2/1/2024 basketball Edit

THI TV: Hubert Davis Pre-Duke Press Conference & Notes

Andrew Jones • TarHeelIllustrated

Publisher

Andrew Jones has covered sports for 26 years, including all major college & professional sports for daily newspapers & national sites. He's done radio and TV & is entering his seventh year at THI.

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CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina Basketball Coach Hubert Davis met with the media Thursday afternoon at the Smith Center to field questions about his teaming coming off a loss at Georgia Tech and looking ahead to hosting Duke on Saturday night.

The third-ranked Tar Heels host the No. 7 Blue Devils for a 6:30 PM tip in the first meeting between the rivals with both ranked in the top 10 since 2019. It is the 49th time both have been in the top 10 when they’ve met.

UNC is 17-4 overall and 9-1 in the ACC, while Duke is 16-4 and 7-2.

Above is video of Davis’ presser, and below are some notes from what he had to say:

*Carolina is coming off a 74-73 loss at Georgia Tech in which the Heels shot a season-low 36.4 percent from the floor, plus 9-for-17 from the free throw line. The Yellow Jackets converted9-for-20 from 3-point range, and the players Thursday called it a “trap game.” Davis discussed what he learned after watching the film.

*The players had a meeting in the locker room after returning from GT on Tuesday night, and spent about an hour-and-45 minutes discussing the loss, how they played, and getting their minds right for Duke. The coaches were not in there with them. The meeting started well after midnight. Davis was not in the meeting but shared his thoughts on it.

*Davis refuted the idea the Duke game is the biggest game of they year, saying “they’re all big,” and it’s no different than any other ACC game. He was asked about his memories of playing Duke as a player and said they were the same as playing any other team.

*The Heels losing Tuesday ended a 10-game win streak, and since Davis mentioned the undefeated 1976 Indiana team as an example in which teams aren’t perfect, he was asked if that is part of the message to the team coming after their first loss in a 45-day span.

*Both Davis and Duke Coach Jon Scheyer are former players at their schools who replaced legends, so they have shared similar experiences, but they don’t exactly compare notes together. The respect, however is there.

*While Davis treats the Duke game like any other, the players don’t, and acknowledge they don’t. So, as much as Davis keeps things normal, he was asked if having ESPN College GameDay in town for the game to affect the team’s routine any.