Hubert Davis refuses to answer question on Jae'Lyn Withers lane violation

With 4.1 seconds left in North Carolina‘s showdown against Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals, the Tar Heels trailed 72-71. However, hopes looked high for UNC with junior guard Ven-Allen Lubin at the charity stripe and two free throws ahead.

Lubin missed his first free-throw attempt, forcing North Carolina fans to hold their breath a bit longer. When Lubin began to take his second foul shot, North Carolina forward Jae’Lyn Withers moved early and was assessed a lane violation.

Duke was awarded the ball and Blue Devils freshman Kon Kneuppel sunk two free throws to ice the game. After the loss, Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis refused to discuss Withers’ lane violation when asked about it.

“I played four years here, 12 years in the NBA, nine years as an assistant, and now four years as a head coach, and I can’t be more proud of a team than I am right now,” Davis said. “Just love these guys to death. I love their fight. I love their togetherness. I love how close they are.

“As I said before, I told them after the game, I didn’t think that I could be more proud of a group than I am right now, but I am even more proud. I thank Jesus every day that I get to be their head coach.”

The reporter didn’t give up on his question, asking once more about the lane violation. Nonetheless, Hubert Davis stuck to his guns.

 “I’m not answering that,” he said. “We lost 74-71.”

The loss could be the difference between a bid in the NCAA Tournament for the Tar Heels and the end of their season. It would’ve been North Carolina’s second Quad 1 win this season and put the team just one win away from an automatic bid to the Big Dance.

After all, Duke went on to handily defeat Louisville 72-63 in the ACC Tournament championship. Instead, the Tar Heels will be anxiously awaiting their future during the selection show on Sunday evening with plenty of other eager programs across the country.

“I think we’ve saw in the past couple weeks that we are a tournament team,” UNC star RJ Davis said. “I think if you look at the trajectory of our whole season, the way we dealt with adversity, perseverance, and especially these last couple of weeks, we overcame all of that.

“You couldn’t ask for a better team than that, that goes through that type of adversity, goes through that type of criticism and still perseveres through it all and comes out on top. I think that’s a tournament team for you right there, because that’s what March is about.”