Did North Carolina Reflect Hubert Davis' Message Tuesday Night

The North Carolina Tar Heels continue to establish themselves as one of the best teams in the country with the win over St. Bonaventure on Tuesday night in the Fort Myers Tip-Off.

Last week against Navy, the Tar Heels were not as sharp, failing to execute at a high level, which led to inefficient offense and allowed Navy to stick around. That seemed to be the case again on Tuesday, as North Carolina led 35-33 at halftime, despite jumping out to an early 15-5 advantage.

Following North Carolina's contest against Navy, head coach Hubert Davis elaborated on what he wanted to see from his team heading into Tuesday night.

Davis' Thoughts

Nov 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis talks with guard Kyan Evans (0) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"There are a number of guys that will speak up, and one of the things that I have encouraged everyone is that everyone should be a leader within their own personality," Davis explained. "It's not a situation when I was in school, where you are waiting for the junior or senior to speak up, and you had to wait your turn."

"I just don't think it's that way anymore," Davis continued. "Whether you're a freshman, walk-on senior, or starter off the bench. I think the more voices that you hear, the better your team is. I like the talking in the locker room, but I also like the talking on the court."

Did That Transfer Over to Game Against St. Bonaventure?

Nov 18, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis talks to guard Kyan Evans (0) during the second half against the Navy Midshipmen at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Communication is key, especially on the defensive end of the floor when blindside screens and opposing player movement are most prevalent.

When assessing the stat sheet, North Carolina's defensive performance will not be validated, as the Tar Heels recorded only one block and nine forced turnovers. However, their ability to alter shots and force St. Bonaventure's offense out of its rhythm was evident.

There were plenty of instances when St. Bonaventure players would attempt to orchestrate points inside the paint but were unable to get off a clean shot with North Carolina unleashing help defenders on the weak side.

Nov 14, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Central Eagles forward Khouri Carvey (7) shoots over North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

That would create uncomfortable situations for the Bonnies, whose lack of size was a clear weakness in this matchup against a team with three players at 6-foot-9 or taller.

Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar were dominant forces in this game, making their impact felt throughout the totality of the game on both ends of the court.

It is safe to say that the players received Davis' message from last week and took exception to that challenge.

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