No. 8-seeded North Carolina’s 69-49 evisceration of 15-seed Saint Peter’s on Sunday sends the Tar Heels to the Final Four for the 21st time in program history, extending its all-time appearance lead over UCLA (18). With a week of buildup before the age-old rivals take the court, expect the game to be billed as the most anticipated meeting in the history of the Duke-UNC rivalry.
North Carolina coach Hubert Davis clinched a Final Four bid in his first season on the sideline at UNC. And his climb onto the national stage as a head coach creates another bit of basketball providence. Davis’ first Final Four as a head coach fatefully intersects with the heralded exit of Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, who is retiring this season after leading the Blue Devils to the Final Four for a record 13th time in his career.
#UNC ends No. 15 seed Saint Peter's storybook run and punches its ticket to New Orleans for the Final Four. Instant Analysis: https://t.co/CIfcyn44pq pic.twitter.com/8zoxycfi14
— InsideCarolina (@InsideCarolina) March 27, 2022
Credit Hubert Davis. Carolina was a mess mid season. He never gave up on his players, and his players never gave up on him – and Tar Heels have been a different team the last month.
Now he's a win over Saint Peter's from going to the Final Four.
Credit Carolina. What a story.
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) March 26, 2022