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CHARLOTTE – Players usually hear what is said about them, and in the social media age, it’s almost impossible to keep them from what North Carolina Coach Hubert Davis calls “the noise.”

But that doesn’t mean Davis doesn’t preach to them the importance of blocking it out. He isn’t a fool, he knows it’s there. But being wise about how to process what is said – both the positive and negative – was a key component in last year’s team plowing through a difficult period and eventually reaching the national championship game.

Only last winter, the noise had an ugly tint at times. UNC fans have extremely high expectations, understandably so, and the Tar Heels weren’t exactly meeting them. Made more difficult that Davis was in his first year at the helm having replaced legendary coach Roy Williams, the heels were successful from allowing negatives to seep in.

Now, the noise has a reverse tone.

“It's the same approach this year compared to last year,” Davis said about reminding his guys to block out what is said and written about them. “The only difference between last year and this year is the outside noise. Last year, the outside noise didn't think we had a chance. The outside noise this year thinks we do have a chance.”

Carolina is already ranked number one in most preseason publications, and is the preseason No. 1 team in the Associated Press poll released last week. They are getting lathered with love right now, but that wasn’t the case last winter.

Caleb Love knew it. So did RJ Davis and Leaky Black and Armando Bacot. Brady Manek heard it, too, and the players spoke about it during their NCAA Tournament run. Bacot still does, maybe because it doesn’t affect him one way or the other.

“I think it’s your approach,” the senior forward said. “Me, I’m the type of person that I like to see the bad stuff said about me because I really laugh at it. Things like that don’t affect me, what people say about me. I don’t really care.”

“I don’t mind noise, but I guess not letting it affect us and not letting it change the way we play just because somebody said this and said that. Just focus in on the team aspect. For some guys, noise does affect them and they can’t see stuff like that. He just wants us to do what’s best in terms of not distracting us.”

The fascinating thing about dealing with distractions is that comes with the territory at UNC. The high profile of the program and extensive rabid fan base that shows up wherever the Tar Heels go keep them on a pedestal at all times, regardless of performance.

Blocking it out may have been difficult two years ago during the Covid season when the team slogged through an 18-11 season getting blown out by Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. With no classes on campus, the players never got the “atta boys” that are common for Carolina basketball players.

They did last season, and some of the scorn for their off-and-on struggles. The mental strength built dealing with all of that they believe will help this season when the fan base has a national-title-or-bust mindset.

Of course, the players do, too.

“Coach Davis always preaches, a lot of outside noise, we don't really worry about any of that,” Love said. “We just focus on our team and us getting better and better each and every day.”

The noise is always there at UNC, and this older, mature group is no longer fazed by it.