Hubert Davis’ postgame press conference went about as well as his team’s second-half performance Thursday night.
The embattled North Carolina coach did not offer much in a bizarre session after his sixth-seeded team choked away a 19-point lead in a stunning 82-78 overtime loss to VCU in the Round of 64.
The Tar Heels led 70-56 with 7:11 remaining before going cold, scoring just three points in overtime while missing all six shots in the extra session.
Davis had a particularly odd response to a reporter who asked what went wrong in the collapse against the 11th-seeded Rams.
“What do you mean?” Hubert said to a question that seemed rather straightforward.
After a follow-up asking about the offense that seemed unstoppable en route to building a 57-36 lead with roughly 15 minutes remaining, Davis offered a lengthier response that still didn’t get to the heart of how the Tar Heels could go from looking like world-beaters to barely functioning.
“Just because you miss a shot doesn’t mean something’s wrong. We had open looks, we had shots at the basket, we had executed plays and we missed eight free throws. Sometimes the ball doesn’t go in,” Davis said after a second straight first-round exit. “You really want to compliment VCU, their resiliency in being down 19 to keep trying to find a way. Also felt like just the small details in order to come back, they have to be good enough and resilient enough to do that and VCU was, but also believe that there were mistakes made that helped them come back and that at times we’ve done that all year.”
Davis also had curious responses regarding how he managed the second half.
Some noted that the Tar Heels looked tired in the final 20 minutes of regulation while Davis primarily used a six-man rotation, which factored into VCU clawing all the way back.
North Carolina (24-9) missed its final nine shots following a dunk with 2:44 remaining that gave the team a 74-70 lead, scoring only via free throws the rest of the way.
The Tar Heels clearly missed star guard Caleb Wilson, who underwent season-ending surgery earlier this month after breaking his right thumb.
When asked if he thought his team tired late, Davis retorted: “I did not. I didn’t.”
A follow-up question centered on the reasoning behind his sticking with a six-man rotation in the second half, and Davis yet again did not provide much.
Said Davis: “Cause that was my decision.”
Well, Davis’ decisions are certainly going to be debated in Chapel Hill, and his future with the program is a hot topic among fans.
After reaching the national championship game in his first year, and blowing a 15-point halftime lead to Kansas, the Tar Heels are just 2-3 in the NCAA Tournament spanning the last four years.
They missed the tourney in 2023, fell to Alabama in an upset in the Sweet 16 in 2024 and have now lost in the first round as a favorite in back-to-back years.
Just like the rest of his press conference, though, Davis didn’t want to dive into too much regarding whether something may be missing from his program.
“That’s a big thinking question and I apologize, I’m just not there right now. Just really sad that we’re not continuing to play and move forward because I have loved and enjoyed this team,” Davis said.
“I really enjoy coaching this team and really wanted this group and these kids to experience more. Other than that, I’m just thinking about these guys and the rest of the guys in the locker room.”
