If North Carolina coach Hubert Davis is hyped, imagine what his players must be feeling.
The 14th-ranked Tar Heels (19-4, 7-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) are set to visit Miami (18-5, 7-3) for a conference tilt on Tuesday night. The game could represent an emotional challenge for North Carolina, as the Tar Heels are coming off a thrilling 71-68 win over fourth-ranked Duke on Saturday night.
“I’m still a little bit numb,” Davis said after the dramatic home win over North Carolina’s biggest rival.
As for the Hurricanes, they have had some extreme highs and lows in recent years, reaching the NCAA Final Four for the first time in program history in 2023 before suffering through two straight losing seasons, including an embarrassing 7-24 record in 2024-25.
Jai Lucas — in his first season as a head coach — has turned around the Hurricanes. And Lucas, 37, knows the Tar Heels well because he was a Duke assistant/associate head coach for the past three seasons.
The Hurricanes are not deep — they got just seven bench points in their most recent game, a 74-68 win at Boston College on Saturday. Miami also is last in the ACC in 3-point-percentage defense (35.3) and just 12th in 3-point shooting on offense (34.2).
But what the Hurricanes do well is score inside, which is why they lead the ACC in field-goal percentage (51.1).
“That’s how we’re built,” Lucas said. “We have a formula of points in the paint. We’re big. We’re physical. We have to fight for our identity.”
Miami, which is 12-2 at home, starts an imposing front line of 6-foot-11, 265-pound Ernest Udeh Jr. along with Malik Reneau (6-9, 235) and Shelton Henderson (6-6, 240). Even shooting guard Dante Allen looks like a linebacker at 6-4, 220.
The fifth starter is point guard Tre Donaldson, who plays bigger than his listed size (6-2, 195). Donaldson is second on Miami in scoring (15.9) and ranks fourth in the ACC in assists (6.2). Donaldson typically closes strong, which was evident on Saturday as he scored 13 of his 14 points in the second half.
Donaldson also does a great job of getting the ball to Reneau, who ranks fifth in the ACC in scoring (20.0), sixth in field-goal percentage (56.5) and 17th in rebounding (6.5). Reneau is a master of scoring in the paint, using glass often.
Udeh ranks second in the ACC in rebounding (9.6).
Henderson ranks 19th in scoring (14.5). He’s also been efficient, ranking third in field-goal percentage (61.5).
Allen, a freshman averaging 6.6 points, has stepped in for starter Tru Washington, who has been out due to personal reasons.
Meanwhile, the Tar Heels are big, too — or at least tall — as they are led by Caleb Wilson (6-10, 215) and Henri Veesaar (7-0, 225).
Wilson ranks fourth in the ACC in scoring (20.2) and field-goal percentage (58.5) and third in rebounding (9.6). Veesaar is 10th in scoring (16.6), fifth in rebounds and second in field-goal percentage (62.6).
North Carolina’s only other double-figure scorer is Seth Trimble (14.2). Trimble, as every basketball fan in North Carolina knows, hit the last-second 3-pointer to beat Duke on Saturday.
“It’s special,” Trimble said of his shot. “I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life.”
