Incoming NC State coach Will Wade is confident that the Pack will be near the top of the ACC standings next year and will make the NCAA Tournament in 2026. Please click here for more.
Former State star DJ Burns jokes around with future Pack student manager
Former NC State star DJ Burns joking around with Amir Khan about “Aura,” which was a nickname given to the student manager following a set of viral videos that included him leading the Cowboys out of the tunnel with a boombox around his neck. Please click here for more.
2026 quarterback Zaid Lott commits to Syracuse hours after UNC decommitment
After decommitting from North Carolina earlier Tuesday, Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day School three-star quarterback Zaid Lott has a new home: Syracuse. Please click here for more.
UNC’s Alyssa Ustby, who missed senior day, gets her home finale in win over WVU
Tar Heels’ fifth-year forward Alyssa Ustby ended a 58-47 win against West Virginia, standing atop the scorer’s table and yelling toward the cheering home fans and applauding from above the court. It was the perfect send-off for a player who had missed her scheduled home finale due to injury, then made good on a second shot in March Madness. Please click here for more.
Michael Jordan Opens Another Free Health Clinic in Wilmington
Hall of Fame former Chicago Bulls and UNC legend Michael Jordan, a billionaire several times over, continues to give back to the community in a big way. Per Randy Aldridge of The North Carolina Medical Society, the 14-time All-Star shooting guard is opening up a whopping fourth free healthcare clinic to help give medical access to uninsured and/or generally underserved people in his native North Carolina. Please click here for more.
March Madness: Is NIL the death of Cinderella?
While the transfer portal does work both ways, mid-major coaches say that it’s tougher now than it was five years ago to find power-conference players seeking to drop down a level in search of more playing time. The NIL money available to a SEC or Big Ten benchwarmer often surpasses the market for a SoCon or Horizon League starter. Please click here for more.
Stevens: If more competitive playoffs is the goal, expanding the number of qualifiers isn’t the answer
The N.C. High School Athletic Association announced the new playoff structure for the 2025-2026 school year as it expands from four to eight classes. The plan also includes a massive expansion in the number of teams that will qualify for the postseason. Please click here for more.
Change of scenery suits Canes’ Jankowski
The Nashville Predators dealt 30-year-old forward Mark Jankowski to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick. He’s since scored six goals in seven games. Please click here for more.
Duke favored over Carolina in women’s basketball tourney
Duke and North Carolina will tip things off in Birmingham, Alabama, on Friday at Legacy Arena. The two in-state rivals split their regular season series. Please click here for more.
Tar Heels click in NCAA tourney, show they belong
North Carolina showed all those with UNC Derangement Syndrome that the Tar Heels belong in the NCAA Tournament as they were locked in during a 95-68 romp over San Diego State in a game that wasn’t even that close. (3/18)
The Tar Heels, who led by as many as 40 points, figured to have a tough go against a taller team that leads the nation in defensive field goal percentage. But it was the Carolina defense that set the tone and fast break buckets and three-pointers followed as the Heels poured it on.
Up just 13-11 after turning the ball over seven times, Carolina went on a 20-2 run over six minutes to take command of the game at 33-13. During that stretch Drake Powell and Jae’lyn Withers both swished threes and Eliott Cadeau had a couple off flashy assists and a spinning drive of his own to the hoop.
“Our defense was real, especially in the first half,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “We did a good job defending the paint and then getting out in transition…
“This group is getting better – our confidence is growing.”
RJ Davis, playing in his final NCAA Tournament, made it one to remember as he hit all six off his three-point shots and finished with a game-high 26 points, including a three at the first-half buzzer to give the Heels their largest lead to that point at 47-23.
Carolina kept the up-and-down offense and stingy defense going in the second half working the lead up to 40 at 82-42 following Davis’ final three of the game with 7:32 to go. Soon thereafter Coach Davis started taking the starters out as the Heels settled for a 29-point win.
“We know we deserved to be here,” said UNC’s Seth Trimble, who scored 16 points. “We’re not sending a message to anybody else. We hear what people say but it doesn’t make any difference.”
The three-point shot made a difference for the Heels as they hit 14 of 24 for their best three-point percentage in a game this season. Carolina also outrebounded the Aztecs 39-28. After turning the ball over seven times in the first six minutes of the game, UNC turned it over just four more times over the last 34 minutes of the game.
“We have focused guys,” Coach Davis said. “It doesn’t surprise me that they had one of their best games of the year.”
The other two Tar Heels in double figures were Ven-Allen Lubin, who had 12 points, and Jaylen Withers, who had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The 11th seeded Heels, now 23-13, advance to play No. 6 seed Ole Miss Friday at 4 p.m.