The Latest Breaking News from Heels

Which of our men’s league champ picks have changed—and which have stayed the same?

Saturday delivered a packed slate of games between some of the sport’s elite men’s teams that could have a far-reaching impact come March.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — When No. 18 North Carolina talked in the preseason of repeating last season’s run to the Final Four, it wasn’t supposed to include a repeat of last year’s losses in all of its marquee non-conference matchups.

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye made a clean sweep of the ACC’s Player of the Year awards on Wednesday. The redshirt freshman from Huntersville collected the league’s Rookie of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year and the coveted Player of the Year honors.

The past four seasons are in the rearview. It’s here and it’s now for Nance, and there’s nothing more here-and-now in all of college basketball than the Tar Heels.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Alabama coach Nate Oats said on Friday after both the Crimson Tide and North Carolina lost games in the Phil Knight Invitational that Sunday’s matchup would be as close to a must-win game as one could be in November.

The Tar Heels earned their No. 1 ranking based on last March, but this year's group has yet to play up to that level.

PORTLAND, Ore. — The experience that was supposed to help No. 1 North Carolina in tough games was no help at all in its 70-65 loss to Iowa State on Friday in the Phil Knight Invitational.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — In one of the classic games in what has been a classic football series through the year, N.C. State won in overtime Friday at Kenan Stadium.