DAYTON, OH – Walking around North Carolina’s locker room not far from the playing court at University of Dayton Arena on Monday night, and a common tune emanated from the mouths of the Tar Heels.
Even though it’s referred to as the “First Four,” or “play-in games,” this is the NCAA Tournament in every sense. A head start on the Thursday-Friday action might be embarrassing for a program of UNC’s brand and stature, but the Heels aren’t thinking anywhere on that stratosphere.
They also don’t care anymore what their Quad 1 record is, NET rankings, or what a nation of naysayers and critics and pushing. The Heels (22-13) have insulated and are galvanizing with a laser focus on San Diego State (21-9), their opponent Tuesday night.
“We’re dancing. We’ve got another opportunity to showcase what we’re capable of, and that’s really all that matters right now,” said graduate forward Jae’Lyn Withers.
The swell of negativity directed at the Tar Heels as the last team in the field, at the expense of West Virginia, and Bubba Cunningham has been impossible for the players to ignore.
Cunningham is UNC’s Athletics Director and also the head of the NCAA selection committee. He has taken a beating since the field was released Sunday evening. It’s gotten so bad his family has been harassed and threats were made to where a police presence at his house is necessary.
Verbal punches thrown at Cunningham are also thrown at them. And they’ve received their share as the 1-12 Quad 1 record has been a focal point by most national media instead of the whole of Carolina’s resume that includes only two wins over teams in the NCAA Tournament, and six Q1 losses by 13 or more points.
The team doesn’t seem bothered by it, though.
“The outside noise could definitely make us closer as a team and have more of a chip on our shoulder than we do already,” said freshman Ian Jackson.
More than anything, the Heels are setting out on a new mission. They know how well they closed the season winning eight of their last ten games by an average of 17 points. They have an idea their resume was better than the narrative being spun, and they know the words of others have no bearing on their coming performance(s).
There’s a vindication by validation deal here. The locker room chatter was about confidence, being loose, and also proving something.
“We’re going to prove we belong,” Seth Trimble said. “We know we do but we’ve got to validate it.”
When a few Tar Heels were told their Quad 1 record and NET metrics no long matter and Joe Lunardi isn’t important anymore, they smiled and even chuckled. It was easily understood what that meant.
And it wasn’t news. As soon as their name popped up on the CBS telecast Sunday evening, a new season of sorts was upon them.
“It’s a clean slate,” said RJ Davis. “We’re heading into March Madness with a zero-zero record and not worried about what happened in the past. That’s the main thing right now.”
Indeed it is.
