CHAPEL HILL — It’s a word Hubert Davis used seven times in an answer during a press conference ahead of UNC basketball’s top-25 matchup with Kansas.
It’s something Davis emphasizes to the 25th-ranked Tar Heels (1-0) “every day, all day” in practice and film sessions. And it’ll be needed against the 19th-ranked Jayhawks (1-0) on Friday, Nov. 7 (7 p.m., ESPN) inside the Smith Center.
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How much has the fifth-year coach emphasized and re-emphasized the importance of physicality with his players following the exhibition games and regular-season opener?
“Every day, all day. Every day, all day. Every day, all day. It just is what it is. It’s physicality, really, on both ends of the floor. Obviously, defensive rebounding and making contact. Physicality on the ball, not letting guys just go where they want to go and set the screens that they want to screen, and not let teams run the offense they run in shootaround,” Davis said Nov. 6 during a press conference inside the Smith Center.
“But also on the offensive end, as well. That physicality being able to catch the ball where we want to. The physicality to be able to dominate points in the paint, get the ball into the post. The physicality to get through screens and get through bumps to be able to get to the basket. The physicality to get to the offensive glass. Our offensive rebounding percentage was 38% the last game; that’s not high enough. Physicality, that’s the only way you can play the game. It’s something that we talk about at great length every day.”
It’s an area in which UNC will have to show improvement in order to be at its best against Kansas. As Davis went on to say, when playing a team “that is just as gifted as you are,” the “difference makers are going to be the little things.”
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During their exhibition loss at No. 8 BYU, UNC had a 40-38 rebounding advantage. But Davis wasn’t pleased with the Cougars snagging 18 offensive boards that led to 12 second-chance points. The Tar Heels allowed 10 offensive rebounds and 12 second-chance points in the blowout win vs. Central Arkansas.
“In regards to boxing out and making contact first, that guy can jump just as high as you, so you’re not gonna out jump ‘em. You’re gonna have to be physical when the ball goes up in the air. That’s something that we’ve talked about and that we have to improve on,” Davis said.
“Against BYU, that was something that was concerning and glaring. That when the ball when up in the air, even though we outrebounded them, our ability to get those hard, tough, physical rebounds. That’s something that we’re just gonna have to do (against Kansas). As I’ve said before, rebounding is the number one determining factor of the outcome of the game. That has to be on point for us (against Kansas).”
Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to rbaxley@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Key area of emphasis for UNC basketball vs Kansas
