CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The University of North Carolina’s men’s basketball team is in trouble. Once seen as a contender for the NCAA Tournament, the Tar Heels are now stumbling through March with no clear path to success. Fans are frustrated. Players look lost. With Thursday’s 78-70 loss to Pittsburgh in the ACC Tournament, UNC’s season is slipping closer to disaster.
The Tar Heels (19-13 overall, 11-9 ACC) entered the 2023-24 season with high hopes. Star players like senior forward Armando Bacot and junior guard RJ Davis returned. New transfers joined the roster. But the team has failed to meet expectations. Thursday’s game summed up their problems. UNC shot just 39% from the field. They turned the ball over 15 times. Pittsburgh’s guards outscored UNC’s backcourt by 22 points.
“We’re not playing smart basketball,” head coach Hubert Davis said after the loss. “We have to figure this out quickly, or the season will be over.” But time is running out. The Tar Heels are now 2-7 in games decided by single digits this season. Their inability to win close games has haunted them.
Offensive Struggles
UNC’s offense has been inconsistent all year. Bacot, a preseason All-American, averages 14 points and 10 rebounds. But he has disappeared in big moments. Against Pittsburgh, he scored just 8 points. He attempted only six shots. “I need to be better,” Bacot admitted. “I’m letting my team down.”
The team’s three-point shooting is another issue. UNC ranks 245th nationally in three-point percentage (32.1%). Guards like Davis and freshman Elliot Cadeau struggle to create open looks. In Thursday’s loss, the Tar Heels made only 5 of 21 three-point attempts. “We’re not hitting shots,” Davis said. “It’s hard to win like that.”
Defensive Breakdowns
UNC’s defense has also collapsed. Last season, the Tar Heels allowed 72 points per game. This year, that number has jumped to 76. Opponents are shooting 45% from the field against them. Pittsburgh exploited this weakness. The Panthers scored 44 points in the paint. They attacked the rim relentlessly.
“Our defense is soft,” Bacot said. “We’re not communicating. We’re not helping each other.” Freshman guard Simeon Wilcher agreed. “We’re making the same mistakes every game. It’s frustrating.”
Leadership Questions
Fans are questioning Hubert Davis’s leadership. The second-year coach led UNC to the national championship game in 2022. But this season, his decisions have backfired. He has shuffled the starting lineup 12 times. Players say the rotations are confusing.
“I don’t know my role anymore,” said junior forward Harrison Ingram, a transfer from Stanford. “One game I’m starting. The next, I’m playing eight minutes. It’s tough.” Davis defended his approach. “We’re trying to find the right combinations,” he said. “But nothing is working.”
Fan Frustration Boils Over
UNC fans are losing patience. Social media is flooded with calls for Davis to be fired. At Thursday’s game, boos rang out as the Tar Heels walked off the court. “This is embarrassing,” said lifelong fan Michael Thompson. “We’re UNC. We don’t lose like this.”
The team’s NCAA Tournament hopes are fading. Most experts now project UNC as a No. 10 or 11 seed. If they make the tournament, they could face an early exit. “We don’t deserve a bid,” said ESPN analyst Jay Bilas. “They haven’t beaten a ranked team since December.”
What’s Next?
The Tar Heels will learn their tournament fate on Sunday. But even if they sneak in, few expect a deep run. The team lacks chemistry. Key players are underperforming. The coaching staff seems overwhelmed.
Some fans are already looking ahead to next season. UNC has a top-five recruiting class coming in. But that’s little comfort now. For a program with six national titles, this season feels like a waste.
“We’re better than this,” RJ Davis said. “We have to show it.” But with March slipping away, the Tar Heels are running out of chances.
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