UNC basketball’s comeback win over Boston College brings relief, but also needed smiles
There was a point late in Hubert Davis’ press conference Friday when the North Carolina coach was asked about his team’s enthusiasm and energy in practice.
The Tar Heels had lost to Stanford, then Wake Forest. There seemingly was much uneasiness and worries among the UNC faithful. What about the players?
“I believe in this team,” Davis said. “I believe we’re nowhere close to reaching the full potential of what I think this team can be and become.
“I really believe the guys are starting to see it and starting to understand it. My hope is that they do. The confidence and enthusiasm and spirit is there …”
Davis paused, as he often does when trying to find the right words. At times, it’s hard to say if there is a tinge of emotion involved with his answers.
“They just want to play well … and I want that for them,” Davis said. “I like smiles on their faces as opposed to crying in the locker room. I want them happy.”
The crying, if that’s the case, could have continued Saturday at the Smith Center. Boston College, which was 1-7 in the ACC and deemed a 19.5-point underdog, came ever so close to extending the Tar Heels’ losing streak to three games.
Consider that the Heels were four points behind with 18.9 seconds left in the second half of the ACC game at the Smith Center. It was gut check time for the Tar Heels.
The Heels, after spending much of the game playing mediocre defense, responded by played menacing defense and forcing overtime. UNC then won it, 102-96.
UNC’s Seth Trimble, whose double-double (18 points, 12 rebounds) helped fuel the win, said there was a bigger sense of celebration than relief in the locker room.
No crying, not this day.
“We’ve got the smiles out today,” Trimble said, breaking into one. “But we definitely need to learn from this game. We walked away happy with a win but we know we’ve got to do better.”
Davis was not happy with the Heels’ defense. That was clear in the postgame. While lauding his team’s intense play late in regulation, forcing BC turnovers that got the Heels into OT, Davis noted the Eagles shot 54.5% from the field and made 14 of their 3-pointers.
“They hit shots because we gave them the rhythm to make shots,” Davis said. “Coming into this game, in terms of defensive percentage, we were No. 1 in the ACC and I felt like we were improving defensively. We’re doing a better job of protecting the paint, we’re No. 1 in terms of defending the 3. And our approach defensively (Saturday) was not good.”
Yes, the Heels rallied late in regulation by forcing an inbounds violation. Yes, they forced a turnover on another inbounds play when the Eagles were trying to set up a final possession — UNC freshman Drake Powell hounding the passer.
“In the overtime, we were locked down defensively and got the stops we needed, and the deflections and the steals we needed to be able to get us back in the game and then eventually to win it,” Davis said. “All the minutes leading up to that … just disappointing.”
But the Heels found a way to get it done, win it.
“They have found it when they have needed it,” Davis said. “And it’s needed at the jump ball.”
That is, the jump ball to start the game.
“That’s something that’s just going to have to change,” Davis said.
Trimble said both encouraging and some tough words were said in those timeout huddles late in the game. R.J. Davis spoke up, Trimble said. He spoke up, too.
“Whatever needs to spoken in that moment, some nice, some mean,” he said. “We have to hold each other accountable.”
Trimble also had a little talk — with himself. It was Trimble who was guarding Stanford’s Jaylen Blakes a week ago when Blakes hit the game-winner against UNC. It was Trimble who was guarding BC’s Joshua Beadle on Saturday when Beadle knocked down a floater from the left baseline for the four-point lead late in regulation.
“The same spot,” Trimble said. “I said no way that happens again, but it did.”
Trimble followed with two free throws, then tied the score with a basket. In the overtime, he scored with 1:42 left for a 98-96 lead and the Heels were on their way.
After the game, in the locker room, Hubert Davis mentioned the pride associated with the UNC program. He talked of how playing at North Carolina, and coaching at UNC and starting a family in Chapel Hill changed him.
“Playing here,” Davis said, “is more than just playing here. When you put on that uniform, when you’re in that locker room, when you run through that tunnel and you play on that floor, it’s more than just basketball.”
There was some emotion in the coach’s voice, Trimble said. It was all good, he said.
And smiles. There were smiles after this game.
This story was originally published January 26, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
