for Playoff berths whether the field is four or 12. Purdue’s goal is to get to bowl games, and reaching six wins becomes harder without the benefit of a Big Ten West schedule.

Iowa: -4

The Hawkeyes have made a living out of grinding out mediocre Big Ten West foes while losing 42-3 to Michigan or 54-10 to Ohio State. In an 18-team league with no more unbalanced divisions and three incoming Top-25 recruiting schools, Iowa could be in for a reckoning.

UCLA: -4

Almost nothing about the new world does the Bruins any favors. UCLA is a basketball school whose donors have done little to support football’s NIL efforts. It is joining a conference full of big brands and football-first fan bases. Not a recipe for success.

GO DEEPER

Maryland in the Big Ten: From ‘what are we doing?’ to ‘amazing decision’

Big 12

BYU: +5

The Cougars have finally climbed the mountaintop after spending their entire history either in a non-power conference or as an independent. They now have direct access to the CFP, and won’t finish ranked 16th with just one loss, as happened in 2020.

Cincinnati: +4

The Bearcats’ dream season in 2021 does not have to be an aberration going forward, as they won’t have to go undefeated to make the Playoff. And power-conference status should help them land more recruits in their fertile city and state.

Houston: +4

After nearly 30 years in the post-Southwest Conference wilderness, the Cougars are back in a major conference alongside old rivals Baylor, Texas Tech and TCU. But achieving consistent success in the Big 12 is hardly a given after up-and-downs in the AAC.

UCF: +4

Like BYU, Cincinnati and Houston, UCF got its Power 4 life raft, and it’s not like the Knights were struggling beforehand. They’ve reached three BCS/CFP bowl games since 2013. The only question is how they’ll fare as a geographic outlier in the new Big 12.

Baylor: +2

Since 2013, the Bears have won three Big 12 titles and reached four BCS bowls but have fallen short of reaching the CFP. In a 12-team field, all of those teams would make it. And that was with Texas and Oklahoma in the conference.

Kansas State: +2

K-State could thrive in the new world. It would have made the 12-team CFP four times since 2011. It has sneaky-good NIL support. The biggest challenge will be revenue-sharing. Only three public Power 5 schools made less in 2022.

Oklahoma State: +2

Mike Gundy has fielded eight double-digit win teams, all of which would have been 12-team CFP contenders. Most of those teams lost to Oklahoma, against which Gundy is 4-15. The Cowboys no longer have to deal with the Sooners.

TCU: +2

The Frogs would have made a 12-team field three times since 2014, and, thanks to the Metroplex, they have the highest recruiting ceiling among the holdovers.

Colorado: +1

Anything would be better than the Buffs’ abysmal 13-year tenure in the Pac-12. The Buffs get back into the Texas footprint, which they benefitted from in the old Big 12. But the school still faces an uphill climb in the NIL world, with or without Deion Sanders.

Texas Tech: +1

The Red Raiders have largely flailed since the late Mike Leach’s 2009 ouster, but it’s not for lack of resources and fan support. Getting out from under Texas could help, and while CFP berths might be infrequent, they’re attainable.

Iowa State: 0

The Cyclones, who have not won a conference championship since 1912, will still have all the same evergreen challenges. They could benefit from a more level version of the Big 12, but they’ll still have to perpetually overachieve.

Kansas: 0

The same Iowa State blurb can be applied to Kansas, which has finished ranked roughly once per decade. An expanded Playoff gives the Jayhawks slightly more hope for glory, but 2007 seasons may remain incredibly rare.

Utah: -1

Utah enters its new league as strong as any of its programs, but man, did the Utes have a good thing going in the Pac-12. Not only did they reach four league title games in five years, but they could lord their Power 5 membership over rival BYU. No more.

West Virginia: -1

The Mountaineers have lost a great deal of their identity since leaving the old Big East for the Big 12 in 2012, and the further dilution of the conference won’t help. But they did at least gain their first geographic partner when Cincinnati joined.

Arizona: -2

Joining the Big 12 was great for Arizona basketball. Probably not so much for football, where it has little in common with schools in football-crazed Texas. History suggests the Wildcats will rarely contend for a spot in the Playoff.

Arizona State: -3

ASU president Michael Crow had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the Big 12. The pro-market school has little in common with the likes of Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, which, unlike the Sun Devils, have rabid fan bases.

GO DEEPER

Welcome to the new Big 12: Featuring Deion, parity, shifts in playing styles

SEC

Alabama: +4

I don’t expect post-Nick Saban Alabama to make a 12-team CFP nearly every single year, like I do Ohio State, simply because of the depth of the SEC. But it’s still one of a small handful of programs built to succeed in any era.

Georgia: +4

Now, even Georgia’s “down” seasons might still end in CFP berths. Kirby Smart would currently have seven straight, up from three in eight seasons. Between Smart and Mark Richt, the Bulldogs would have 13 since 2001.

LSU: +3

The Tigers have won three national championships this century, but they might have played for even more were there a 12-team field. They would have made nine by now. Of course, they may also fire coaches more frequently for missing the Playoff.

Texas: +3

Unlike rival Oklahoma, Texas has won just three conference titles this century, so that shouldn’t be the measuring stick. But Mack Brown showed what the ceiling can be. He would have reached eight 12-team CFPs in a decade.

Florida: +2

Florida must play Georgia every year while mixing in Texas and Oklahoma. But a 12-team Playoff could prove a godsend; the Gators would have made the postseason three consecutive times under Dan Mullen and 10 times since 2000.

Ole Miss: +2

Ole Miss has not won the SEC since 1963. Oklahoma and Texas won’t make it any easier. But the program can make the 12-team CFP, and its NIL collective has become one of the models in the sport.

Tennessee: 0

The Vols are still playing rivals Alabama, Florida and Georgia for the next two seasons while adding Oklahoma. That’s rough. But Tennessee’s collective is strong, and it has the resources and recruiting cachet to reach occasional CFPs.

Auburn: -1

A drawing of the history of Auburn football arcs like a roller coaster, with brief spurs of national supremacy mixed in between long stretches of middle-of-the-pack. And the league just added two more above-the-middle historical programs.

Missouri: -1

Missouri would have reached 12-team fields in 2007, 2013 and 2023. That development is good. But the Tigers have benefitted at times from being in the SEC’s easier division, which is now gone, and they are .250 all-time against Oklahoma and Texas.

Arkansas: -2

On the bright side, Arkansas gets old rival Texas back. On the downside, the Razorbacks have yet to win the SEC in its 32 years of membership, and it’s not getting easier. They would have reached a 12-team CFP three times in those 32 years.

Texas A&M: -2

The best thing the Aggies had going for them in the SEC was that Texas wasn’t in it. Alas. The return of annual matchups with the Longhorns should be fantastic for entertainment purposes but could make for a tougher schedule.

Kentucky: -3

Mark Stoops is on track to have a statue sculpted for taking the Wildcats to eight straight bowl games, but those Gator and Music City bowls might not feel as significant in the new world. They also may become harder to reach with no SEC East.

Mississippi State: -3

The Bulldogs have finished above .500 in SEC play this century just once, in 2014 with Dak Prescott. The SEC getting bigger, and possibly moving to nine conference games, is likely to be unkind for State.

Oklahoma: -3

From 1938-2021, the Sooners claimed a Big 8/Big 12 championship in 47 of those 83 seasons. No major program in the country has more league titles. Realistically, OU will not come close to enjoying that level of dominance in the SEC.

South Carolina: -3

Save for that one three-year peak under Steve Spurrier from 2011-13, the Gamecocks have rarely lived in the top half of the SEC. Now they’re losing the SEC East. It will become even more difficult to maintain relevance.

Vanderbilt: -4

Vanderbilt was already stuck playing the worst cards in the SEC deck. Now there’s a whole new set of challenges stacked against their deck: the bigger SEC, the importance of NIL and roster poaching from the portal.

The rest

Notre Dame: +2

Some might fixate on the fact that the independent Fighting Irish can never get a first-round bye in the new system, but that misses the larger point: They could reach many more CFPs. They would have made five in Brian Kelly’s 12 seasons.

Oregon State and Washington State: -5

There’s no sugarcoating it: Two historic Power 5 programs have been relegated to de facto Group of 5 status, playing de facto Mountain West schedules. And unlike actual G5 schools, they have no guaranteed access to the Playoff.

All Group of 5 programs: -3

For the first time in history, one of these schools is guaranteed to compete for a national championship every year. But that does not offset the further irrelevance — nor the pain of Power 4 schools poaching all of their best players.

Bigger takeaways
1. As usual, the biggest changes to the sport almost always mostly benefit the “big boys” the most. Outside of the former G5 programs moving up, the biggest beneficiaries are the Alabamas, Georgias and Ohio States of the sport. There are, however, a few exceptions: Oklahoma and USC fall into the “be careful what you wish for” category.
2. And while the Big 12 is currently scrounging for any additional penny it can raise, no conference had a higher percentage of on-field gainers. That’s because Playoff berths are now attainable for the likes of Oklahoma State, Kansas State and TCU.
3. Only two of the former Pac-12 schools (Oregon and Colorado) got a positive score, as most are entering their new conferences begrudgingly. It will never not be stupefying to think about how Pac-12 leadership screwed it up so badly.
(Top illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Photos: Sam Wasson, Kevin C. Cox, Scott Taetsch, Brett Deering / Getty)
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The New York Times

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July 3, 2024
Men’s college basketball Top 25: Alabama, Gonzaga, Houston lead updated rankings

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After the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline passed on Wednesday night, we finally have a clearer picture of what rosters will look like when the season starts in November.

This transfer portal season has been as crazy as ever, and a lot has changed since we last did this exercise on championship night. It’s possible that a few of these teams will make some late portal additions or sign an overseas prospect or two, but today marks the first day when putting out a super-early Top 25 actually makes sense. So here it is, starting with a No. 1 team that is very much there because of the last-second withdrawal decision by a star player.

Previous rank: 6

Projected starters: Mark Sears, Chris Youngblood (transfer), Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Grant Nelson, Clifford Omoruyi (transfer)

Top reserves: Aden Holloway (transfer), Derrion Reid (freshman), Jarin Stevenson, Houston Mallette (transfer), Aiden Sherrill (freshman), Mouhamed Dioubate, Naas Cunningham (freshman), Labaron Philon (freshman)

Nate Oats has assembled the best 3-point shooting team in the country. In addition to Sears and Wrightsell, he signed three transfer guards who all made 50-plus 3s last season, and two of the three (Youngblood and Mallette) shot 40-plus percent from 3. Oats also improved his defense with former Rutgers center Omoruyi, who anchored the fifth-ranked defense in college hoops, and he signed four top-40 freshmen. This is a ridiculously deep roster with arguably the best offensive weapon in the country (Sears) and enviable athleticism and positional size. Alabama’s defense has teeter-tottered between elite and mediocre the last four years with adjusted defensive ranks of third, 92nd, third and 111th. So the Crimson Tide are due to be good on that end again. That’s the only real question mark here, because we know this team will have no problem scoring.

2. Gonzaga

Previous: 2

Projected starters: Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Steele Venters, Ben Gregg, Graham Ike

Top reserves: Braden Huff, Michael Ajayi (transfer), Khalif Battle (transfer), Dusty Stromer

Gonzaga returns four of five starters and gets back Venters, the 2022-23 Big Sky Player of the Year who missed last season with a torn ACL. Last year, the Zags took off when Mark Few moved Gregg into the starting lineup at the three. Few has the lineup versatility to go big again if that’s what’s best. Huff would start for most high-major programs. Gonzaga’s bench might just be good enough to form a top-25 team by itself. Battle averaged 26.7 points over his last nine games at Arkansas; Stromer shot 36.6 percent from 3 as a freshman and started 14 games; Ajayi averaged 17.2 points and shot 47 percent from 3 at Pepperdine; and Braeden Smith, who is redshirting, was the Patriot League player of the year at Colgate. Like Alabama, the Zags need to improve on defense, but this is another team that should score easily. Few has smartly surrounded Ike with floor spacers to give him room to feast in the post.

Previous: 3

Projected starters: Milos Uzan (transfer), LJ Cryer, Emanuel Sharp, J’Wan Roberts, Ja’Vier Francis

Top reserves: Joseph Tugler, Terrance Arceneaux, Ramon Walker, Mercy Miller (freshman), Chase McCarty (freshman)

When Tugler suffered a season-ending foot injury on Feb. 27, Houston was the best team in college hoops, according to metrics, and clearly the best defensive team. Houston’s adjusted defensive efficiency was 84.6; the next best was Iowa State at 89.9. The Cougars lost their most important player in Jamal Shead, but the rest of the rotation is back. Uzan has already proven to be a quality Big 12 guard at Oklahoma, and Houston’s only real issue late in the year was depth. Tugler and Arceneaux give a huge boost there. They’re the best two pro prospects on the team. Kelvin Sampson would probably tell you he has seven starters. Also worth noting: Houston has won 30-plus games three straight seasons, and that followed a Final Four run. Always bet on Sampson.

Previous: 7

Projected starters: Dajuan Harris Jr., Rylan Griffen (transfer), AJ Storr (transfer), KJ Adams, Hunter Dickinson

Top reserves: Zeke Mayo (transfer), Elmarko Jackson, Flory Bidunga (freshman), Zach Clemence, Rakease Passmore (freshman), Jamari McDowell

The Jayhawks looked like a team from another era last season. When they were playing well, their ball movement was exquisite, and they ran beautiful offense. But it was hard to sustain without enough shooting and a perimeter scorer who could create his own. It was only the third time in Bill Self’s tenure that KU ranked outside the top 40 in adjusted offense. That’s where the transfers come in. Self addressed the playmaking and shooting problem with Griffen, Storr and Mayo. Self also has more lineup versatility with big wings like Griffen and Storr who can man the four in smaller lineups, and then a more athletic backup five in Bidunga to take over when Dickinson is struggling guarding ball screens. This is still somewhat of a throwback startling lineup with a non-shooter like Adams at the four, but the roster construction makes more sense on paper.

Tamin Lipsey leads an Iowa State team with high expectations. (Jay Biggerstaff / Getty Images)

5. Iowa State

Previous: 4

Projected starters: Tamin Lipsey, Keshon Gilbert, Milan Momcilovic, Joshua Jefferson (transfer), Dishon Jackson (transfer)

Top reserves: Curtis Jones, Nate Heise (transfer), Demarion Watson, Brandton Chatfield, Nojus Indrusaitis (freshman), Dwayne Pierce (freshman)

The best defense in college basketball last season should be back near the top, as three starters return and T.J. Otzelberger replaces the other two with strong defenders in Jefferson and Jackson. Saint Mary’s had the No. 7 defense last season with Jefferson in the lineup, per Bart Torvik. And Otzelberger has proven he can build elite defenses, finishing top 10 in adjusted defense in his first three years in Ames. The Cyclones are going to guard. Otzelberger also has been nails at finding underrated transfers who thrive in his system. Last year it was Gilbert and Jones. We can probably expect that Jackson, Heise and Chatfield will surpass expectations. This will be the first time Otzelberger’s Cyclones will have to deal with lofty preseason expectations, but it seems like he has the type of culture that will not let that poison their egos.

6. Duke

Previous: 1

Projected starters: Caleb Foster, Tyrese Proctor, Mason Gillis (transfer), Cooper Flagg (freshman), Khaman Maluach (freshman)

Top reserves: Maliq Brown (transfer), Kon Knueppel (freshman), Isaiah Evans (freshman), Darren Harris (freshman), Patrick Ngongba II (freshman), Sion James (transfer)

Jon Scheyer seemed to be trying to bring in complementary players out of the portal, building around the talents of Flagg with low-usage, high-efficiency guys like Gillis, Brown and James. It wouldn’t be shocking if this is the best team in college basketball based on the talent level. With so much youth, I want to see it first. But Scheyer will likely bring two five-stars off the bench in Evans and Knueppel while starting two projected lottery picks in the frontcourt. This team could be elite defensively, as Proctor found his calling on that end last year and both Flagg and Maluach project as high-level shot blockers. Duke has great positional size, with everyone in the rotation at 6-foot-5 or taller. Flagg is the key to the offense. He needs to be able to score and allow Duke to play through him to set up others, similar to how Scheyer used Kyle Filipowski. Leaning on freshmen only works when those are top-end lottery picks. Scheyer is banking on Flagg living up to the hype.

7. Connecticut

Previous: 5

Projected starters: Hassan Diarra, Aidan Mahaney (transfer), Solomon Ball, Alex Karaban, Samson Johnson

Top reserves: Tarris Reed Jr. (transfer), Liam McNeeley (freshman), Jaylin Stewart, Jayden Ross, Ahmad Nowell (freshman), Isaiah Abraham (freshman)

We’re at the point now where you just assume Dan Hurley’s plan will work. He has nailed roster construction the last few years and built offensive and defensive schemes ideal for his talent. Adding shooting this spring with Mahaney and McNeeley was huge, and Karaban decided to return for a run at a three-peat. Hurley’s offense hums when the Huskies can hunt early 3s and they have optimal floor spacing. That’s not the specialty of sophomores Ball, Stewart and Ross. For UConn to hit its ceiling, Mahaney needs to play to his potential. Diarra is more of a complementary guard, and Mahaney basically replicated his freshman season this past year when it was expected he’d make a star’s leap. He replaces the off-the-dribble playmaking from Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer, and that’s why his success is so important. Hurley has again set it up so his centers can split time and give opponents two different looks. This roster doesn’t appear as talented as the last two, but underrating UConn early has also become a yearly tradition.

Previous: 8

Projected starters: Zakai Zeigler, Jahmai Mashack, Chaz Lanier (transfer), Igor Milicic Jr. (transfer), Felix Okpara (transfer)

Top reserves: Jordan Gainey, Darlinstone Dubar (transfer), JP Estrella, Cameron Carr, Cade Phillips, Bishop Boswell (freshman)

Tennessee has been a top-five seed for six straight NCAA Tournaments and plugged any potential holes in the portal. We know this team is going to be elite defensively, because Rick Barnes constructs rosters with defense in mind. The question mark is on the offensive end and replacing Dalton Knecht. That’s likely by committee, but the hope is that North Florida transfer Lanier can step into the go-to guy role. Lanier is coming off a season in which he averaged 19.7 points and shot 44 percent from 3. Zeigler was one of the best two-way point guards in the country the second half of the season and is one of the best setup men in the country, so the ball will likely be in his hands a lot. And this roster has even more shooting than it did a year ago with guys like Lanier, Darlingstone and Gainey all considered knockdown shooters. The wildcard on this roster is Carr. His body wasn’t quite ready as a freshman, but he’s got the tools to be a star. The Vols are so deep on the perimeter that he doesn’t need to be that yet, but a breakout sophomore season could be in the works.

Previous: 11

Projected starters: Jaden Bradley, Caleb Love, KJ Lewis, Trey Townsend (transfer), Motiejus Krivas

Top reserves: Tobe Awaka (transfer), Anthony Dell’Orso (transfer), Carter Bryant (freshman), Emmanuel Stephen (freshman)

Arizona had the 10th-best defense in college basketball last season and could be even better this year. The Wildcats upgrade on the defensive end with Krivas and Bradley in for the departed Oumar Ballo and Kylan Boswell. Arizona was 20 points per 100 possessions better with Bradley on the floor without Boswell compared to when Boswell played without Bradley, per CBB Analytics. The return of Love is the big story here. He was much more efficient in an Arizona uniform than he was at UNC, and Tommy Lloyd has enough around him that he doesn’t have to go into hero mode. The addition of Trey Townsend gives Arizona more offensive punch from the four spot. Lloyd loves to play fast, and this roster is built to do so.

Previous: 10

Projected starters: JP Pegues (transfer), Miles Kelly (transfer), Denver Jones, Johni Broome, Dylan Cardwell

Top reserves: Chad Baker-Mazara, Tahaad Pettiford (freshman), Jahki Howard (freshman), Chaney Johnson, Chris Moore, Ja’Heim Hudson (transfer)

Auburn returns three of its top four leading scorers from a team that finished fourth at KenPom. The big returner here is Broome, who was one of the most effective big men in the country. Bruce Pearl leaned heavily on his depth last season and will likely do so again, but the one guy who may log heavy minutes is Broome, who will play at both the four and five with Jaylin Williams no longer around. Broome and Cardwell logged only 12 minutes together last season, per CBB Analytics, but they’ll likely start alongside each other this season. Kelly, Georgia Tech’s leading scorer last season, gives the Tigers another consistent scorer on the perimeter. Auburn could elevate into a top-five team if the point guard play is better and not as inconsistent as it has been in recent years. The Tigers addressed that in recruiting by landing Pegues, who averaged 18.4 points and 4.8 assists at Furman, and Pettiford, the second-ranked point guard in the 2024 class.

11. Texas A&M

Previous: 21

Projected starters: Wade Taylor IV, Zhuric Phelps (transfer), Manny Obaseki, Solomon Washington, Pharrel Payne (transfer)

Top reserves: Andersson Garcia, Jace Carter, C.J. Wilcher (transfer), Henry Coleman III, Hayden Hefner, Andre Mills (freshman)

When Buzz Williams moved Obaseki into the starting lineup with eight games to go, the Aggies became one of the best teams in the country. They won six of eight and ranked as the fifth-best team over that timespan, per Torvik, and ended up losing to top-seeded Houston in overtime. Tyrece Radford, a big part of that run, is gone, but Williams brought in another athletic attacking guard to replace him in Phelps. Payne, who will likely start at center, is an upgrade from what A&M had at that position, and he fits perfectly with this group. He was Minnesota’s best offensive rebounder — ranking 67th nationally — and with Garcia, Washington and Coleman back, the Aggies will likely once again lead the country in offensive rebounding rate. That allowed A&M to still have a good offense during a horrible shooting year, but the shooting should get better. Taylor is bound to shoot it better, and A&M added some shooting off the bench with Wilcher, who made 50 3s and shot 39.4 percent for Nebraska last season.

RJ Davis is back after earning first-team All-America honors. (Greg Fiume / Getty Images)

12. North Carolina

Previous: 9

Projected starters: Elliot Cadeau, RJ Davis, Ian Jackson (freshman), Cade Tyson (transfer), Jalen Washington

Top reserves: Seth Trimble, Ven-Allen Lubin (transfer), Drake Powell (freshman), Jae’Lyn Withers, Zayden High

North Carolina is going to be different without a low-post threat like Armando Bacot on the blocks, but the loss that stings is Harrison Ingram staying in the NBA Draft. Ingram was a Swiss Army knife for the Tar Heels and played a big role in the massive defensive leap they made last season. The offense should still be pretty good, especially if RJ Davis can duplicate or come close to repeating last season. I’m also intrigued to see Cadeau as a sophomore. He struggled shooting the ball as a freshman but he also played a facilitating role at a pretty high level considering his age. If the shot ever comes around, that’s a high-level college point guard. Tyson, a career 44.6 percent 3-point shooter at 6-7, was a smart addition. Lubin gives them some low-post scoring either off the bench or starting at the four. There’s enough talent and experience that it’s an ideal situation for two five-stars to come into. If either Jackson or Powell plays at a one-and-done level and Cadeau makes a sophomore leap, this could be a top-five team.

13. Purdue

Previous: 12

Projected starters: Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, Camden Heide, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Caleb Furst

Top reserves: Myles Colvin, Daniel Jacobsen (freshman), Will Berg, Kanon Catchings (freshman), Gicarri Harris (freshman), Raleigh Burgess (freshman), Brian Waddell

Purdue’s KenPom finishes in the five years that proceeded the Zach Edey era: 9, 19, 5, 9, 24. It’s going to be difficult to replace Edey, but Matt Painter won a lot of basketball games before Edey showed up and he’ll continue to do so. Painter has a really good core returning, led by Smith, who became a killer in pick-and-roll last season as both a scorer and distributor. If you asked college coaches to rank the best point guards in the country, he’d be near the top. Purdue got a head start on what life without Edey would be like last summer when it went on a foreign tour without him and Kaufman-Renn led the team in scoring. Painter also has three centers on the bench who could be next in line as dominant low-post scorers. The 7-foot-2 Berg has been learning behind Edey the last two years, and then Painter signed two centers in Jacobsen and Burgess. Jacobsen was a standout last weekend at the tryouts for the U.S. U-18 team. When I asked two coaches there who stood out, both mentioned Jacobsen, with one saying he’ll eventually be a star. He’s 7-3, skilled and playing at Purdue, so odds are in his favor.

14. Marquette

Previous: 14

Projected starters: Kam Jones, Stevie Mitchell, Chase Ross, David Joplin, Ben Gold

Top reserves: Sean Jones, Tre Norman, Zaide Lowery, Al Amadou, Caedin Hamilton (redshirt freshman), Damarius Owens (freshman), Royce Parham (freshman)

In the six games that Tyler Kolek missed late in the season, Jones averaged 20.8 points and 4.5 assists. So we’ve seen Marquette operate when it’s the Kam Jones Show, and he cooked. I’m not a big sports betting guy, but if there are futures for the 2024-25 All-America team and you can get good odds on Jones, I’d make that gamble. It’s going to be a different look without Kolek and Oso Ighodaro, but Shaka Smart keeps betting on development and it’s made him look really, well, smart. Gold started to show more as a passer his sophomore season in the Ighodaro role, and he adds shooting to the mix. Joplin should be highly motivated after a somewhat disappointing junior season that included a bad finish when he went 2-of-10 against NC State in the Sweet 16. Ross has had flashes that suggest he can be a really good college guard. The Golden Eagles will need him to take on more of an offensive role. These next two years should really show if Smart’s philosophy of staying out of the portal can work long-term, but he’s earned the benefit of the doubt so far.

Previous: 15

Projected starters: Jeremy Roach, Jayden Nunn, Langston Love, VJ Edgecombe (freshman), Norchad Omier (transfer)

Top reserves: Josh Ojianwuna, Jalen Celestine (transfer), Rob Wright (freshman), Jason Asemota (freshman)

That projected starting lineup is tiny — basically four guards and the 6-7 Omier — but it should be able to score pretty easily. Baylor has leaned heavily on the pick-and-roll game in recent years, and Roach and Omier should be a strong combination. Edgecombe is the swing guy on this team. If he’s a high-level producer right away, then the Bears have a chance to be elite offensively. The worry is whether they’ll be able to stop anyone. Omier is skilled enough to play the four, and Baylor does have a lot of size on the bench. Scott Drew could also start the 6-foot-10 Ojianwuna next to Omier and slide the 6-foot-5 Edgecombe to the three, but he’d lose some scoring. It could take some time to figure out the combinations that work, but it helps that Drew has size on the wing off the bench in Celestine (6-6) and Asemota (6-8).

Walter Clayton Jr. pulled out of the NBA Draft and is returning to Florida. (Alan Youngblood / AP)

16. Florida

Previous: 19

Projected starters: Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin (transfer), Will Richard, Sam Alexis (transfer), Alex Condon

Top reserves: Rueben Chinyelu (transfer), Thomas Haugh, Denzel Aberdeen, Isaiah Brown (freshman)

Florida has one of the best guard trios in the country in Clayton, Martin and Richard. All three made at least 70 3s last season and are good enough to carry an offense when they’re hot. The Gators’ issue last season was on the defensive end, and Todd Golden strengthened that by landing two shot blockers out of the portal in Alexis and Chinyelu. One of those two will likely start alongside Condon, the Aussie big man who is poised for a breakout sophomore season. Golden had his best season at San Francisco in his third year. This will be Year 3 at Florida, and I’d bet on it being his best year yet.

Previous: Not ranked

Projected starters: Tre Donaldson (transfer), Rubin Jones (transfer), Roddy Gayle Jr. (transfer), Danny Wolf (transfer), Vladislav Goldin (transfer)

Top reserves: Nimari Burnett, Sam Walters (transfer), Will Tschetter, Justin Pippen (freshman), Durral Brooks (freshman)

It’s hard to completely turn over a roster and have a cohesive group in Year 1, but this is a bet on Dusty May pulling it off. May is really good at role definition and getting his guys to buy in. The Wolverines are going to be huge, starting the 7-foot twin towers and then bringing shooters off the bench in the 6-foot-10 Walters and 6-foot-8 Tschetter. Walters can play the three, Gayle (6-4) could play the two and Jones (6-5) can play the point, so May could conceivably play one of the biggest lineups in college basketball. And you could make an argument that has the potential to be Michigan’s best lineup. May just coached the team that ranked No. 1 in minutes continuity and 276th in average height, so this will be a different challenge. But out of the total portal rebuilds, this is the one I’m betting on that the pieces fit best.

Previous: NR

Projected starters: Elijah Hawkins (transfer), Chance McMillian, Darrion Williams, JT Toppin (transfer), Fede Federiko (transfer)

Top reserves: Kevin Overton (transfer), Kerwin Walton, Devan Cambridge, Eemeli Yalaho, Christian Anderson (freshman)

Grant McCasland has landed the Mountain West Freshman on the Year in back-to-back portal classes, with Toppin following Williams. Both are future NBA players, and Texas Tech has one of the best 2-3-4 combinations in the country. Williams was fantastic the last two months of the season. He had a 10-game stretch when he averaged 17.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and shot 64.2 percent from 3. Toppin gives the Red Raiders another interior scorer and should help the defense. And you could argue McMillian is an upgrade from Pop Isaacs. Isaacs could carry the Red Raiders for stretches, but his efficiency didn’t justify his usage. McMillian is a low-usage, high-efficiency player who is more athletic, a better shooter and a better defender. Hawkins slides into the Joe Toussaint role and Federiko for Warren Washington. Cambridge got a medical redshirt and provides energy off the bench, while both Overton and Walton provide shooting and scoring off the bench.

Previous: NR

Projected starters: Myles Rice (transfer), Trey Galloway, Mackenzie Mgbako, Malik Reneau, Oumar Ballo (transfer)

Top reserves: Kanaan Carlyle (transfer), Luke Goode (transfer), Bryson Tucker (freshman), Gabe Cupps, Anthony Leal, Langdon Hatton (transfer), Rob Dockery (redshirt freshman), George Turkson (freshman)

If going by portal rankings and name recognition, no one had a better offseason than Indiana. Mike Woodson has shown a preference for playing through the post, and he has two of the best low-post scorers in the Big Ten now in Reneau and Ballo. Indiana had spacing issues last year, but Rice, Carlyle and Goode should help. Rice (27.5 percent) and Carlyle (32 percent) did not shoot the ball well from 3 as freshmen, but both are good foul shooters and it’s within reason to expect progression from deep based on their mechanics and skill. Both should also help in the shot creation department, which was an issue for the Hoosiers last year. Overall, Indiana is just way more talented and deep. Cupps, who started last year, might be sixth in line on IU’s depth chart at guard. All that guard depth also will allow IU some lineup versatility. When one of the bigs goes to the bench, Mgbako can slide to the four and get more shooting and skill on the floor. It’s a huge year for Woodson. Based on this class, Indiana’s donors are coming through financially, but that could quickly change if results don’t follow.

20. Illinois

Previous: NR

Projected starters: Kylan Boswell (transfer), Kasparas Jakucionis (freshman), Ty Rodgers, Carey Booth (transfer), Tomislav Ivisic (freshman)

Top reserves: Tre White (transfer), Ben Humrichous (transfer), Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, Jake Davis (transfer), Morez Johnson (freshman)

This could look like a reach to put Illinois this high, but Brad Underwood has earned the trust. Underwood has prioritized size and skill, and this roster is oozing with upside. Underwood got busy in the portal early and then topped off his class with two international signings whom I’m projecting will both start. Jakucionis, a 6-5 guard, is one of the best young prospects overseas. An NBA scouting contact mentioned Kirk Hinrich as a comp. If Jakucionis were an American, he’d likely be one of the five-stars in this class. Ivisic, a 7-footer, is the twin brother of current Arkansas and ex-Kentucky big man Zvonimir Ivisic. Illinois also added four transfers who play the three or four and stand between 6-6 and 6-10, all of whom can shoot. And the other two freshmen, Johnson and Jason Jakstys, are 6-9 and 6-10 power forwards. Jakucionis, Boswell and Rodgers will be the keys to making it work, as Underwood has gone to a strategy of spreading the floor and leaning on his guards to create advantages. Look for all three to get a shot at continuing the booty ball offense that the Illini adopted for Marcus Domask.

Previous: NR

Projected starters: Isaiah Swope (transfer), Josiah Dotzler (transfer), Gibson Jimerson, Kalu Anya (transfer), Robbie Avila (transfer)

Top reserves: Kobe Johnson (transfer), Larry Hughes II, A.J. Casey (transfer), Kellen Thames

Indiana State led the nation in effective field-goal percentage last season and ranked fourth the year before; Josh Schertz was in Terre Haute for just three seasons. The man knows how to build an elite offense quickly, and he’s got a head start here with both Avila and Swope following him. Avila is, as Schertz calls him, the hub of his offense. He’s one of the most skilled, unique bigs in college basketball, and if you put just a little bit of shooting and speed around him, it’s probably going to work. Swope was Indiana State’s best scorer before knee problems slowed him midseason, and the offseason will allow him to finally get healthy. Schertz was able to convince Jimerson to take his name out of the portal, keeping one of the best shooters in the country at SLU. He’s a perfect fit for Schertz’s system. Dotzler is a player Schertz loved in high school and gets him on the rebound after struggling to crack the rotation at Creighton. Johnson gives SLU a defensive stopper on the perimeter and was a starter last season for West Virginia. He’ll likely battle Dotzler for that final starting spot on the perimeter. It’s a really good roster in the Atlantic 10, and based on Schertz and Avila’s history together, the offense should sing. The Billikens should be the preseason favorite to win the league.

Previous: NR

Projected starters: Jizzle James, Dan Skillings Jr., Simas Lukosius, Dillon Mitchell (transfer), Aziz Bandaogo

Top reserves: Day Day Thomas, Connor Hickman (transfer), CJ Fredrick, Tyler Betsey (freshman), Tyler McKinley (freshman), Arrinten Page (transfer), Josh Reed

Wes Miller had the 19th-best defense last season and quietly landed one of the most athletic fours in the country in Mitchell, who should make Cincy’s defense even better. It’s not going to be easy scoring in the paint against the length of Mitchell and Bandaogo, who are both pogo sticks. Mitchell was once thought to be a one-and-done, lottery-pick talent. He still has the measurables and athleticism to eventually turn into a pro, and maybe a new system and coach will help him reach his potential. The Bearcats were also in need of shooting, as Lukosius was the only real threat from deep last season once Fredrick was injured. They will benefit from Fredrick receiving a sixth year of eligibility and from Hickman, who averaged 14.5 points and shot 40.2 percent from 3 on a good Bradley team. James and Skillings both played their best ball late in the year; if they both make a leap, don’t be shocked if the Bearcats sneak into the top tier of a very deep Big 12.

Zach Freemantle, shown here way back in 2020, should be healthy again for Xavier. (Joe Robbins / Getty Images)

23. Xavier

Previous: NR

Projected starters: Dayvion McKnight, Dante Maddox Jr. (transfer), Ryan Conwell (transfer), Zach Freemantle, John Hugley IV (transfer)

Top reserves: Trey Green, Dailyn Swain, Jerome Hunter, Marcus Foster (transfer), Lassina Traore (transfer), Cam’Ron Fletcher (transfer)

Remember Freemantle? He averaged 15.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game on a team that was 17-5 and 9-2 in the Big East before he injured his foot two years ago. After two surgeries, Freemantle is healthy, and Sean Miller has surrounded him with one of the best portal classes in the country. Conwell, who averaged 16.6 points and shot 40.7 percent from 3 for Indiana State, is the up-transfer guard I have the most faith in translating to the high-major level. He has the athleticism and playmaking chops to make an impact. Miller has a good mix of playmakers and shooters on the perimeter and depth at every position.

Previous: 25

Projected starters: Lamont Butler (transfer), Kerr Kriisa (transfer), Koby Brea (transfer), Andrew Carr (transfer), Amari Willams (transfer)

Top reserves: Otega Oweh (transfer), Collin Chandler (freshman), Brandon Garrison (transfer), Ansley Almonor (transfer), Travis Perry (freshman)

It feels like Kentucky is a team full of really good complementary players without a star. But you could have said the same about BYU a year ago, and that team spent most of the year in the Top 25 and had one of the best offenses in college basketball. Mark Pope made it clear he loves shooting and landed two of the best shooters in the portal in Kriisa and Brea. Butler and Oweh give him some athleticism and defensive chops on the perimeter, and Williams and Garrison should do the same on the interior. The one guy who could end up turning into a star is Chandler, a four-star prospect in the 2022 class who spent the last two years on a mission trip. He could change the calculus. But Pope has proven himself as a strong X’s-and-O’s coach, and this is the deepest and most talented roster he’s ever had. Star or no star, this team is probably going to score the ball efficiently and win a lot of games.

25. St. John’s

Previous: NR

Projected starters: Deivon Smith (transfer), Kadary Richmond (transfer), Aaron Scott (transfer), R.J. Luis, Vincent Iwuchukwu (transfer)

Top reserves: Lefteris Liotopoulos (freshman), Zuby Ejiofor, Jaiden Glover (freshman), Simeon Wilcher, Brady Dunlap

Rick Pitino landed two of the best point guards in the portal in Smith and Richmond. Both are ball-dominant guards, and it’s justified to question their fit together, but it’s also justified to bank on Pitino getting the absolute best out of them. Outside of Luis, who averaged 10.9 points after transferring from UMass last season, and Scott (11.0 points per game at North Texas) the roster is mostly unproven. But give Pitino an elite backcourt and a former highly-ranked center in Iwuchukwu, and I’m betting one of the best coaches in the history of the game will figure out a way to win. Those two guards would have been the best players on his team last season, and that group just barely missed the NCAA Tournament.

Next up: Arkansas, UCLA, Louisville, Rutgers, Memphis, Creighton, Maryland, Saint Mary’s, Michigan State, Ohio State, West Virginia, Mississippi State, Georgia, Princeton, Texas, Providence

(Top photos of Ryan Nembhard, Grant Nelson and Dajuan Harris Jr.: Mitchell Layton, Andy Lyons and Christian Petersen / Getty Images)

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The New York Times

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May 31, 2024
South Carolina women reach 10th straight Sweet 16, beat North Carolina 88-41 in March Madness

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Freshmen MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson aren’t waiting for their turn. They’re grabbing the opportunity to lead the way for undefeated South Carolina in the women’s NCAA Tournament.

Fulwiley scored 20 points, Johnson had 11 and the pair combined for seven of the top-seeded Gamecocks’ nine 3-pointers in an 88-41 win over No. 8 seed North Carolina on Sunday that sent South Carolina to its 10th straight Sweet 16.

“They see themselves as being integral parts of our success,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “And they didn’t back down from it.”

Kamilla Cardoso had 12 points and 10 rebounds in her return from a one-game suspension after she was ejected for fighting during the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game two weeks ago. The 6-foot-7 center missed her team’s March Madness opener against Presbyterian on Friday.

Fulwiley knows she’s among the most promising young players in the game along with Southern California’s JuJu Watkins, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and Texas’ Madison Booker. But Fulwiley’s bigger priority is blending in with her talented Gamecocks teammates.

“I think this team, we do a great job of just playing for each other,” she said. “I think we don’t play for the fans and all the other extra stuff. I think everything we do out on the court is for each other.”

South Carolina will carry that bond into the Sweet 16 to face No. 4 seed Indiana or No. 5 seed Oklahoma on Friday in the Albany 1 Region.

The Gamecocks, at full strength and playing like their potent selves, were too much for the Tar Heels, who had lost by single digits in the teams’ previous two meetings, most recently on Nov. 30.

Chloe Kitts, a South Carolina sophomore who hit all nine of her field goals for 21 points in the first round, scored 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting in the first half of this one. She finished with 12 points and has made 13 of 14 shots in the tournament.

North Carolina got no closer than 31 points in the final two quarters. Maria Gadkeng, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds in Friday’s win over Michigan State, picked up three first-half fouls. Alyssa Ustby led North Carolina with 12 points.

Leading scorer Deja Kelly had two fouls and five of the Tar Heels’ 11 first-half turnovers. She was held to seven points on 2-of-13 shooting.

“I felt like I had two people on me at all times,” Kelly said.

North Carolina was held to the fewest points in its 81-game NCAA Tournament history. The Tar Heels’ previous low was a 55-46 loss to George Washington at the old Carolina Coliseum in Columbia 27 years ago.

The Gamecocks extended their program record with their 59th straight win at home in their final game of the season at Colonial Life Arena, where they averaged an NCAA-best 16,489 fans.

CARDOSO’S RETURN

Staley said Cardoso felt she had let her teammates down with her suspension for shoving LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson to the ground in the SEC title game. But hearing the fans cheer her return Sunday lightened her mood.

“I’m so happy she got over that part of it and we can move on,” Staley said.

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Associated Press

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March 24, 2024
Thirty years ago, Chris Farley and college basketball collided in an unforgettable way

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Thirty years later, Christian Laettner isn’t sure he knew it was coming. In 1994, he was in the NBA, his second season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Maybe someone had informed his agent but he doesn’t think so.

The former Duke star just one day remembers seeing the commercial on ESPN. Chris Farley, then at the height of his “Saturday Night Live” glory, dressed in Laettner’s No. 32 jersey, recreating his buzzer-beating shot against Kentucky, a signature moment in NCAA Tournament history.

“All I know is that all of a sudden it was out and it was hilarious and it was awesome,” Laettner told The Athletic.

Farley did three spots that aired on ESPN, all promoting college basketball, all remembered for the physical comedy and shenanigans that made Farley so beloved and famous.

In one spot, Farley was Michigan’s Rumeal Robinson, standing at the foul line, needing to sink two free throws to win the 1989 national championship. “And he makes it look … ” Farley says, before firing and missing, not once, not twice but six times, yelling out in famed Farley frustration (“GET IN THERE!”) after each brick.

In another, he’s North Carolina’s Michael Jordan in the 1982 title game, but instead of sinking the winning jumper from the wing, Farley decides to take a step-back 3 (he was ahead of his time on this), correctly pointing out in the end that college basketball did not have a 3-point line at the time.

But it’s the Laettner ad that’s so fantastic, so funny, so Farley.

“OK, I’m Christian Laettner,” the comedian begins, wearing a tight Duke uniform. “1992. Duke-Kentucky. Kentucky’s up by one, Christian’s got the ball. Two seconds left.”

Farley turns and faces five Kentucky defenders, life-sized cutouts made from plywood. He dribbles and shoots a turnaround jumper, just as Laettner did that memorable afternoon in Philadelphia in the East Regional final.

Nope.

“Off the glass!”

“Gets his own rebound!”

Miss.

“Loose ball!”

Farley dives and knocks over a Kentucky cutout. Finally, he banks in a layup and raises his arms in celebration.

“Duke wins! Game of the century,” Farley yells. “And that’s the way it happened! … Well, almost.”

Actually, this is how it happened.

In 1993, Glenn Cole worked at Wieden+Kennedy, an ambitious advertising firm based in Portland, Ore. Although it’s a global agency today, Wieden+Kennedy back then devoted a bulk of its resources to one client, Nike. It was known for “Bo Knows” and for Mars Blackmon telling Jordan, “Money, it’s gotta be the shoes.”

A copy writer, Cole, 24, was the youngest at the firm. A former sprinter at the University of Oregon, he loved the creativity and story-telling advertising provided, especially at Wieden+Kennedy. He described himself in that environment as an “idiot who was an intern half a minute ago.” But his superiors thought enough of him to assign him an ESPN campaign that came with a simple task.

Promote college basketball.

“Got the keys to this kind of cool car. Nobody’s looking at it,” said Cole, referring to all the attention the firm gave to Nike. “I have an ESPN basketball campaign. I watch a lot of ‘Saturday Night Live.’ And I was obsessed with Chris Farley.”

Cole had an idea. A common basketball moment — playing solo on a playground. Tie game. Clock winds down. 3 … 2 … 1.

Yet the shot seldom drops. The countdown resets. No game-winning heroics, only an asphalt do-over.

“And so I thought that’d be funny to kind of screw with that trope,” Cole said. “And then I was like, ‘Oh my God, Chris would be the perfect person to do that.’”

Approaching 30, Farley was a rising star. The New York Daily News had called him the breakout performer of SNL’s latest season, one who had brought the same sort of “volcanic, magnetic energy” as Eddie Murphy and John Belushi before him. His talent and comedy had started to transfer to the big screen. “Tommy Boy,” which starred Farley and David Spade, would open in 1995.

Even better in this case: Farley was a sports fan. Growing up in Madison, Wis., he had played hockey and football. At Marquette, he had played club rugby. At SNL, he played pickup hoops with cast mates at 76th Street Basketball Court at Riverside Park.

“Chris was a gifted physical comedian,” said Doug Robinson, Farley’s agent. “And a lot of people don’t know that Chris really was a tremendous athlete. He moved really well. He loved sports. So if Chris was going to do physical comedy, he was going to commit to whatever it is that he did.”

Cole flew to Los Angeles to pitch the concept to Farley. ESPN asked if he had a back-up plan in case Farley declined. “Of course,” Cole said.

Actually, he did not.

“I remember thinking, ‘This is a long shot,’” said Beth Barrett, a producer on the campaign. “It was back in the time when it wasn’t as common as it is now for celebrities and celebrity athletes and comedians and musicians to sell out to commercials. It was almost like a bad thing to be in a commercial.”

Cole met Farley in Farley’s hotel suite. Farley wore a tweed suit, disheveled by design. Cole pitched his vision, and Farley grasped it immediately. The comedian got off the couch and started acting out the Laettner spot. He knocked over a vase, which made Cole instantly realize: “Oh, I have to get something for you to knock over.”

“Yeah, this sounds like a lot of fun,” Cole remembers Farley saying. “Let’s do it.”

The spots were shot days later at a Los Angeles studio. Today, a celebrity likely would show up with an entourage of sorts. But back then, Larry Frey, the creative director on the campaign, recalls Farley’s manager arriving early and Farley pulling up later by himself. Spade dropped in around lunchtime.

“He was literally like a 10-year-old kid, and they just called recess,” Frey said. “Full of energy. Like, ‘Hey, guys! I’m probably going to screw it up today.‘ Super self-deprecating. Super enthusiastic. And just winging it.”

They shot the Michigan and North Carolina spots first, mostly because Cole knew what Farley had planned for Laettner and did not want to risk his star getting hurt.

(In addition to the ads, Farley also shot a series of promos that never aired. In the one below, Farley holds two stuffed animals and pantomimes a conversation about an upcoming rivalry game. Of course, the mascots soon attack each other, and then Farley, and the promo ends with a trademark Farley outburst.)

For the Laettner spot, Cole provided simple instructions.

“Look, I’m going to put you at the 3-point line,” he recalled telling Farley. “We’re going to start this play the way everybody remembers it in our collective memory. And then look, man, try and make the shot, but if you don’t, just hurry up and try to finish the play and surprise me.”

Farley, unleashed.

Farley at his best.

He barreled through cutouts of former Kentucky standouts Deron Feldhaus, John Pelphrey and Travis Ford, knocking them to the floor.

“A whirlwind,” Barrett said.

Good ideas don’t always translate. Cole knew instantly this one did.

“In every single one of them, right after the first take of every spot — all three — I was like, ‘Ah, f—, this is going to be incredible,’” he said.

In “The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts,” authors Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby describe this period as the highpoint of Farley’s life.

The comedian had battled drug and alcohol addiction, but after a trip to an Alabama rehab facility, he was trying to stay clean. Farley was confident and self-assured, the authors wrote, but it ultimately was a losing battle. In 1997, Farley died of an overdose at age 33.

When Cole and Barrett look back on that day in Los Angeles, the experience stands out as much as the finished product. Farley had performed as usual on camera. (After every take, he’d ask: “Was that funny?”) But he was also personable and engaging the entire eight hours he was there.

“We’d go hang out in the green room between set-ups and he asked questions and was interested in other people,” Barrett said. “And just (be) kind of a goof. It was just one of those experiences that was pretty rare in advertising where you actually really got to know somebody by the end of the day. It was pretty great.”

Farley and Cole had connected so well, riffing back and forth, exchanging ideas, Farley had asked him if he had interest in writing for him at SNL. Cole panicked, thinking, “What if I can’t jam out great stuff every week?” It was an incredible offer, but Cole loved what he was doing. He declined.

“That was my third project in advertising as I recall, but it was the first one where I felt like I was collaborating with somebody to make something better than I or he could make independently,” said Cole, who today is co-founder and chairman at 72andSunny, a global ad agency.

A year or two after the commercials aired, Laettner walked on a jetway, about to board a plane. He does not remember which airport or where he was headed, but as soon as he boarded he spotted a familiar face sitting in first class. It was Farley.

Like most celebrities, Farley was looking down, trying not to get noticed, but he made eye contact with Laettner. Farley stood, and the basketball star and comedian embraced and shared a laugh.

“Awesome commercial,” Laettner told him.

Chris Farley and Glenn Cole, backstage at the college basketball commercial shoot. (Courtesy of Glenn Cole)

(Top illustration: Daniel Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos and videos courtesy of Glenn Cole)

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March 12, 2024
RJ Davis sets a Smith Center record with 42 points. And UNC needed every one of them

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Chapel Hill

Standing roughly on Bryson City on the outline of the state on the Smith Center floor — a figurative 280 miles from Chapel Hill and a literal 28 feet from the basket — R.J. Davis put to the test the theory that he could score from just about anywhere Monday night.

And he did. From the left wing. From the right wing (mostly). From the logo. From more places and more times than anyone else had before him.

With a Smith Center-record 42 points, Davis not only accounted for more than half of North Carolina’s offense in a nail-biting 75-71 win over Miami, he put on the kind of unprecedented individual display that carved out new space in the very thick UNC record book.

North Carolina’s R.J. Davis (4) drives to the basket against Miami’s Kyshawn George (7) in the first half on Monday, February 26, 2024 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Davis scored 21 points in the first half. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com

“Once I get my groove like that, it feels like I can’t miss,” Davis said. “I feel like I should have had 50. I missed free throws and whatnot. I just felt good. The shots felt good. The ball felt good. Everything felt great tonight.”

He was often open. But when Miami was in his face, he stepped back for more space. All the way to the logo, if that’s what it took.

“When he hit 30, with that little snatch-back on Matthew (Cleveland), I was like ‘Oh my God,’” Harrison Ingram said. “I was just smiling like, ‘You nice.’”

Whatever uncertainty there may have been about Davis’ candidacy for ACC player of the year, even as the front-runner, Monday removed all doubt.

Kyle Filipowski, Hunter Sallis, P.J. Hall? Fine players all. But there’s no more explosive or dangerous player in the ACC than Davis, and this was his finest performance yet, one that will unquestionably win over any voters left on the fence.

And did the Tar Heels ever need all of it.

Miami, playing without Nijel Pack and Wooga Poplar, proved surprisingly difficult to dismiss, even with Davis on this heater, in part because Bensely Joseph and Norchad Omier both hit the 20-point mark — Hurricanes big man Omier with a career-high four 3-pointers — and in part because Davis got almost no help.

Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com

Every other Tar Heel finished in single digits: Armando Bacot with five points on only four shot attempts; Cormac Ryan with seven and Harrison Ingram with eight, both on 3-for-13 shooting; a paltry five bench points.

The Tar Heels couldn’t even put away the win at the free-throw line in the final minute. Davis went 1-for-2, Bacot missed a pair and Seth Trimble went 1-for-2 before Ja’Lyn Withers finally gave North Carolina a two-possession lead at the finish.

“It was a valiant effort,” Miami coach Jim Larranaga said. “But R.J. Davis had the answer every time we made a run. He’s a fantastic player.”

North Carolina’s R.J. Davis (4) launches a wide open three-point shot in the second half against Miami on Monday, February 26, 2024 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Davis led North Carolina with 42 points in their 75-71 victory. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com

Along with his 42 points, Davis picked up the 500th rebound of his career Monday, making him the first player in UNC history with 1,800 points, 200 3-pointers, 500 rebounds and 300 assists and tied him with Brad Daughtery for 10th all-time in scoring. Along with breaking Tyler Hansbrough’s building record, he put up a scoring gap over his teammates not seen since the days of Lennie Rosenbluth or George Glamack.

And after a 1-for-14 effort in Saturday’s win at Virginia, Davis still had something to prove Monday. He certainly put on a show. By halftime, when he was announced but not honored with North Carolina’s other scholar-athlete award winners, he already had 21.

He ended the first half with a basket and started the second with another. Midway through the second, when North Carolina needed a bucket, the Tar Heels ran a play to get Davis a look on the right wing. He missed. Next possession, different play, same look. This time, Davis was fouled. In one 192-second stretch of the second half, he hit four 3-pointers on five possessions.

“I know he hadn’t scored 42 points, but the type of performance he had tonight he’s been having all season,” North Carolina coach Hubert Davis said. “He put the team on his back. It wasn’t just his points. I thought he was great defensively. He took care of the basketball. Distributed. Rebounded. Boxed out. We needed every bit of his 42 tonight. He was fantastic.”

North Carolina’s R.J. Davis (4) leaves the court following a career night, scoring 42 points in the Tar Heels’ 75-61 victory over Miami, on Monday, February 26, 2024 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com

At some point, Davis figured out — or realized it had been decided for him — that on this night, the Tar Heels’ only path to victory was R.J. Davis shooting them to a win. On a night when it came down to the final play, every one of his shots mattered.

Sometimes, the best player wins.

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Luke DeCock’s Latest: Never miss a column on the Canes, ACC or other Triangle sports

This story was originally published February 26, 2024, 10:36 PM.

Sports columnist Luke DeCock joined The News & Observer in 2000 and has covered seven Final Fours, the Summer Olympics, the Super Bowl and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup. He is a past president of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, was the 2020 winner of the National Headliner Award as the country’s top sports columnist and has twice been named North Carolina Sportswriter of the Year.

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February 26, 2024
'She missed everything': Hubert Davis lost his best friend. Her memory fuels him

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Tell me about your mom.

Whoosh. Back to 1985. To the perfect family — Mom, Dad, older brother, younger sister — and their suburban Virginia home. Narrow driveway. Basketball hoop out front. That big window on your right when you walk in the front door, with a little ledge to sit on and peer out.

And the soundtrack to this memory? Maybe an old soap opera, playing in the living room background; “General Hospital” was always Mom’s favorite. Or maybe a Jackson 5 record on the turntable. Or a ball clanking off the driveway rim, then bounce-bouncing across the street. Or, more likely, the soft snap of the net as the boy’s ball fell through.

“Just a loving home,” Hubert Davis says, beaming. “Just … great.”

Until it wasn’t. Until Mom — Bobbie Webb Davis — got that canker sore in her mouth in December 1985. Five trips to the doctor in a month, different medicines to squash the sore. None of ’em worked. Then the sixth trip, and a biopsy.

The one that revealed Mom, the boy’s best friend, had oral cancer.

Hubert doesn’t remember the exact date — sometime around Christmas — but he never forgot the day. Hearing the diagnosis from his parents. Mom settling into her living room chair. Him crawling into her lap, at 15 years old, and just … sobbing. Dad walking straight out the back door and into the woods behind the house. Alone.

The chemo came next, and fast. Dad, the family’s provider, couldn’t take off work to drive Mom to her radiation sessions — so Hubert, with his learner’s permit, did. Mom had been his chauffeur growing up, shuttling him to church (even against his will) or to practice. But these times, when he and Mom would pile into the car — usually his brown Lincoln Town Car, but sometimes her beige Mustang, the one Dad bought her that she called “Betsy” — the roles were reversed.

“Those were some of the — no, the most special times that I ever had with my mom,” Hubert says, “because it was just me and her in the car.”

And they’d just talk, the whole way. About life. Family. Goals. Forever things. Conversations you can’t get back. Once they arrived, Hubert waited outside, only entering the office to walk her back to the car. “He definitely was a soldier,” his father, Hubert Sr., says. “I mean, he cared for her. Attended to her needs. Everything.” Through all the blasts of radiation, the poking and prodding, Mom never missed any of his football or basketball games. Even after her initial operation at Johns Hopkins, riddled with tubes and stuck in a wheelchair, she was in the stands of some dimly lit gym to watch her son.

“She had a scar here,” Hubert remembers, running a finger down the length of the left side of his neck, “but this is who my mom was.”

Suddenly, from his seat on the couch in his office, Hubert looks up, out of a storytelling trance — one where North Carolina’s 53-year-old head coach, at times, is indistinguishable from his 15-year-old self.

“I mean, everything that I do, I just think about her and I want to make her proud. But, you know, the thing of it is, you think that’s horrible, you move on … but it actually gets worse.”

Tonight, Davis’ ninth-ranked Tar Heels will take on No. 5 Connecticut in Madison Square Garden as part of the 29th annual Jimmy V Classic. The event and the organization it supports — the V Foundation for Cancer Research — are named for legendary NC State coach Jim Valvano, who coached the rival Wolfpack during Hubert’s playing days at UNC. In the final months of Valvano’s battle with adenocarcinoma, back in 1993, he (with the help of ESPN) created the V Foundation in hopes of discovering a cure.

Since its inception, the V Foundation has awarded $353 million in cancer research grants, including a record $43 million this year.

Like most families, North Carolina basketball is keenly aware of the disease’s devastation. ESPN personality and UNC alum Stuart Scott died of appendiceal cancer in 2015, a year after he received the Jimmy V Award. Eric Montross, an All-American center on UNC’s 1993 national championship team, recently stepped away from the program’s radio broadcast crew after his cancer diagnosis. Former head coach Roy Williams — who lost both parents to cancer — organized a benefit breakfast when he returned to the university in 2003.

And then there’s Hubert, and his mom.

He still remembers the first thing she lost.

Her voice.

Hubert can still hear it, faintly, that protective tone, barking out anytime a driveway pickup game between father and son got too physical for her liking. Once, Hubert Sr. remembers, he swatted one of Hubert’s “weak” layup attempts, and there went Mom, screaming out the entryway, scolding her husband from the front porch: You can’t do that to him!

“Loved her son,” Hubert Sr. remembers, chuckling. “Protective of him.”

But that was before the cancer metastasized in her tongue. Mom resorted to note-writing. “Her handwriting was beautiful,” Hubert says of her cursive. “Just beautiful.” Hubert still has the notes, almost all of them, even the ones she wrote to Dad.

Then, as Hubert says, his voice fading off: “It went quick.” Mom grew thin, ravaged by cancer. All that chemo. She dropped to 70 pounds. One day, Hubert called his dad at work and asked why Mom was walking funny. Limping. Hubert Sr. immediately took her to the doctor.

The cancer had metastasized again, now into her legs.

That was June 1986.

Doctors told Hubert Sr. the truth: His wife had six or so weeks left. Maybe. If she was lucky.

To that point, the things Mom loved — volunteering with special needs children at their church, daily 3 p.m. soap opera sessions — had slowly been replaced by car rides. Doctors’ offices. Hospital visits … and less time at home, curled up in her chair. But in June, the ratio flipped back.

Not because Bobbie Webb was improving. Because she wasn’t.

Doctors warned Hubert Sr. that his wife’s cancer was, essentially, a wildfire. By the end of summer, it was nipping at an artery — and no one needed to see what happened if it got any closer. Certainly not Hubert, or his younger sister.

So, hospice.

An ambulance came. Hubert sat on the ledge at the front window, watching Mom leave the house. They made eye contact through the pane. “I looked at her and she looked at me, and we didn’t say anything,” he remembers. “And it was almost like, this is the last time I’m going to see her.” Dad went to stay with her. Hubert, barely 16 then, had to be the adult for his sister, still only 10. And then Dad came home, after only a week away.

Hubert Sr.’s voice drops to a whisper: “She was gone.”

It was a Sunday. Aug. 31, 1986. Two days before the start of Hubert’s junior year.

“I just lost it,” Hubert says.

He went upstairs to his bedroom, and punched a wall until the knuckles on his shooting hand were bloody.

The wake was that week. One last chance to see Mom. But when Hubert touched her hand, “I cannot explain the jolt that went through my body,” he says. “I never want to feel that again. Never.” The funeral was the next weekend, in Winston-Salem, N.C., where she’d grown up … but Hubert couldn’t bring himself to go.

He stayed with his coach instead, and played in a game that Friday.

“I didn’t want her to go underground,” he mutters. “I didn’t want to see that.”

Then came the armor. Resentment, doubt and hatred make for potent ingredients. “Hubert was really, really, really bitter,” his dad says. “He just couldn’t understand why God would do something like that.” Mom had taken him to church as a child, taught him the Lord’s Prayer. But what reason did he have now to believe? To pray?

“I hated God for so long,” Hubert says. “What kind of God does that? Why would you take my mom away? What kind of plan and purpose is that crap?”

Dad begged him to go to church. Hubert refused. Instead, he poured himself into basketball. “It was an escape,” he says. “That was my place where I could take a deep breath.” More shots in the driveway. Fewer clanks off the rim. The net whistled, over and over, Hubert perfecting the jump shot for which he’d later be known.

“It hardened me,” Hubert says. “Some people ask, do you think I would have made it to the NBA without my mom dying? And I answer them: I don’t know. I dove into the gym even more.”

UNC, his forever dream school, eventually came calling. He was offered a scholarship, but without any promise he’d ever play. Good enough. Hubert leaped at the chance — and even when he rode the bench, when he doubted whether he belonged, he thought back to his mom and rededicated himself. Basketball adversity? Please. His minutes, his shooting percentage, all small potatoes.

The pain never faded. But it softened, some. Before Hubert’s junior season at North Carolina, he went to church one morning with his coach, Dean Smith, and was asked if he’d like to chat more about Christianity on campus. Tears, immediately, uncontrollable. He remembered his dad’s message, right after Mom passed: “Don’t dwell on the fact that she’s gone; dwell on the fact that you had her for 16 years.” He became a Christian again, right then, even tattooing a cross on his left bicep, with JESUS written inside it.

And tattooed on his other bicep?

Also all caps: BOBBIE.

UNC head coach Hubert Davis says of his mother’s death: ‘It hardened me.’ (Grant Halverson / Getty Images)

Eventually Hubert’s NBA dreams came true. He married, had three kids of his own. His oldest son? Elijah Webb Davis. And his daughter? Bobbie Grace.

“I got it all over the place,” Hubert says of his mother’s memory.

But for the longest time, decades, that’s all Mom was: a memory. He didn’t speak about her, or how her death fueled him, publicly. Then, in 2008, Williams — who helped recruit Hubert to UNC, as part of Smith’s staff — asked Hubert if he’d be the guest speaker at his annual cancer breakfast.

Hubert was inclined to say no. Armor. “Why am I gonna raise money? Why am I going to bring awareness?” he thought. “Like, honestly, I don’t care. Not in a mean way, but, like — I care about my mom being here. I don’t care about that. I want my mom.”

But he knew Williams. Trusted there was a good reason he, of all people, was being invited to speak. He relented — and finally dropped the armor.

“Why I did that — and it changed me — is because two things,” Hubert says. “One, it’s not about a cure. It could give somebody, maybe, a couple of extra months. And if this can give a cure — where somebody doesn’t have to go through what I went through — or I can give them a couple extra months to have more moments and memories, then I lay down every day for that.

“So that’s why I’ve been vocal about it, and support the Jimmy V Foundation, Stuart Scott, everything: Because it will help — maybe not cure — but help people have a little bit more time. And that gives me great joy: that somebody would have a little bit more time than I did.”

It’s hard to balance. That love, those happy ideals, where Mom would fit into the life he’s built for himself. Where she’d sit in the Dean Smith Center to watch him coach.

That’s what he never got past. What no one does.

“She wasn’t there to see me play here,” he says. “She wasn’t there when I got drafted. She wasn’t there when I got married. She wasn’t there for the birth of my three kids. My kids don’t have a grandmother. She’s not here now. You know, like, she missed everything. And so you think: She’s gone at 16, this sucks. Yes — but it actually gets worse. And that’s the thing that people, you know, don’t realize. That pain never …”

Pause. Deep breath. He’s fighting.

“You manage and move on,” Hubert finally settles on, “but that mourning absolutely never goes away.”

GO DEEPER

Men’s college basketball power rankings: It’s time to pay attention to Illinois

(Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; photos: Grant Halverson / Getty Images, Courtesy of the Davis family)

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December 10, 2023