An hour and a half before the 7 p.m. tip-off of the North Carolina men's basketball team's win over Pittsburgh, music was blasting in the Smith Center.
Students and other fans were chattering. Gameday staffers were eating at the tables just outside the referee’s locker room or already conducting their duties.
Rewind a few hours, though — just before the junior varsity basketball team trounced Mt. Olive, 111-52, in the Smith Center — and the scene was starkly different.
The gym was quieter, sure, but there was an air of nonchalance. Head Coach Hubert Davis was sporting a gray suit with no tie, chewing gum, amiably conversing with people around him and taking pictures with fans during his team’s warmup.
Managers for the varsity team were spread out in the lower bowl of the arena, catching up on homework. Varsity star Justin Jackson lounged in the front row of the media tables with his headphones in, reading a book during the game.
While the teams’ environments are different, Davis strives to ensure the expectations are consistent with both branches of the North Carolina men’s basketball program.
“It’s the same,” Davis said. “There is no difference at all … The same thing I expect from (the varsity team), I expect from those guys in there. There is no change in terms of preparation, effort, will and want to from this team to that team."
“The only difference is I’ll have a tie and there will be a little more people in the stands.”
The similarities between the two teams run deep. On the court, Davis takes on a similar viewpoint as Roy Williams. He urges his team to push the ball whenever possible, work the ball inside in the half-court offense and play scrappy defense.
