The North Carolina Tar Heels’ 2024-25 season started with hope, but at this point, they had almost no margin for error. Sitting at 22-13, UNC isn’t just on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble—they’re not even in the First Four Out, according to CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm. That alone is a tough pill to swallow for a program with six national championships. Still, there was a chance to change the narrative.

A conference tournament semifinal against Duke without Cooper Flagg? That should’ve been an opportunity. But instead of capitalizing, UNC once again came up short, sending the fanbase into a full-blown meltdown.

The Tar Heels entered the ACC semifinals with the right things on their side. In the game against Georgia Tech, the freshman sensation sprained his left ankle in the first half, hobbled off the court, and didn’t play the rest of the game. “Uh Oh!” Pat McAfee had exclaimed. That spelled trouble for Duke, and none could say otherwise. Their leading man in every category was stepping off the court, starting with the rivalry game. The Tar Heels must have let out a silent cheer.

The last two times he faced them, Flagg put up 21 and 15 points, respectively, and even landed a final-minute dunk to seal the second win. He was also a beast on the glass, picking up 8 and 9 rebounds each time. Add defensive anchor, Maliq Brown’s exit to that, and signs were for UNC to win the game. After all, they were riding a 2-game win streak, contributing to 8 wins in their last 9 games. They were hungry for revenge.

“We want that competition. We want our revenge,” Van-Allen Lubin had asserted.

But the opponent team didn’t just survive without Flagg; they thrived. Lubin had done his part for the Tar Heels, putting up a game-high 20-point performance. But when the scoreboard reads 71-74 in favor of Duke, you realize team efforts pay off. Kon Knueppel, a freshman often overshadowed by Flagg’s star power, stepped up with a clutch 17-point performance. Khaman Maluach added 13 points and nine rebounds before fouling out, and Patrick Ngongba II delivered a season-high 12 points off the bench.

This wasn’t just about individual performances—it was about structure. Head coach Jon Scheyer preached a “next man up” mentality, and his squad delivered.

Compare that to North Carolina. Despite Duke missing a generational talent, UNC still trailed by 24 points at one point. The Tar Heels mounted a furious second-half comeback, but even then, their inability to capitalize on late-game opportunities—including a critical lane violation—sealed their fate. As usual, fans were quite upset with UNC’s performance. This takes them to the brink of missing yet another NCAA Tournament under Davis, and they’d rather watch a change in the HC position.

Is Hubert Davis the right man for the job? UNC’s latest loss raises big questions.

“If you want Hubert Davis fired, please email his boss,” one frustrated fan wrote. “More the merrier.” This isn’t just about one loss—it’s about a pattern of missed chances. To be fair, the Tar Heels didn’t roll over. Down 45-24 at halftime, they stormed back with a furious 47-point second half, pulling within one in the final moments. They had the energy, the drive, and the heart.

What they didn’t have? The ability to close. With four seconds left, Lubin stepped to the line with a chance to put UNC ahead. He missed the first. He made the second. But then—disaster. Jae’Lyn Withers was called for a lane violation, wiping away the free throw and handing Duke possession. Game over.

“Hubert Davis has to go,” one fan wrote. “The talent gap is enormous. Need someone who can recruit. And how do you not call a timeout during that run?”

With that loss, UNC fell to a brutal 1-12 record in Quad 1 games. This isn’t just a team missing the tournament—it’s a team that no longer strikes fear into real competition. This is North Carolina, a program with 21 Final Four appearances and six national championships, the most recent in 2017. Missing March Madness isn’t supposed to be an option here. And yet, here they are.

It’s easy to see why fans are losing patience. “Hubert Davis is the worst coach in Carolina basketball history,” one person tweeted. Is that an overreaction? Maybe. But when you look at the numbers, it’s clear UNC has lost something under Davis.

Before he took over, the Tar Heels weren’t perfect, but they were always in the mix. They reached the Sweet 16 in 2019. They had a first-round exit in 2021, sure, but they were still a tournament team. Since then? Davis led them to an incredible championship run in 2022—only to follow it up by missing the tournament entirely in 2023. Now, in 2025, they might be on the outside looking in again. Still, not everyone is ready to fire him just yet.

ESPN’s Dick Vitale remains optimistic, tweeting: “Yes, @UNC_Basketball will be part of @MarchMadnessMBB as they won 8 of their last 9. Yes, I know they were not Quad 1 wins, but they beat legit D-1 power conference teams from @ACC. Hubert Davis never gave up on his team when they struggled & motivated them to finish strong.”

That’s the one glimmer of hope. UNC did finish the season strong. But is that enough? If UNC sneaks into the tournament and makes a deep run, Davis might quiet his critics. But if they miss the tournament—or flame out early—expect this conversation to get even louder.