‘Lifeless’ UNC reverts to early-season script in loss

Adam RittenbergMar 21, 2025, 09:07 PM ET Close College football reporter; joined ESPN in 2008. Graduate of Northwestern University.MILWAUKEE– North Carolina guard Seth Trimble put a towel over his face, covering the tears being shed.The end of a season constantly brings out feelings, which streamed after North Carolina’s 71-64 loss to Ole Miss in the preliminary of the guys’s NCAA competition Friday. Trimble was particularly sad to no longer continue with backcourt mate RJ Davis and others.But the towel likewise covered aggravation that UNC’s last game resembled many others, which had put the group in a hole to even make the NCAA competition. The Heels were a controversial choice, the last group in, weighted down by a 1-12 record against Quadrant 1 opponents.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated “We were truly lifeless in the very first half, “Trimble said.”

We had no passion

; we had no

delight. We appeared like the group we were a couple of months ago. “North Carolina fell back by 18 at halftime and finished with just 9 field goals

. Ole Miss wasn’t just blistering the webs from 3-point range, but likewise outworking the Heels on the glass.”Every classification, every angle, in concerns to physicality, they not just won in the first half, they controlled us, “UNC coach Hubert Davis stated. “There was just two choices coming out in the 2nd half, either to react with that same type of battle or get embarrassed.” Davis had not seen North Carolina perform like it carried out in the very first half because a 20-point loss at Clemson on Feb. 10. The Tar Heels’only losses from then on came versus archrival Duke, the nation’s No. 2 group and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.”I was really happy with how our guys resisted competitively and returned into the game, “Davis stated.” But simply the whole game, that wasn’t us the last two months. That was us the first four months.” North Carolina trailed by as numerous as 22 before cutting the deficit to 2 points on RJ Davis ‘three-point have fun with 1:09 left. The Heels picked up the pace offensively and began stifling Ole Miss on the protective end.”We examined ourselves, “Trimble said. “We got checked.”But Ole Miss answered in the last minute with a Sean Pedulla 3-pointer and sealed the win.”It just describes our entire season, from being up-and-down year, being a challenging year, and standing firm,”RJ Davis said.”I was actually proud of how our guys resisted competitively and got back into the game.

However simply the whole game, that wasn’t us the last two months. That was us the first four months.” North Carolina coach Hubert Davis

Because reaching the 2022 national championship game in Hubert Davis’ first season as coach, North Carolina has advanced past the very first weekend of the NCAA competition simply once, last year.Davis thought his group had actually turned a corner after its midseason downturn. After an excellent win versus San Diego State in the First 4, UNC had an opportunity to continue its tournament success– till bad routines resurfaced.

“I seemed like on both ends of the flooring, we were going off script,” Davis stated. “The disparities of the discipline and information that you need to have more than the last 2 months, we have actually been sharp with it. As an outcome, we’ve played our best basketball. But that first half just advised me a great deal of earlier in the season.”