Defining UNC Success in the NCAA Tournament - IC Daily | College Basketball

For the North Carolina basketball program,  reaching the Sweet Sixteen was the benchmark of success in the NCAA Tournament since Dean Smith broke through in the late 1960s. Smith's 1967-69 run of ACC regular season championships, ACC Tournament titles and Final Four berths set the standard for UNC and throughout his tenure on the Tar Heel sidelines, Smith delivered. Roy Williams did virtually the same until he retired in 2021. Hubert Davis's teams have reached that threshold in two of his four years in Chapel Hill with another tournament run beginning on Thursday against VCU. So what is the standard? What defines North Carolina success in the NCAA Tournament? Is that different for this specific team given the injuries and this year's bracket?  Inside Carolina's senior reporter Greg Barnes joins Tommy Ashley to discuss the past, present and future of Carolina in the NCAA Tournament and they include the Duke rivalry in the discussion as the Blue Devils head into their own tournament run with a sweep of the league trophies this season.   **Call to Action:**  **Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!  **Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!  **Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With eight teams selected for the NCAA Tournament, the ACC stands in much better position nationally and looks to redeem it's collective image in the 2026 big dance. While eight teams in is progress, only two of those - Duke and Virginia - are higher than a six seed with North Carolina and Louisville earning those slots.  Inside Carolina senior reporter Greg Barnes joins Tommy Ashley to discuss the Tar Heels and the rest of the league as March Madness is finally here. Barnes and Ashley look briefly at Carolina's matchup with VCU and potentially Illinois before checking in on each league game with NC State and Texas playing on Tuesday and the controversial Miami (OH) Redhawks taking on SMU on Wednesday in Dayton.    Founded in 1994, Inside Carolina is universally viewed as the authority on Tar Heel sports and recruiting. With relentless, unparalleled year-round coverage, and the largest online community of always-engaged UNC fans, the slogan is true: “There is no offseason at Inside Carolina.” **Call to Action:**  **Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!  **Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!  **Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

North Carolina fizzled out early in the ACC Quarterfinals and returned to Chapel Hill to await their postseason fate. Now they're officially in the "Lose-or-Go-Home" part of the season as the NCAA Tournament awaits. The usual Coast to Coast crew of Sherrell McMillan, Sean Moran and Joey Powell bring on Inside Carolina analyst Rob Harrington and senior reporter Greg Barnes to dig into UNC's real postseason chances and what the Tournament may look like as a whole. The crew focuses on the matchup with VCU. Harrington highlights UNC's six seed as a fair placement despite Caleb Wilson's absence, noting their potential to perform better against mid-major teams. Moran and McMillan emphasized the importance of Henri Veesaar's performance and the need for consistent bench contributions. Barnes notes the tough bracket in the East and South regions, with potential upsets like South Florida over Louisville. The panel agreed that UNC's success hinges on their ability to execute against VCU and maintain intensity throughout the tournament. **Call to Action:**  **Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!  **Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!  **Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Inside Carolina senior reporter Greg Barnes and Tommy Ashley discuss the aftermath of North Carolina's quick exit in the 2026 ACC Tournament with a game performance all too familiar in the Hubert Davis era at UNC. Barnes and Ashley go into the clear disconnect that has permeated this roster at times - and did again on Thursday night - and look ahead to how this game and end of the season will affect the NCAA Tournament seeding.  Finally, the IC duo look at the future and the importance of next weekend for not only the program but especially for Coach Davis and his staff. **Call to Action:**  **Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!  **Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!  **Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

North Carolina's quarterfinal loss to Clemson played out as so many games have in the Hubert Davis era in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels came out flat, played a lethargic 35 minutes and appeared on their way to another disappointing loss, this time in the ACC Tournament in Charlotte. But a furious rally and a Tiger shutdown provided a miracle chance at the end. Jarin Stevenson's three-quarter heave fell way short and UNC heads home to await NCAA selection Sunday with a 80-79 loss on Thursday night. Inside Carolina's Rob Harrington and Tommy Ashley break down the loss, highlighting the play of Henri Veesaar and Derek Dixon, and discussing the familiar script of those late game comebacks that fall short in the past five seasons. Veesaar's 28 points and 17 rebounds led the Heels while Dixon's three second half three-pointers nearly saved his team from the early exit.  Up next for Carolina is the release of the NCAA Tournament brackets on Sunday, March 15th. The Tar Heels look to be seeded anywhere from 5th to 7th when the big dance bracket is revealed. **Call to Action:**  **Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!  **Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!  **Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For old school folks, the ACC Tournament starts in the quarterfinals and on Thursday night, Duke and Florida State open the evening session while Hubert Davis and North Carolina and Clemson battle for the second time in ten days in the nightcap. Both the Tigers and Tar Heels seek to bolster their NCAA Tournament resumes in this one while injuries to key players will play an important role on the court. Big man Carter Welling left Wednesday's game with Wake Forest and is out for Clemson while Caleb Wilson season ended last week. Inside Carolina senior reporter Greg Barnes joins Tommy Ashley for a brief look at Duke/Florida State and a deeper dive into an important game for Carolina against Clemson, not only for Hubert Davis but for the program as well. How will the Heels handle the physicality of Brad Brownell's team?  Can Carolina play well away from the Smith Center and build momentum here in March when every game is one and done? Barnes and Ashley hit on the key points as tournament season has arrived. **Call to Action:**  **Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!  **Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!  **Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Inside Carolina senior reporter Greg Barnes and Tommy Ashley discuss the origins and current debates surrounding UNC's Smith Center. Barnes' reporting delves into the 1980s fundraising effort that fully funded the project with private monies and considered at the time as one of the biggest achievements of the UNC athletic and donor communities. The conversation highlights the ambiguity in the documentation regarding seat licenses and what those licenses ultimately mean both within the renovation discussion and the relocate discussion.     Barnes highlights the potential legal challenges ahead though he makes the point that all current original donors hold the same beliefs in how their mid-1980s agreements should be handled.  **Call to Action:**  **Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!  **Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!  **Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

North Carolina's first ACC series against Virginia ended in dramatic walk-off fashion as freshman Tyler Howe tied the game in the bottom of the ninth and won it in the 12th inning. The performance kept the broom out of Cavalier hands and while the Wahoos still got the series win, Scott Forbes's team found out how important staying in the fight and playing clean baseball translates into the win column.  Coach Forbes joins Tommy Ashley to discuss the past weekend, the lessons learned across the program and the week ahead with a Bucknell visit on Tuesday and a long road trip to California to face the Golden Bears in Berkeley this weekend. **Call to Action:**  **Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!  **Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!  **Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Inside Carolina's senior reporter Greg Barnes and Tommy Ashley discuss the ACC and North Carolina's recent history in the league tournament. On Sunday's Coast to Coast podcast, Sherrell McMillan brought up an interesting point when discussing the often referenced Roy Williams point about the ACC Tournament being but a mere cocktail party and not as important as the NCAA Tournament.  Barnes and Ashley break down UNC's lack of success in the tournament in the past quarter century - Carolina has three titles since 2000 - and the lack of NCAA Tournament success on top of that - one Elite Eight and one Final Four since 2017 - has weakened the Tar Heel brand on the national landscape.  Has Carolina's standard dropped? What does that mean for the Heels over the next decade? Those questions will need to be answered soon enough. **Call to Action:**  **Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!  **Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!  **Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Inside Carolina senior reporter Greg Barnes joins Tommy Ashley to discuss the fall out from North Carolina's loss at Duke on Saturday night and what the Heels need to shore up as they prepare for the ACC Tournament. Barnes highlights what the Tar Heels do well - when they are locked in - and what cannot happen with a one and done tournament time scenario now at hand.   As the news of Caleb Wilson being done  fades in the rearview mirror, how can Hubert Davis push his team to focus on the strengths of Henri Veesaar and Seth Trimble while avoiding the traps of poor rebounding efforts and loose ball control.   UNC's ACC path, having earned the double bye with it's 12-6 league record, is not an easy one with all three possible options - Clemson, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech - giving Carolina a tough time in the Smith Center before losing in the end.  **Call to Action:**  **Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!  **Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!  **Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.