“I was just disappointed”: Hubert Davis gets real on UNC hoopers performance despite 102-96 win against Boston College 

The North Carolina Tar Heels secured a 102-96 overtime win against the Boston College Eagles on Saturday; however, Hubert Davis expressed mixed emotions about his team's performance. While he commended the Tar Heels' resilience in the final moments, Davis admitted that he was disappointed with their overall defensive effort for most of the game.

“I do believe in the latter part of the game,” Davis said in the postgame presser. “Specifically when we were down by four with (18.6) seconds to go and in the overtime, I felt like we were locked in defensively. We got the stops, deflections, and steals we needed to win.

"Offensively, our execution down the stretch, spacing, screening, and shotmaking was on point. I was really proud of the team for stepping up under pressure. But all the minutes leading up to that, I was just disappointed.”

North Carolina showcased its grit late in regulation, with Seth Trimble forcing overtime by tying the score at 89-all. In the extra period, the Tar Heels outscored Boston College 13-7.

However, the Eagles' offensive efficiency highlighted ongoing defensive concerns for North Carolina. Boston College shot 54.5% from the field and 58.3% from beyond the arc, while the Tar Heels only managed to force four steals throughout the game.

The 96 points allowed marked the fifth time this season that North Carolina has conceded 90 or more. It was also the first time since the Dec. 17 loss to then-No. 7-ranked Florida that its defense struggled to this extent. The Tar Heels rank 297th nationally in scoring defense, allowing an average of 76.4 points.

Despite the defensive shortcomings, the win was a much-needed morale boost for North Carolina, snapping a two-game losing streak — one-point losses to Stanford (72-71) and Wake Forest (67-66). With the victory, the Tar Heels improved to 13-8.

Hubert Davis highlights the importance of defense in competitive ACC matchups

North Carolina coach Hubert Davis reflected on the Tar Heels’ defensive performance following their 102-96 overtime win against Boston College on Saturday. While North Carolina managed to escape with a victory, Davis emphasized that its defensive effort fell short and allowed the Eagles to remain competitive throughout the game.

“Well, I think they hit shots because we gave them the rhythm to make shots,” Davis said. “Coming into this game, percentage-wise, we were No. 1 in the ACC in defensive statistics.

"I felt like we were improving defensively, doing a better job of protecting the paint. We’re also No. 1 in terms of defending the three. But our approach defensively in this game was not good, which is why they were able to shoot 55% from the field.”

Davis acknowledged Boston College’s strong performance, crediting its offensive execution. However, he also pointed out that North Carolina’s lapses on defense contributed significantly to the Eagles’ high shooting percentages.

Despite the lackluster defensive effort, Davis highlighted the competitiveness of ACC play, where every game presents a challenge.

“Take nothing away, Boston College played great,” Davis said. “But we just didn’t play very well defensively at all.”

Davis' comments was a reminder that maintaining consistency on defense is crucial to winning in a conference as tough as the ACC.