.jpg)
21 hours ago
3
The Hubert Davis era at North Carolina is on shaky ground.
The Tar Heels – the No. 6 seed in the South Region – suffered an 82-78 overtime loss to No. 11 VCU on Thursday. It's the second straight season in which North Carolina – an all-time blue-blood program – has suffered a first-round loss.
Davis led the Tar Heels to a national championship game appearance in the 2021-22 season – a season in which North Carolina defeated rival Duke in the Final Four. The Tar Heels have made the Sweet 16 in just one of the last four seasons, however, and that will create some conversations around Davis' job security and the direction of the program.
MARCH MADNESS HQ: Live NCAA bracket | TV schedule | Latest news and more
What is Hubert Davis' buyout at North Carolina?
Davis is under contract with North Carolina through 2029-30. According to The (Raleigh) News & Observer, that buyout would be "roughly $5.3 million if the move occurs prior to April 1."
Would North Carolina hire someone outside the Dean Smith tree?
Legendary coach Dean Smith coached at North Carolina from 1961-1997. Every Tar Heels coach since has had a tie to Smith.
Bill Guthridge (1997-2000) was a long-time assistant coach under Smith. Matt Doherty (2000-03) played under Smith. Roy Williams (2003-21) was a former Smith assistant, and Davis played under Smith and was an assistant under Williams. Would North Carolina break away from that with a move from Davis?
For example, Sean May – who was a star forward on the North Carolina national championship team in 2004-05 – is an assistant coach with the Tar Heels now. Brad Frederick, Marcus Paige and Jeff Lebo also are assistant coaches with ties to North Carolina. Would any of those three be hired if Davis was fired?
A so-called home-run candidate would require breaking off that tree.
Here is a closer look at other candidates for the job.
SN AWARDS: All-America team | Player of the Year | Coach of the Year
North Carolina coaching candidates
King Rice, Monmouth coach
Rice, 57, was a fan favorite while playing point guard for the Tar Heels from 1987-91 under Smith, and he helped the team reach the Final Four in 1991. Rice, 57, has been the head coach at Monmouth since 2011. The Hawks have not made the NCAA tournament despite a winning record in CAA play in 10 of the last 13 seasons.
Wes Miller, former Cincinnati coach
Why would North Carolina hire a coach that was just let go by Cincinnati? Miller, 43, played for the Tar Heels from 1997-2000. He compiled a 100-74 record with the Bearcats the last five appearances and failed to get to the NCAA tournament. Miller did take UNC-Greensboro to the tournament twice.
Jerry Stackhouse, Golden State Warriors assistant
Stackhouse, 51, was a star player at North Carolina on the 1994-95 team that made the Final Four. He had a 70-92 record with two nine-win seasons at Vanderbilt – which would be tough to overlook if this becomes serious. Stackhouse does have extensive experience as an NBA assistant, and that appears to be the track he would stay on. Still, this is Stackhouse's alma mater.
Todd Golden, Florida coach
Golden, 40, led Florida to the national championship last season. The Gators are a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the second straight season. Florida plays with an up-tempo offense that would fit in Chapel Hill. Golden has a .677 winning percentage between San Francisco and Florida. Golden was investigated for a Title IX complaint in 2024, and the investigation found "no evidence" of wrongdoing.
Mark Byington, Vanderbilt coach
Byington, 49, is a makes-sense candidate even if he is not the flashiest name. He played at UNC-Wilmington before stints at Georgia Southern and James Madison. Byington is 79-25 the last three seasons with three NCAA Tournament appearances between JMU and Vanderbilt – and the Commodores are enjoying one of their best seasons in school history. It's a level-up job that makes sense.
Dennis Gates, Missouri coach
Gates, 46, is another rising coach in the SEC. Missouri has made the NCAA tournament three of the last four seasons, and the Tigers have had a winning record in conference play in three of those seasons. Missouri did finish 8-24 and failed to win a conference game in 2023-24.
Billy Donovan, Chicago Bulls coach
Donovan, 60, is the oldest candidate on this list. He's also the only one with two national championships. He won two national championships at Florida. He has been a NBA coach with Oklahoma City and Chicago – but the Bulls are close to missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Donovan could return to the college game – and maybe he should – and UNC would be a good landing spot.
Scott Drew, Baylor coach
Drew, 55, would be the ultimate stuck in-between candidate. He's not from the North Carolina coaching tree, and he is not as flashy as Golden. Drew, however, won a national championship with Baylor in 2020-21. The Bears and Tar Heels played a legendary overtime tournament thriller in 2022 – one North Carolina won 93-86. Baylor finished 16-16 this season.
MORE MARCH MADNESS NEWS:
English (US)