UNC basketball team looks to ACC Tournament as last hope

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No game mattered more in college basketball on Saturday, March 8 than UNC-Duke, which had more than just bragging right on the line.

North Carolina, which entered on a 6-game winning streak, needed a victory to solidify its NCAA Tournament hopes. The Blue Devils were playing to clinch their first ACC Regular Season Championship since 2021-2022, better known as Coach K’s final season.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Tar Heels left with an 82-69 loss that emphasized their need to win the ACC Tournament – or at least a couple games – to play in the Big Dance.

You might think that after a tough loss like Saturday’s in which UNC (20-12, 13-7) led by seven, only to score 13 points over the game’s final 16 minutes, would have players speechless and heartbroken.

It was quite the opposite in postgame interviews, with several Tar Heels pointing to the impending ACC Tournament in Charlotte. North Carolina will kick off its conference tournament run on Wednesday, March 12 at 2:30 p.m. against the Notre Dame-Pitt winner.

“We just (have to) continue to stay together, that’s the biggest thing,” UNC freshman small forward Drake Powell said. “Going into the ACC Tournament, we’re 0-0. Whatever happened in the past, that doesn’t matter.”

“We’re looking to go to win,” UNC freshman guard Ian Jackson said in postgame interviews. “That’s motivating enough for us as it is. Last year, we didn’t win it when we should’ve. We’ve got a chip on our shoulder to go out there and win it. We all want it, we’re hungry, we’re fired up. We’re looking forward to going out there and winning a game.”

“Well, the motivation is always there,” UNC head coach Hubert Davis said in his postgame press conference. “If you don’t have motivation for having an opportunity to compete and play, I just don’t think you should be playing. The opportunity to play in the ACC Tournament is a great opportunity, and it’s the challenge of going up to Charlotte, competing and doing the best that we…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/unc-basketball-team-looks-acc-160106438.html

Author : Tar Heels Wire

Publish date : 2025-03-09 16:01:00

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