The University of North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team, a perennial power in NCAA Division I, is coached by Hubert Davis, who was elevated from associate head coach following Roy Williams' retirement on April 1, 2021.[1]
Davis, a former UNC guard from 1988 to 1992, guided the Tar Heels to the NCAA championship game in his debut 2021-22 season. North Carolina lost to Kansas 72-69 in the final on April 4, 2022, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.[2][3]
Williams coached UNC for 33 seasons, securing NCAA titles in 2005, 2009 and 2017, contributing to the program's six total championships.[1][4]
In the 2023-24 season, UNC compiled a 29-8 overall record and went 17-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play to win the regular-season title. The Tar Heels defeated No. 16 seed Wagner 86-67 in the NCAA tournament first round on March 21, 2024, before a 89-87 loss to No. 4 seed Alabama in the second round on March 24.[5][6][7]
| Season | Overall | ACC | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 29-10 | 15-5 (2nd) | NCAA Runner-up |
| 2022-23 | 20-13 | 11-9 (5th) | NIT Second Round |
| 2023-24 | 29-8 | 17-3 (1st) | NCAA Second Round |
The Tar Heels play home games at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a venue with a capacity of 20,711 opened in 1986.[8]
UNC alumni such as Kenny Smith, who played for the Tar Heels from 1984-1987 and earned ACC Player of the Year honors in 1986 and 1987, represent the program's enduring connections across eras. Smith now works as a basketball analyst.[9]
Sources
- University of North Carolina Athletics, "Roy Williams Announces Retirement; Hubert Davis Named 19th Head Coach In Tar Heel History", April 1, 2021, https://goheels.com/news/2021/4/1/mens-basketball-roy-williams-announces-retirement-hubert-davis-named-19th-head-coach-in-tar-heel-history.aspx
- University of North Carolina Athletics, "2021-22 Men's Basketball Season Recap", April 5, 2022, https://goheels.com/news/2022/4/5/mens-basketball-2021-22-season-recap.aspx
- ESPN, "Kansas vs. North Carolina (Apr 4, 2022) Final Score", April 4, 2022, https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game/_/gameId/401417889/kansas-north-carolina
- University of North Carolina Athletics, "Roy Williams (Hall of Fame bio)", accessed October 2024, https://goheels.com/honors/north-carolina-sports-hall-of-fame/roy-williams/9
- University of North Carolina Athletics, "2023-24 Men's Basketball Schedule and Results", accessed October 2024, https://goheels.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/2023-24
- University of North Carolina Athletics, "No. 1 North Carolina 86, Wagner 67 - March 21, 2024", March 21, 2024, https://goheels.com/game/51469/mens-basketball-wagner-vs-north-carolina
- University of North Carolina Athletics, "Alabama 89, No. 1 North Carolina 87 - March 24, 2024", March 24, 2024, https://goheels.com/game/51482/mens-basketball-alabama-vs-north-carolina
- University of North Carolina Athletics, "Dean E. Smith Center", accessed October 2024, https://goheels.com/facilities/dean-e-smith-center/14
- University of North Carolina Athletics, "Kenny Smith (Hall of Fame)", accessed October 2024, https://goheels.com/honors/north-carolina-sports-hall-of-fame/kenny-smith/23
