Hubert Davis Cries After Beating Saint Peter’s to Reach Final Four in First Year as HC

Editors’ note, March. 27 at 9:08 p.m. ET: An earlier version of this story misstated that Bill Guthridge led UNC to the Final Four in 1988. In fact, he led them to the Final Four in 1998, not 1988.

North Carolina coach Hubert Davis broke down in tears after his squad beat Saint Peter’s, 69–49, on Sunday to earn a spot in the Final Four. Davis, who is in his first year as head coach, was overwhelmed during the postgame interview while his team cheered him on in the background. He could be heard pointing to the players celebrating saying, “It’s them. It’s them.”

“I’m just so happy for them,” Hubert said. “I really wanted this for them. I just desperately wanted this for them. I love these guys so much, they trusted me in my first year, they allowed me to coach them and allowed me to be in their life. I’m here because of them. It has nothing to do about coaching, it’s all them and I’m just … it’s tears of joy being able to be in their lives.”

Davis took over for the legendary Roy Williams after he retired at the end of last season and is now the first men’s coach since UNC’s Bill Guthridge in 1998 to lead a team to the Final Four in their first year at the helm. 

North Carolina has a date with arch rival Duke on Saturday at 8:49 p.m. on TBS in New Orleans.