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Hubert Davis fired by UNC basketball after another March Madness first-round exit
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- Hubert Davis fired by UNC basketball after another March Madness first-round exit
North Carolina basketball is on the search for a new head coach.
Hubert Davis will not return to the Tar Heels, with the coach departing days after its stunning collapse in the first round of the NCAA Tournament .
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"Tonight, I was let go by the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. My desire was to continue to coach here. This opportunity has truly been such a blessing," Davis said in a statement .
Davis' time in Chapel Hill ends with a 125–54 record in five seasons and one Final Four appearance. According to Davis' contract , obtained by the USA TODAY Network, North Carolina owes Davis $5.312 million for firing him as of April 1.
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"We appreciate all that Hubert has done for Carolina as a player, assistant coach, head coach and community leader – he has helped make special memories we will never forget," UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement announcing Davis' firing. "This was not an easy decision because of Hubert's tremendous character and all he has given to the program, but we must move forward in a way that allows our team to compete more consistently at an elite level."
The firing marks what has been a rough end to Davis' tenure after such a promising start. In his first season at his alma mater, taking over Roy Williams, he led the Tar Heels to the 2022 national championship game as a No. 8 seed. But UNC was unable to hold onto a double-digit lead against Kansas in the contest.
North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis instructs his team against the VCU Rams in the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
It felt like it would be the start of a successful run for Davis and keep the blue-blood as a national power, but North Carolina hasn't gotten close since then. It started the following season the No. 1 team in the country but ended up missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010.
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While North Carolina made the Sweet 16 in 2024, it had first round exits in each of the past two tournaments, the first time that's happened in program history. Against VCU on Thursday, March 19, the Tar Heels surrendered a 19-point lead as the Rams forced overtime, where UNC failed to make a field goal in the extra period in the eventual loss to the 11th seed.
It was the largest comeback in NCAA Tournament first round history .
Now, North Carolina begins one of the most intriguing searches in all of college basketball.
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Davis was an assistant on Williams' staff for nine seasons prior to being named head coach, and was the favorite to land the job when Williams retired. With Davis lasting just five seasons, North Carolina will have to decide if it goes outside of the "Carolina family" — someone with past ties to the program — or go for a major hire.
"Hubert cares deeply for our University, and it has been inspiring to watch him instill that love and Tar Heel tradition into the players he has coached," executive associate athletic director Steve Newmark," said in a statement. "Chancellor Roberts, Bubba and I join all of the Carolina community in thanking Hubert and his family for all they have done for UNC."
Davis said his goal to coach again "in the very near future."
The job is considered one of the highest profile roles in all of the sport, with a rich tradition, large fan base and an abundance of resources, a coach has everything they could need to succeed. But with that, it also carries tremendous pressure, with the expectation to be a national championship contender every year. The 10 seasons since its last national championship is its longest drought this century.
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No matter who North Carolina hires, it will have major ripple effects to all of college basketball.
Hubert Davis record
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2021-22:29-10, NCAA runner-up
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2022-23:20-13, missed NCAA Tournament
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2023-24: 29-8, NCAA Sweet 16
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2024-25:23-14, NCAA first round exit
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2025-26:24-9, NCAA first round exit
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Total:125-54 (.698)
Hubert Davis contract, buyout
North Carolina said it will honor the terms of Davis' contract , meaning he will get his buyout. According to Davis' contract, obtained by the USA TODAY Network, North Carolina owes Davis $5.312 million if he is fired on April 1
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hubert Davis fired by UNC basketball after March Madness exit, search begins
