Off the cuff: No Carolina fan wants to lose to Duke - ever. No matter the odds. But realistic Tar Heel fans could not have expected a win in Durham. But they also didn't expect not to be the slight bit competitive. I hate to see Hubert Davis on the coaching hot seat. It's not good. If he ends up being fired at the end of the season, Carolina will be starting over as there would be a flurry of players transferring out and recruits changing their minds. Also, it would be likely that the UNC coaching tree hires would be over. Dean Smith would be the last Carolina coach not to have gone to UNC but he was an assistant coach at UNC. It's unlikely any of the current assistant coaches would be in line for the job. Wes Miller is having a so-so season at Cincinnati. Let's hope Davis, a good man and leader, can turn this season around. To do so, with nine regular season games left, I believe the Tar Heels need to go 7-2 and win a couple of games in the ACC Tournament. Short of that, the Heels would likely need to win the ACC Tournament which, with a bench that isn't deep, seems unlikely. Coach Davis said his team needs to stay focused and stay the course. "I love coaching this team and I believe in these kids," he said following the Duke loss. Carolina is still making changes - with personnel playing time and playing style. For the first time this season, the Tar Heels tried a zone defense in the second half against the Blue Devils - with positive results. "It gives teams a different look. We might have to find times to sprinkle it in to get other teams out of their rhythm," he said. It seems certain that if Carolina doesn't find its rhythm, the season - and likely Davis' Carolina coaching career - will be coming to an end early. |
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