UNC basketball improving in Hubert Davis’ key stat during Tar Heels’ winning streak

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UNC basketball coach Hubert Davis believes rebounding is the “No. 1 determining factor of outcome of the game.”

The Tar Heels have heard that consistent message on a daily basis from Davis since he took over for three-time national champion Roy Williams ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Beating teams on the boards by relentlessly crashing the offensive and defensive glass was a year-to-year strength for UNC during Williams’ 18 seasons in Chapel Hill, a skill that helped the Tar Heels put up three national title banners inside the Smith Center.

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In eight of Davis’ nine seasons as an assistant coach under Williams, UNC was top 16 in offensive rebounding percentage, according to KenPom, including five finishes inside the top 5.

In Davis’ first three seasons as head coach, the Tar Heels were 59th twice and 119th in offensive rebounding percentage. This season, UNC is on track to finish with its worst offensive rebounding percentage (29.5%) in the KenPom era, which began in 1997.

But the Tar Heels (18-11, 11-6 ACC), who are battling to get on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble before Selection Sunday and March Madness, have seen a positive shift in that statistic during their four-game winning streak.

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“As long as I’ve been here, even as an assistant with Coach Williams, we always go after the offensive glass. And for pretty much most of the season, that was not a strength of ours,” Davis said after UNC’s 96-85 win at Florida State on Monday. 

“But over the last four games, five games, it’s been a strength.”

UNC basketball offensive rebounding stats with Ven-Allen Lubin, Jae’Lyn Withers, Drake Powell

For just the third time since 1960, UNC has outrebounded three straight ACC opponents by 14 or more. The Tar Heels were plus-19 against N.C. State, plus-14 against Virginia and plus-14 against FSU. UNC also accomplished that feat in 1991 and 2011 – both of those teams made deep runs in the NCAA Tournament.

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UNC had 13 offensive…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/unc-basketball-improving-hubert-davis-090359316.html

Author : The Fayetteville Observer

Publish date : 2025-02-26 09:03:00

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