CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina Coach Hubert Davis met with the media Thursday afternoon at the Smith Center in advance of the Tar Heels’ exhibition game slated for Friday night versus Johnson C. Smith to discuss his team’s preparation for the season, various players, and more.

UNC is coming off a 29-10 season in which it lost in the national championship to Kansas by three points. And with four starters returning plus the addition of Northwestern transfer Pete Nance, the Tar Heels are the preseason No. 1 team in the nation.

Senior forward Armando Bacot is the preseason ACC Player of the Year and first-team All-America, and junior guard Caleb Love is preseason first-team All-ACC. Junior point guard RJ Davis is second-team preseason All-ACC.

Above is video of Davis’ presser, and below is the full transcript of what he had to say:

**************************************************************************************

Remember, for just $8.33 a month, YOU CAN BE A TAR HEELS INSIDER, TOO!!!

***************************************************************************************

Q: How excited is he to see his team in an actual game situation in front of a crowd and against an opponent Friday night?

DAVIS: “I'm really excited about getting out there on the floor and playing against an unbelievable opponent, John C. Smith. It's an emotional game for me because that's where my parents went to school. That's why we are playing them. I am really excited for our guys to get back out there on the floor. It's been over 200 days since the last time we played a different opponent. I am excited about our improvement, the things we have been working on and the things we want to get better at; and just giving the opportunity to get out in front of the crowd. It also signifies the season is really close, and that's something I'm really excited about.”

Q: How long will it take Davis to have a good feel for how Pete Nance and Armando Bacot complement each other on the court?

DAVIS: “I have a great idea of how they are going to complement each other already. They have been together for the past three and a half months. Specifically, in practice I put them together because in the four years Armando has been here, he has had four different running mates. So, it was really important for him and Pete to develop that type of chemistry, and I love the way they work together. Their skills complement each other, they enjoy being on the floor together, it just works. I am excited for everybody to see that on the floor tomorrow."

Q: Davis was asked about Armando Bacot’s growth from his freshman year to where he is now.

DAVIS: “Every year he just continues to improve. Specifically, from last year to this year, defensively, his intensity, the way he is guarding ball screens, he has always been able to guard guards on the perimeter. I feel like from a defensive standpoint, he is much improved, even though I thought he was very good last year. His attention to detail, his effort, his enthusiasm out there on the floor.

“Having that every day at practice from an experienced player is very valuable. From an offensive standpoint, he's gotten better at handling the basketball. A lot of times, when he gets a rebound at practice, I allow him to bring up the basketball and he makes good, distinctive plays. I think that's something he hasn't done in the past that I feel comfortable doing this season. He's getting more comfortable shooting from the outside. One of the things I do in practice is I tell him he has to shoot at least two threes at practice.

“His hard work over the summer, continuing to work on his perimeter game, I think it's going to take his game to an even different level. The way he rebounded last year, he's doing the same this year.”

Q: Bacot said Roy Williams and Davis have always gotten on him harder than they get on other players. Davis responded.

DAVIS: “One of the things I always tell the players is, it's a good thing when the coach talks to you. When a coach does say anything to you, as a player you should be worried. The worst year I had was a year when a coach didn't say anything to me. For Armando and all the players, one of the things we want from them, we want them to meet their individual dreams and goals. In order to do that, there is a level of commitment, desire and effort, and enthusiasm you have to bring on a daily basis.

“Things for Armando because he is so gifted, things at times come easy for him. One of the things I always tell the players, every player goes through this, whether it be high school, college or the NBA. You're always going to reach a level where everybody is able to do the same things you are able to do. When that happens, not if, when that happens how are you going to differentiate from another player that can do the same thing you can do and it's going to be the attention in the details, the fundamentals and hard work. That is something we talk about to Armando all the time.”

Q: Are you surprised by Pete Nance by what he has done so far?

DAVIS: “No, from a basketball standpoint, I have not been surprised at all. He's an accomplished player and he had an unbelievable career at Northwestern for four years. I am surprised he is with us and not in the nba. Where basketball is at right now, with mobile bigs that are super skilled that can do a number of things on both ends of the floor. He fits the type perfectly, 6’11 and can guard 1-5.

“When he rebounds the basketball, he brings the ball up the floor. From an offensive standpoint, from an offensively standpoint he can score in the post, attack the offensive glass, but he's an unbelievable passer or screener and shoots 45-percent from three at Northwestern. So, he can shoot the ball from the outside. One thing for me that is amazing, this is the only way it reminds me of Brady, he's only been here three and a half months and it feels like he's been here four years.

“The relationships he has with coaches and his teammates it's been seamless. It really has. To think four months ago I'd never even talked to or met Pete Nance and now I can't imagine him never being here or coaching him or him being a part of my life, I couldn't imagine that.”

Q: How much can Davis scout a player’s character, especially ones in the portal that he hadn’t been recruiting and getting to know for a couple of years?

DAVIS: "No, that's the cool thing about it. No Brady had never lived anywhere but other than Oklahoma before he came here, and he didn't even take a campus visit. I talked to him on a Tuesday and he committed on a Friday. I knew the game, but I didn't know the person. I knew Pete the game, but I didn't know the person. Obviously, we had conversations, he came for a visit, and we were able to spend time together, but you just never know. It hadn't been good, it's been unbelievably great.”

Q: Davis was asked about Caleb Love’s growth and what he is expecting Love to do even better this coming season.

DAVIS: “Caleb continues to improve every year. The Caleb this year does not compare to the Caleb this year. There are a number of variables, I feel like he has improved a lot. First, from a defensive standpoint, I think he can be a lockdown defender. His ability, athleticism, and size at the wing position he can do a number of things.

“He can change and affect the game of the defensive end and I really feel like coming into this year he really has a full understanding of that. From an offensive standpoint, he can score anytime anywhere, with the ball or without the ball in his hands. One of the things I challenge him to, and I really believe in this, is that he can lead the ACC in assists. His ability to create shots, not only for himself but for others, is a gift that he has, and I really encourage him to use that gift consistently out there on the floor.

“This is a thing you get with returning players, and you have consistency in terms of guys coming back. Caleb is like my second voice. He's talking to the teammates, he's echoing or even before I say something, he's saying something to the guys before I say it. Having that type of leadership and then combining that with his gifts on the floor, I just do, I just love coaching Caleb, I just do, I want things to work out for him and I want him to have another unbelievable season.”

Q: Black has been open discussing some of the anxiety he has faced in game situations, but he has grown through that and is a highly confident player on the floor now. How has Davis seen that process play out?

DAVIS: “I think that comes with experience and success out there on the floor. As I’ve said before, I make an argument that he’s the best defender in the country, and he’s also gifted on the offensive end with his size and athleticism to be able to score on the offensive end.

“Just over the years, he continues to grow, not only on the court but off the court. Having somebody that has been a part of this program with me or Coach Williams, is a huge benefit to have that type of experience not only on the floor but in the locker room.”

Q: UNC has picked to win the ACC, number one in the nation, and enters the season with incredibly high expectations, unlike last season. So, has Davis’ message to his team changed at all from a year ago?

DAVIS: “No, I haven’t shifted, I haven’t tweaked, I haven’t done anything. My communication with the team has been consistent and clear. The rankings, the noise, means absolutely nothing. One of the things I talked about last year, was I told the guys to put down or turn down the noise from the phone, family, and friends.

“It was coming from the direction of criticism. This year, it’s coming from a different direction, it’s coming from praise. And so one of the things I’ve talked to the team about every day is, ‘I know it’s coming from different directions, but it’s still noise. So, the noise of criticism or the noise of praise does nothing for us. It is of no benefit of us to be the best team that we need to be.

‘“Let’s just focus on what is real, and what is real is our preparation, our practice, and how hard we play. And if we check those three boxes, at the end of the day, you’ll be happy with the result. Those are the things that you have to focus on.’”

Q: Obviously, there has been an effort to not let out any information from the secret scrimmage against Rutgers, but what insight can Davis offer about his takeaways from how his team performed, what he liked, didn’t like?

DAVIS: “It was good because it highlighted and affirmed, for us, what is going to allow us to have success. And I was straight forward and direct with the team last year, and I’m straight forward and direct with the team this year about how important it is for us to check three boxes.

“The first one is we have to be a great defensive team. That was the biggest change for us last year is that we consistently became better defensively. We have to be a great rebounding team. I think we were one or two in terms of percentage defense rebounding, but we were a middle-of-the-road offensive rebounding team. I want to be better at that.

“And we have to take care of the basketball. That’s huge for us. And when we checked those three boxes, we were very successful. And so, in that’s scrimmage, it gave our guys a picture of how important that is, and when you do that, how successful we are as a team.”

Q: In what way is Davis more confident or better as a coach right now than he was this time a year ago before he’d ever coached a game?

DAVIS: “So many people ask me that question, ‘Is year two different than year one?’ I really don’t think it is. I’ve only been a head coach for one year, and right now I’m still in the position of listening and learning. I love being in that position to listen and learn, and I have a lot to listen to and I have a lot to learn as a head coach.

“But I do know this, I love being here, I love what I’m doing, I know why I’m here. I’m here to serve, I’m here to serve these kids, I’m here to serve this program and this university, and this community. And to think that I always wanted to be a part of this program; I was as a player, an assistant coach, and now in my second year as head coach, it puts a smile on my face.

“I’m right where I want to be, and I’m really excited about what this year is going to bring. I’m excited about what stories and memories we’re going to have with this year’s team.”