Last year, the North Carolina men's basketball team made it to the NCAA tournament. At the end of the season, they finished with a 23-14 record and a 13-7 conference record in the ACC.

Ultimately, the Tar Heels were eliminated in the first round by the Ole Miss Rebels. Meanwhile, according to Kevin Sweeney of Sports Illustrated, head coach Hubert Davis is under pressure heading into the 2025-2026 season.

Essentially, going into this year, Davis must prove that his program can regain its winning prominence. 

“Davis is under significant pressure to bounce back after a rough 2024–25 season that saw the Tar Heels barely sneak into the NCAA tournament,” Sweeney wrote.

“He has had two good seasons and two bad ones at North Carolina,” Sweeney added. “And now enters a pivotal fifth season without many excuses to win.”

“North Carolina has one of the most expensive rosters in the country, built with the help of a revamped “front office” that includes new general manager Jim Tanner. This team should be much improved, and if it is toiling around the bubble again, there will be significant pressure to make a move.”

Article Continues Below

The previous season, North Carolina finished with a record of 29-8 and went 17-3 in the ACC. Ultimately, they were defeated in the Sweet 16 by Michigan State. 

Hubert Davis's tenure at North Carolina 

Over five years, Davis has had a successful run at Chapel Hill. During this stretch, he has accumulated a record of 101-45. In 2022, North Carolina advanced to the NCAA championship game, where they lost to their rival, Duke. 

Additionally, Davis is the third fastest coach in program history to reach 100 wins. Plus, he is the only coach to achieve 20+ wins in his first four seasons as head coach.

Despite the subpar season last year, North Carolina has had a winning season under Davis.