Timely UNC Basketball Refresh Allowed Tar Heels to Catch Their Breath

This week marked UNC basketball's first without a weeknight game since Christmas break. By tallying an 8-1 January record and posting a statement start to February by handily knocking off now-No. 8 Duke in Chapel Hill, the No. 10 Tar Heels (20-6, 12-3 ACC) put themselves in contention for a top NCAA Tournament seed.

But a 2-2 record since coincided with tired-sounding voices in the locker room, suggesting the team was more than happy to embrace this week between outings.

Gearing up for a battle against Tony Bennett's unranked Virginia squad (20-7, 11-5 ACC) in Charlottesville at 4 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN), third-year UNC head coach Hubert Davis detailed to the media on Friday what the break from game action has meant for his players' state of mind:

"Individually and as a team, there are times where you can get better by just being able to catch a breath. And I do feel like basketball-wise, physically, even mentally being able just to take a deep breath, not having a midweek game, was something that would be good for this group.

"That being said, it was a week of hard work, a week of really good practices in preparation for the remainder of the season. And so, it wasn't a week off-off. It was a time to reinforce the things that have allowed this team to be successful thus far and to be able to continue to improve and move forward...

Another day at the office. pic.twitter.com/HAiaJRIvPw
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) February 22, 2024

"You know, there's a difference in doing individual workouts and practicing on us — and thinking is being locked in towards that — as opposed to doing that in addition to [thinking] how does this relate in preparation to a game. And being able to just have a single focus on us for a good part of the week, I thought was refreshing.

"And I thought it was needed."

Following Saturday's bout at Virginia, UNC basketball will have little more than 48 hours before hosting unranked Miami (15-12, 6-10 ACC) in the Dean E. Smith Center at 7 p.m. Monday (ESPN).

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