It’s been over two years since North Carolina basketball won an NCAA Tournament game. Is a coaching change coming for one of the sport’s most-recognizable brands?
Fifth-year Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis could be in trouble following North Carolina’s loss to No. 11 seed VCU in the first round. UNC blew a 19-point lead in the loss, which is the sixth-largest deficit overcome in the history of March Madness.
REQUIRED READING: If North Carolina fires Hubert Davis, here are six candidates to consider
Multiple reports have said North Carolina is weighing its options regarding Davis’ future, with a decision to be made in the coming days. His weekly radio show scheduled for Monday, March 23, was postponed, swirling rumors even further.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar reacts after losing to the VCU Rams in overtime of a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar reacts after losing to the VCU Rams in overtime of a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
Brendan Coyle #21 of the Siena Saints reacts after the game against the Duke Blue Devils in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC. The Duke Blue Devils defeated the Siena Saints 71-65.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
Head coach Kelvin Sampson of the Houston Cougars shakes hands with members of the Idaho Vandals following the first round game of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
McNeese Cowboys guard Tyshawn Archie (8) walks off the court after losing to the Vanderbilt Commodores during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Centeron March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
Riley Saunders #13 and Andy Stefonowicz #5 of the North Dakota State Bison high five after being defeated by the Michigan State Spartans in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, New York.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
Wisconsin Badgers guard Braeden Carrington (0) and guard John Blackwell (25) react during the second half of a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
Thomas Dowd of the Troy Trojans reacts after coming out of the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
Ohio State Buckeyes forward Amare Bynum (1) and Ohio State Buckeyes forward Brandon Noel (14) react after losing to Texas Christian University Horned Frogs during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
Texas Christian University Horned Frogs forward Xavier Edmonds (24) reacts after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
Lehigh Mountain Hawks huddle together after being defeated by the Prairie View A&M Panthers during a first four game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 18, 2026.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
SMU Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) and SMU Mustangs center Jaden Toombs (10) leave the court after being defeated by the Miami (OH) RedHawks during a first four game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 18, 2026.
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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
Trevon Blassingame #1 and Seth Joba #21 of the Idaho Vandals react after the defeat against the Houston Cougars in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
“Every year at the end of the season, it’s important to evaluate all facets of the program and look for ways to improve,” North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said March 21 in a statement. “The chancellor (Lee Roberts), Steve (Newmark) and I are doing that together now and will continue to have discussions over the coming days.”
Here’s the latest on Davis as North Carolina, one of the top jobs in men’s college basketball, decides its future. Follow for live updates:
Hubert Davis live updates: Will UNC basketball make coaching change?
This story will be updated live.
Seth Davis says no decision yet is ‘not fair for anyone’
CBS Sports analyst Seth Davis posted Tuesday, March 24, on X that North Carolina has asked Davis if he wants to continue coaching, and that Davis said, “emphatically yes.”
Not sure I’ve seen many situations like the one that is happening at North Carolina regarding Hubert Davis,” Davis wrote. “… To let it go on for this long with no decision is not fair to anyone. At this point it would be very very difficult to bring him back. He would enter next season under a huge cloud.
“Usually the best strategy in this situation is to rip the Band-Aid off and make a decision one way or the other. To let it linger for this long is unnecessary and healthy. Here’s hoping we get a decision on this one way or another very very soon.”
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 13: Wes Miller, Cincinnati
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 13: Wes Miller, Cincinnati
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 13: Kim English, Providence
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 11: Jeremy Ballad, Florida International
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 11: Adrian Autry, Syracuse
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 9: Mike Jones, UNC Greensboro
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 9: Phil Cunningham, Louisiana Monroe
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 9: Ed Schilling, Pepperdine
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 8: Earl Grant, Boston College
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 8: Stan Heath, Eastern Michigan
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 8: Dwayne Stephens, Western Michigan
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 8: Damon Stoudamire, Georgia Tech
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 7: Rashon Burno, Northern Illinois
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 7: Michael Lewis, Ball State
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 7: Mark Schmidt, St. Bonaventure
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 6: Darrell Walker, Arkansas-Little Rock
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
March 3: John Pelphrey, Tennessee Tech
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
February 27: Billy Gillispie, Tarleton State
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
February 26: Wayne Tinkle, Oregon State
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
February 20: Joe Scott, Air Force
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
February 18: Steve Lavin, San Diego
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
February 17: Jerome Tang, Kansas State
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NCAA coaches fired during the 2026 college basketball season
January 12: Marvin Menzies, Kansas City
Would Todd Golden or Nate Oats consider UNC job?
Would Florida’s Todd Golden or Alabama’s Nate Oats consider the North Carolina job, should it open? USA TODAY Network’s Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams weigh if the leading SEC coaches would leave for the Tar Heels.
Possible Hubert Davis replacements if UNC basketball fires him
If UNC opts for a change, it should strongly consider looking outside of the family to replace Davis, after the succession plan of Roy Williams to Davis fizzled, writes USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer. He suggest six names for the post, including three who have won national titles.
Hubert Davis radio show ‘postponed’
Davis’ weekly radio show set for Monday, March 23, was postponed, according to the Fayetteville Observer, part of the USA TODAY Network.
“We will communicate any future scheduling updates,” host Jones Angell wrote.
ESPN reports North Carolina ‘in discussions’ about future
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported March 21 that North Carolina was in discussion about Davis’ future following its loss to VCU. ESPN said a decision was expected to be made in the coming days.
ESPN also reported Davis’ departure wouldn’t be termed as an “outright firing,” due to his strong ties to the university, dating back to his time as both a player and assistant coach.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will UNC basketball fire Hubert Davis? Live updates as decision looms
