CHAPEL HILL, NC — North Carolina coach Hubert Davis met with reporters Friday afternoon as part of a press conference ahead of the Tar Heels’ ACC basketball game on Saturday against the visit of Notre Dame (11:30 a.m., ESPN2).
UNC is coming off an 88-79 loss to Wake Forest on Wednesday night, a second-half victory fueled by the Tar Heels’ 51-point second-half on 60% shooting from the field. RJ Davis scored 27 points, kicking in 22 in the second half. UNC (10-5 overall, 2-2 ACC) got smaller in the final 14 minutes of the game with the three-guard lineup of Seth Trimble, Caleb Love and Davis alongside forward Leaky Black and the big man Armando Bacot, a necessary movement in some respects. . by Pete Nance’s old number. Nance started Wednesday night, but played less than two minutes.
Notre Dame (8-7, 0-4) lost 70-63 at Boston College on Tuesday night, has lost five of its last six games and has beaten only Jacksonville since Dec. 11. 7. Here are our execution notes of what Davis said Friday at the Smith Center…
–Nance (sore/stiff back) will play Saturday if he feels up to it, Davis said. “His back has improved every day” since the Wake Forest game, Davis said. Forward Nance started as usual that night but had to be substituted after just 1:56 of playing time.
Davis said Nance’s back was no problem in the period between Dec. 1 from UNC. 30 loss in Pittsburgh and Wednesday night. “I didn’t even think it would become a problem,” Davis said. But Nance was grimacing immediately after the ball jump that announced the Wake Forest game.
–The minutes forwards Jalen Washington and Justin McKoy came off the UNC bench after Nance’s exit against Wake Forest “really helped us,” Davis said. Washington was the first sub the Tar Heels called on, at 6:04 p.m. into the first half. His face-up jumper on the baseline provided UNC’s biggest lead of the first half at 26-18.
Davis praised McKoy’s defense. “He had energy, effort and enthusiasm on the court,” Davis said. McKoy played a season-high 17 minutes and contributed two points and two rebounds. Washington had two points and two rebounds, and was held to one score by picking up three fouls.
McKoy “has always been someone who works extremely hard, has always been someone who’s ready whenever his number is called,” Davis said. “That’s why he’s so valuable to us.”
— Davis said “It’s important to understand who you’re playing against” as he assessed Saturday’s game against an older, more experienced Notre Dame team. The Fighting Irish have four veteran starters who have remained with the program as alumni. “Their lineup, they’ve been through it before,” Davis said. “They’ve been in tough situations.”
Davis called Notre Dame a skilled passing team. With 6-foot-4 JJ Starling, 6-5 Cormac Ryan, 6-5 Trey Wertz and 6-6 Dane Goodwin on the court, the Irish can activate defense at multiple positions, Davis said.
–UNC forced Wake Forest to seven second-half turnovers, five of which came in the final nine minutes of the game and led to scores for the Tar Heels in transition. UNC finished with a 32-8 advantage in quick points.
Does Davis consider the three-guard formation of Trimble, Love and RJ Davis paired with Black and Bacot a defensive breakthrough? “I wouldn’t consider it a breakthrough,” Davis said, “but I would consider it a model of how we can play defense.”
Davis said this group provided solid defense against the ball and played with physicality, energy and effort. “Probably one of the best, if not the best, defensive stretches we’ve played all year,” Davis said. “It allowed us to be even better and more efficient on the attacking side.”
– Davis said Bacot senior stepped up his communication and leadership, “which I loved.” Bacot has become a guiding voice when UNC meets, Davis said, adding that this is an area where he has encouraged Bacot to expand his influence.
Bacot leads ACC players in goals and rebounds this season. He’s averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds over the past six games since returning from the bruised right shoulder that forced him to miss the Tar Heels’ December game. 4 loss at Virginia Tech. Davis said Bacot was running the floor with more purpose and working harder to create a low-post position earlier in possessions. “Both of those areas, I think, have improved tremendously since he came back from injury,” Davis said.
– Love has gone just 7-for-28 from 3-point range the previous four games, including 3-for-17 in the last three games. “I’m not even looking at it because Caleb has a (difficult) stretch,” Davis said Friday. “I don’t look at Caleb that way. Caleb is a basketball player. He can dominate and change a game in many different areas, not just in shooting.
Davis said Love put on a special performance on defense Wednesday night, primarily when he faced Wake Forest guard Tyree Appleby (16-for-5 for 15 from the field). “That’s why I think he’s going to have a long career in the NBA,” Davis said. “He can do a number of different things, it’s not just dominate with his scoring or his 3-point shot.”
– “I’m not a New Year’s resolution guy,” Davis said. “I was never that.” But if the UNC coach had to make a decision, he said it would be up to the Tar Heels to reach their full potential and become the best team possible, and then live with the results of this adventure. season.
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