Head coach Hubert Davis’ time in Chapel Hill is officially over after five seasons. Davis’ tenure was defined by its high highs and low lows, and ultimately that inconsistency led to his dismissal.
Here are some of the best wins and worst losses from the Hubert Davis Era:
The Best Wins
Image via Todd Melet
UNC 93, No. 4 Duke 84 (March 5, 2022): A double-digit underdog after being blown out by Duke in Chapel Hill the previous month, the Tar Heels were unfazed by a manic atmosphere in Cameron Indoor Stadium for head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game. Carolina fought back from an early deficit, then pulled away from the Blue Devils in the second half to earn a stunning victory. Davis famously did not substitute any players in the second half, and the starting quintet of Caleb Love, R.J. Davis, Leaky Black, Brady Manek and Armando Bacot would later be dubbed the “Iron Five.” No. 8 UNC 81, No. 2 Duke 77 (April 2, 2022): A highly anticipated rematch from the game in Cameron less than a month earlier, UNC and Duke’s first ever meeting in the NCAA Tournament lived up to the hype. The two rivals exchanged the lead a whopping 18 times before Love finally delivered the dagger with a three-pointer in the final minute to give UNC a four-point lead. Love finished the game with 28 points. No. 17 UNC 100, No. 10 Tennessee 92 (Nov. 29, 2023): After a hugely disappointing 2022-23 season which saw UNC miss the NCAA Tournament entirely after debuting as preseason No. 1, the Tar Heels reannounced their presence as a national contender with this emphatic win. Carolina scored 61 points in the first half and led by 24 early in the second before holding off a furious comeback attempt from the Vols. (More on large UNC leads falling victim to comeback attempts later) No. 25 UNC 87, No. 19 Kansas 74 (Nov. 7, 2025): Caleb Wilson’s coming-out party on a primetime stage saw him outduel top-ranked Jayhawk prospect Darryn Peterson. Wilson scored 24 points to help UNC overcome a nine-point halftime deficit and shoot a blistering 24-36 (66.7 percent) in the second half. It was Carolina’s first win against Kansas since the 2002-03 season.Caleb Wilson dunks while Seth Trimble celebrates during UNC’s 87-74 win against Kansas on Nov. 7, 2025. (Image via Todd Melet)
No. 14 UNC 71, No. 4 Duke 68 (Feb. 7, 2026): UNC did not hold a lead in this game until quite literally the last second. The Blue Devils led for much of the evening, but a pair of three-pointers from Derek Dixon and Henri Veesaar tied the game at 68-68 entering the final minute. After a pair of empty Blue Devil possessions, UNC called timeout with 10 seconds remaining to set up a play. That play saw Dixon cut into the paint and kick the ball out to Seth Trimble in the corner, and the senior swished the go-ahead three with 0.4 seconds left on the clock. The buzzer initially sounded in the Dean Smith Center, leading fans to storm the floor. As officials ruled there was still time remaining, the fans had to clear the court. Duke was not able to conjure a miracle in the final 0.4 seconds, and the fans stormed the floor again. No. 8 UNC 93, No. 1 Baylor 86 (OT) (March 19, 2022): The Tar Heels took it to the defending national champion Bears early and often in this NCAA Round of 32 matchup. Carolina used a flurry of threes from R.J. Davis in the first half to build a 13-point lead at the break. In the second half, it was Brady Manek who caught fire from downtown with his own three-point barrage. A Manek three gave UNC a 67-43 lead with 10 minutes remaining, but the game would change when Manek was ejected for a flagrant two foul. The Bears used that momentum to mount a desperate comeback and force overtime. In the overtime, a key three-point play from Davis ensured Baylor’s comeback would not result in a win. Davis finished with a (then) career high 30 points.The Worst Losses
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) dejects after a loss in over time to Virginia Commonwealth during the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
No. 1 Kansas 72, No. 8 UNC 69 (April 4, 2022): Carolina had seemingly carried the momentum from its semifinal win vs. Duke over to Monday night against the Jayhawks. UNC led by 16 late in the first half and by 15 at halftime. The Tar Heels were 20 minutes away from the program’s seventh NCAA title. But Kansas exploded out of the locker room, erasing the deficit seemingly instantly and even leading by six points midway through the second half. Carolina managed to recover and actually led by a point in the final minutes, but a late injury to Armando Bacot hobbled an already thin UNC roster, and Kansas was able to manufacture key baskets down the stretch to win the title. Carolina’s 15-point halftime lead was the largest ever by a losing team in the championship game. No. 10 NC State 84, No. 1 UNC 76 (March 16, 2024): UNC’s best shot at an ACC Tournament title since 2016 fell by the wayside in favor of a miraculous NC State run which saw the Wolfpack win five games in five days. Carolina had beaten NC State twice in the regular season, but none of that mattered on this night as the Pack pulled away in the second half front of incredulous fans of both sides in Washington, D.C. It was the only time Carolina appeared in the ACC championship game under Davis’ leadership.R.J. Davis walks off the court in Washington, D.C. after UNC fell to NC State 84-76 in the 2024 ACC Tournament championship game. (Image via Todd Melet)
No. 4 Alabama 89, No. 1 UNC 87 (March 28, 2024): UNC’s most well-rounded team of Davis’ tenure saw its season end prematurely in the NCAA Sweet 16. The Tar Heels initially looked ready for the challenge of Alabama’s hyper-speed offensive system, closing the first half on a 23-10 run to lead 54-46 at halftime. But the Tide would not let up, pushing the pace at every opportunity and eventually wearing Carolina down enough to steal a win with late baskets from Mark Sears and Grant Nelson. It was the final collegiate game for UNC standout Armando Bacot. No. 11 VCU 82, No. 6 UNC 78 (OT) (March 19, 2026): The last game of Hubert Davis’ time at UNC was an unfortunate summation of the frustrations of his tenure. The Tar Heels led by 19 points midway through the second half, but the upstart Rams steadily chipped away at that deficit and took advantage of several UNC mental errors to force overtime. In the overtime period, Carolina would not make a shot from the floor and missed several key free throws, helping the Rams earn the upset. UNC’s 19-point lead was the largest ever overcome in the history of the first round of the NCAA Tournament. No. 2 Duke 87, UNC 70 (Feb. 1, 2025): This game was never as “close” as the final score indicated. With a loaded roster featuring future NBA lottery picks Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, Duke trounced the overmatched Tar Heels early and led 40-13 after 15 minutes. Only a better UNC performance in the second half prevented this from getting into truly historic blowout territory.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
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