baseball, contracts, sports

Cody Bellinger and the Yankees finalize $162.5 million, 5-year contract

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NEW YORK — Cody Bellinger and the New York Yankees have finalized a $162.5 million, five-year contract that keeps the slugger in pinstripes.

Bellinger became the last of the top free-agent hitters to reach a deal this offseason when the sides agreed to terms last Wednesday, subject to a successful physical. The contract includes a $20 million signing bonus, split evenly with half payable on April 1 and the remainder on August 1, along with a full no-trade provision.

Under the agreement, Bellinger will receive a $32.5 million salary in each of the first two seasons, $25.8 million in the next two, and $25.9 million in 2030. He also holds the right to opt out after the 2027 or 2028 seasons to become a free agent again. However, if there is a work stoppage that results in no games being played in 2027, the opt-out dates will shift to after the 2028 and 2029 seasons.

A two-time All-Star, Bellinger was acquired by the Yankees from the Chicago Cubs in December 2024. Last year, he hit .272 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs, including a .302 average with 18 homers and 55 RBIs at Yankee Stadium. The left-handed hitter played 149 games in the outfield and seven at first base during his first healthy season since 2022, without a stint on the injured list.

Cody is the son of former Yankees player Clay Bellinger. Voted the 2017 National League Rookie of the Year and 2019 NL MVP, he boasts a career .261 batting average with 225 home runs and 695 RBIs across eight seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2018-22), the Cubs (2023-24), and now the Yankees.

Prior to this contract, Bellinger earned $57.5 million from the $80 million, three-year deal he signed with the Cubs before the 2024 season. He declined a $25 million option for 2026 in favor of a $5 million buyout.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/2026/01/27/cody-bellinger-and-the-yankees-finalize-1625-million-5-year-contract/

entertainment, film, sci-fi

10 Sci‑Fi Movies That Are Incredible From Start to Finish

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A sci-fi movie or TV show only qualifies that incredible threshold for me when the plot keeps translating that idea into tension you can feel, scene after scene, without drifting into lecture mode. So it’s essentially you learning excruciatingly fascinating details of what our world could be like, perhaps with some fiction.

But the best ones make you understand the rules fast, then keep twisting those rules until you’re locked in. The ten movies below do that thing where you start watching for a minute and suddenly it’s 2 a.m. because the story never loosens its grip. Some are cold and clinical, some are emotional gut punches, and a couple are straight-up nightmares. Either way, they’re airtight rides from first frame to last.

—

### 10. *Ex Machina* (2014)

The first time I watched *Ex Machina*, it felt like I was being politely invited into a trap. Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson) thinks he won a dream trip, but every hallway at Nathan Bateman’s (Oscar Isaac) house-lab looks like it was designed to control him. Ava (Alicia Vikander) doesn’t need jump scares to be terrifying, because the real fear is how quickly she learns you.

The film follows a motivated IT enthusiast winning an internship with one of the greatest minds in the AI space, only to find out he’s hiding a close-to-human robot, but with much darker themes at play. What makes *Ex Machina* incredible is the way it keeps shifting who has power without announcing the shift. Nathan is charming, then suddenly cruel, and you realize the “test” isn’t just about Ava.

There’s suspense in the film, but it’s clean, and the ending hits hard because it’s logical.

—

### 9. *Gattaca* (1997)

This one grabs you with a simple, nasty idea: your future is decided by a blood sample. *Gattaca* follows Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) as he tries to cheat a system built to keep him small, and the movie makes every routine detail feel high-stakes, from a staircase to a urine test.

Irene Cassini (Uma Thurman) adds that soft tension of romance when nobody can truly be honest. The reason *Gattaca* is an incredible addition to this list is that it never loses the human thread. Jerome Morrow (Jude Law) is the quiet heartbreak, because the perfect person is also trapped.

Director Andrew Niccol keeps the world sleek but suffocating. When I watched it for the first time, I left it feeling weirdly energized. It builds to a clean catharsis.

—

### 8. *Minority Report* (2002)

*Minority Report* drops you into PreCrime like it’s normal, then immediately starts poking holes in it. Basically, John Anderton (Tom Cruise) believes in the system until the system points at him, and that pivot turns the film into a sprint you can’t step away from.

You know a movie’s locked in when the chase is also a moral argument. *Minority Report* is that. Agatha (Samantha Morton) isn’t just a plot device; she’s the conscience the movie drags through chaos.

What I love about *Minority Report* is how every cool futuristic detail is also a threat. The eye-scans, the ads calling your name, the spider robots— all of it keeps tightening the vise.

The film was helmed by Steven Spielberg, who has kept the action readable even when it’s fast, and the mystery stays clear because the emotional motive never gets lost.

—

### 7. *Children of Men* (2006)

This isn’t the kind of sci-fi that comforts you. *Children of Men* feels like the world is already ending in the background, and everyone is just pretending the routine still matters.

Theo Faron (Clive Owen) starts numb, the way people get when the news has been bad for too long, and then the story drops a single hope into his lap and forces him to care again. The whole movie feels like a fragile mission, thanks to Kee’s character (Clare-Hope Ashitey).

What makes *Children of Men* incredible from start to finish is the immersion. It’s messy, loud, and intimate, like you’re walking inside the panic with them: the strangers helping, strangers betraying, hope refusing to die quietly.

The film also stars Julianne Moore as Julian, and here’s the cool bit—it is set in 2027, and many of the elements in the film have come true by 2026.

—

### 6. *Blade Runner* (1982)

Some movies don’t hook you with plot. They hook you with an atmosphere so thick you can taste it. *Blade Runner* does that and more.

It opens, and you’re already in it: rain, neon, smoke, and a future that looks tired. Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is less a hero than a guy doing a grim job, and the film makes that job feel morally dirty on purpose.

Rachael (Sean Young) is where the film gets personal, because one question turns into an identity crisis. The whole moody worldbuilding hits instantly.

What has kept *Blade Runner* incredible to this date is that it never stops asking what a “real” life is, even when the action picks up. Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) is the emotional center, and his arc is why the ending lingers.

The city feels alive and predatory, and the movie’s best moments come from quiet confrontation. This soft-haunting film is directed by Ridley Scott.

—

### 5. *Arrival* (2016)

This is the rare first-contact movie where the biggest action is learning. *Arrival* follows Louise Banks (Amy Adams) as she tries to communicate with aliens from outer space who don’t think like us, and the film makes that process feel urgent.

Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) brings warmth, but the tension comes from politics pressing in while the language work is still fragile.

For anyone that actually wants to watch something incredible, know that this is not loud sci-fi. The film brilliantly captures the intimate pressure that would surround us if aliens were to actually arrive in this world.

What makes *Arrival* incredible from start to finish is how the emotional reveal is also the sci-fi reveal. It’s one of the cleanest “oh. oh no” moments I’ve ever had in a theater because it re-frames everything without feeling like a trick.

Because the tone stays calm throughout the film while the stakes climb, the ending hits like acceptance, and you walk out quieter than you walked in. It’s a beautiful film through and through.

—

### 4. *Interstellar* (2014)

I don’t start *Interstellar* thinking about space. I start thinking about leaving and then coming back to see how the world has changed, and you will never be able to see your kids the way you might have expected.

Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) stepping away from Murph (Jessica Chastain) hurts because it feels like a promise you can’t keep, and the movie keeps returning to that wound.

What gives *Interstellar* an evergreen-incredible badge is that it commits to big swings without losing the thread. The set pieces aren’t just “cool,” they’re time, regret, and survival made visual.

Director Christopher Nolan makes the science feel tactile, but the real reason it sticks is that the movie keeps choosing sincerity over irony. When it ends, it doesn’t feel neat, it feels earned.

It aims big, lands hard, and that’s why the film is loved throughout the world.

—

### 3. *The Thing* (1982)

This is the kind of movie that makes you suspicious of everyone in the room.

*The Thing* drops you in Antarctica with a bunch of men who already don’t trust each other, then adds a creature that can look like anyone. R. J. MacReady (Kurt Russell) becomes the anchor because he thinks like a survivalist when paranoia is spreading like an infection.

The opening is simple, and then it just keeps tightening.

What makes *The Thing* incredible from start to finish is how it never gives you comfort. Every solution creates a new fear, and every test feels like it might fail.

The tension throughout its runtime stays brutal and the atmosphere icy, and the effects, although from 1982, still work because they’re used as punctuation, not spectacle.

The film also stars Keith David as Childs, Wilford Brimley as Dr. Blair, T. K. Carter as Nauls, and Richard Masur as Clark, among others.

—

### 2. *Alien* (1979)

Ridley Scott’s *Alien* is almost calm, which is exactly why it’s terrifying—but that’s just the first half.

The Nostromo feels like a proper working ship, and the crew bickers like real people who’ve done this job too long. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) isn’t positioned as “the hero” at first; she’s just the one taking protocols seriously while everyone else wants to move on.

Then the horror arrives, and the movie never relaxes again. Routine turns into a nightmare.

What makes *Alien* incredible is the precision. The creature is scary, but the bigger dread is how small the humans suddenly feel inside their own ship.

Ash (Ian Holm) is the cold surprise that deepens the paranoia, and because of Scott’s iconic work on the sets, the lighting and sound are so controlled that you feel trapped with them.

—

### 1. *The Matrix* (1999)

It’s hard to explain to someone now how mind-blowing *The Matrix* felt the first time, but you can still feel the jolt in the opening minutes.

Neo (Keanu Reeves) starts as a guy with that nagging “something’s off” feeling, and the movie feeds that anxiety until it becomes a full-on awakening.

Then Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) comes in and drags him into a new reality with total conviction. That’s the main hook for the film.

—

These ten sci-fi films master the art of tension and storytelling, making you think, feel, and stay hooked until the very end. Whether through psychological thrills, moral dilemmas, or breathtaking visuals, each movie offers an unforgettable journey into possible futures—and the humanity within them.
https://collider.com/best-sci-fi-movies-incredible/

current events, politics, trump

Killing Prompts Only a Defiant Response From Trump

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Even as the second death of a protester in Minnesota sparked widespread demands for accountability, the president remained insulated from dissenting voices.

He continued to follow his established pattern of reflexively blaming opponents, rather than addressing the concerns raised by the tragedy.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/25/us/politics/minneapolis-killing-trump-defiant-response.html

general

Where to watch Auburn-Florida SEC basketball game today free livestream

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The Auburn Tigers are set to face off against the No. 16 Florida Gators in an exciting SEC basketball game today. The matchup is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on ESPN.

Fans looking to watch the game online have several options. You can stream the game for free by taking advantage of the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Additionally, Sling TV is providing a special first-month discount for new users, making it another affordable way to catch all the action.

The Tigers enter today’s game with a 12-7 record and come in strong, having won three of their last four contests. In their most recent outing, Auburn defeated Ole Miss with a convincing 78-66 victory. Keyshawn Hall, Auburn’s star forward, has been instrumental this season. Leading the team in both points and rebounds, Hall will be crucial to the Tigers’ success this afternoon as they aim to continue their winning momentum.

On the other side, the Florida Gators boast a 14-5 record and are riding an impressive five-game winning streak. Their last game saw them dominate LSU, 79-61. Forward Thomas Haugh is the key player for Florida, averaging nearly 17 points per game and spearheading the Gators’ offense. A strong performance from Haugh will be vital if Florida hopes to maintain their streak.

Don’t miss this thrilling SEC basketball showdown between Auburn and Florida. Remember, you can watch it live online for free with DirecTV and Fubo TV’s trials, or take advantage of Sling TV’s first-month discount for new subscribers.
https://www.al.com/tv/2026/01/where-to-watch-auburn-florida-sec-basketball-game-today-free-livestream.html

general

How to prepare for the ‘Great Wealth Transfer’

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The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities, or other investments.

—

**Navigating the Great Wealth Transfer: What You Need to Know About Inheriting Money**

We are in the midst of the Great Wealth Transfer, a predicted titanic pass-down of assets from older generations to Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. According to financial research firm Cerulli Associates, $124 trillion will change generational hands through 2048.

That said, not everyone is going to receive a staggering amount of money—or any inheritance at all, frankly. Much of this wealth is concentrated in a small segment of the population. But if you’re inheriting wealth, you’ll have choices to make, and planning ahead can help you avoid costly mistakes.

> “This is something that’s really powerful, that could really propel your financial security,” says Fahmin Fardous, a certified financial planner with Zenith Wealth Partners in Morristown, New Jersey. “Let’s look at where you are, and let’s look at what your goals are in life.”

—

### Prepare Before the Inheritance

Receiving large sums of money and losing a loved one are both events that can throw you for a loop—emotionally and practically.

> “Grief can lead to rushed decisions,” says Scott Bishop, a CFP and co-founder of Presidio Wealth Partners in Houston. Establishing goals, understanding inheritance terms, and researching tax implications can put you in a better place to make smart choices, he says.

In other words, laying the groundwork now prepares you for the hard work later.

> “Emotionally, I often see people swing to extremes: either refusing to spend any money because it feels like ‘blood money,’ or spending too quickly because they don’t feel deserving of it,” says Mitchell Kraus, a CFP with Capital Intelligence Associates in Santa Monica, California.

No matter what emotion you feel at the time—whether happiness, sadness, or general overwhelm—it’s probably normal.

> “I’ve seen stress, I’ve seen excitement,” Fardous adds. Many clients have never dealt with this kind of money before and simply don’t know what to do with it.

—

### Avoid Common Inheritance Mistakes

All those feelings can make it hard to act thoughtfully on newfound wealth, especially if it’s a life-changing amount.

One thing you shouldn’t do, Fardous warns, is start mentally spending the cash before you actually have it.

> “Whenever I see someone who’s received a windfall, they think of this wish list they’ve had,” she says. “And this money is getting spent in their head before it’s even hitting their bank account.”

That mindset can derail long-term security before the inheritance has even fully settled.

> “Don’t bank on an inheritance until you have it,” Kraus advises.

Some people seek professional advice—which is good!—but end up with financial pros who try to sell high-commission products, which isn’t ideal. If you work with a professional, consider finding a fiduciary: someone legally bound to act in your best interest.

> “Be sure you understand the difference between a fee-based financial planner, who receives commissions for recommending products, and a fee-only planner, who is paid only by clients,” Fardous explains.

Sometimes, pressure from friends and family can prompt hasty actions before you’ve had time to think. Kraus recommends setting a “90-day decision-free zone”—a period where you avoid making any irreversible financial moves.

> “It gives you a chance to reset, to think about what’s going on and how it’s happening, and that takes a lot of the pressure off,” Kraus says.

—

### Have the Hard Conversations Early

Knowing what’s coming your way allows you to prepare for taxation and distribution. For example, if you’re inheriting an IRA, there are rules about when and how you must take distributions. Taxes may also be due on what you receive.

If you have the kind of relationship with your loved one where you can discuss potential inheritances, do it.

> “I can’t tell you how many families I see where parents plan to leave a lot of money for their kids, but the kids worry about parents not being able to get by, so they save money in case the parents need help,” says Kraus. “Having those conversations ahead of time can help.”

Consider asking about what you might inherit—money, property, investments—and whether there are any restrictions on those assets.

—

### Make a Plan for Inherited Wealth

After taking some time to absorb your situation and emotions, experts recommend considering a few priorities.

Consulting a professional about your tax liabilities should be one of your first steps, Bishop says. After that, focus on building an emergency fund and paying down debt.

> “We don’t want to allocate anything toward anything else without you having an emergency fund of three to six months in high-yield savings and making sure you don’t have any high-interest debt,” Fardous recommends.

Next, consider your goals. Do you want to put money toward your children’s college education, buy a house, or boost your retirement nest egg?

> “The first thing you don’t want to do is go out and buy three Ferraris,” Bishop jokes. Think carefully about what’s important to you and what this money means for your future.

Ask yourself:

– Where do you want to go?
– Does this inheritance mean you can retire early?
– Would you want to retire early?

> “Think of it as an opportunity to reset your life,” Bishop says. “Big checks invite big mistakes. It’s important to slow down, have a plan, and then execute.”

—

**Related Reads:**
– [4 Ways to Relaunch Your Finances in 2026]
– [6 Clever Ways I’ve Saved Money (That Weren’t as Scary as I Thought)]
– [Will U.S. Intervention in Venezuela Change Prices at the Pump?]

—

*Kate Ashford, WMS™ writes for NerdWallet.*
Email: kashford@nerdwallet.com
Twitter: [@kateashford](https://twitter.com/kateashford)
https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2026/01/24/great-wealth-transfer/

general

Lawmakers urge Trump: Don’t politicize disaster aid ahead of winter storm

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As dozens of states brace for a historic winter storm this weekend, all eyes are on President Donald Trump’s administration and whether politics will play a role in who receives federal disaster assistance.

Politico reported Friday that many governors of states in the path of Winter Storm Fern are already scrambling to line up resources. Nearly an inch of freezing rain is expected across much of the Deep South, while heavy snow is likely to pummel the bulk of the Midwest and the East Coast. According to the Weather Channel, the storm will impact approximately 230 million Americans.

An unnamed senior official within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) anonymously told Politico that states are “expecting the worst” after discussions with the Trump administration. “They’re preparing for no grants, no money,” the official said.

Recently, lawmakers on Capitol Hill approved a spending bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—under which FEMA operates—through 2026. One provision in the legislation stipulates that “snowstorms shall be eligible for Federal relief.”

Still, some Democrats worry the Trump administration will attempt to stifle aid to Democratic-run states. Under the second Trump administration, Cameron Hamilton, the former acting FEMA administrator, entertained the idea of denying aid for snowstorms.

Politico also reported that after catastrophic flooding in the spring of 2025, the Trump administration denied federal disaster funding to Maryland, led by Democratic Governor Wes Moore.

A spokesperson for Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) expressed concern, stating that the tendency of Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem “to turn even the weather into a partisan issue and play politics with people’s lives may make an already bad situation somehow even worse.”

House Homeland Security Committee ranking member Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) urged the administration to adhere to the standard set by the recent DHS funding bill. “Any notion that snowstorms don’t qualify as a disaster defies logic and is unnecessarily cruel,” Thompson told Politico.

Since 2016, FEMA has spent roughly $272 million helping communities recover from snowstorms, according to Politico. While this is a significant amount, it remains comparatively small given the tens of billions of dollars the agency has spent on all disaster relief during that period.

States are particularly dependent on federal funds following snowstorms. Former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, who served during the Obama administration, told Politico that cash-strapped states which do not frequently experience wintry conditions tend to cut snow removal funding during lean times.

“We tried to set the thresholds to say, unless this is an extraordinary event, it should not be supplanting state and local responsibility to fund snow removal and treatment operations on their highways on the back of the federal taxpayers,” Fugate explained.

As Winter Storm Fern approaches, the nation watches closely to see how federal disaster assistance will be managed—and whether politics will influence which communities receive aid.
https://www.alternet.org/trump-disaster-aid-snowstorm/

basketball, college athletics, sports

Maine men’s basketball holds off Albany

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Ace Flagg made a crucial foul shot with 1:55 remaining to give Maine the lead, and the Black Bears held on to beat Albany 52-49 in an America East men’s basketball game on Thursday in Orono.

Flagg, a Newport native, finished the game with 12 points, eight rebounds, and four assists for the Black Bears (4-17, 2-4 America East), helping Maine snap a two-game losing streak. He extended Maine’s lead to three points with 42 seconds left in the game.

Logan Carey then stepped up, sinking three foul shots to secure the victory. Carey and Mehki Gray led the team with 13 points each.

For Albany (7-13, 3-2), Abdoulaye Fall scored a team-high 14 points, while Isaac Abidde contributed 10 points in the effort.
https://www.centralmaine.com/2026/01/22/maine-mens-basketball-holds-off-albany/

general

Trey Songz Sues Kansas City Police Over 2021 Chiefs Playoff Game Arrest

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Trey Songz is suing the Kansas City Police Department over its handling of an incident that led to his arrest during the AFC Championship Game between the Chiefs and Buffalo Bills in 2021.

According to a lawsuit obtained by TMZ, Songz alleges that he was “physically assaulted, wrongfully arrested, handcuffed and detained” after security guards and officers arrived at his section in the stadium. The singer claims that authorities failed to protect him from “unruly, aggressive and intoxicated attendees” who were threatening and harassing him.

Following his arrest, witnesses told TMZ that Songz was being heckled by people seated a few rows back when the officer showed up and “went after him” without warning. Songz was charged with trespassing, resisting arrest, and assaulting a police officer. However, these charges were later dismissed.

The lawsuit states that Songz suffered physical injuries, emotional distress, damage to his professional reputation, and financial losses as a result of the incident. He is seeking unspecified damages.

In a separate matter, Songz was arrested last month for causing over $1,500 worth of damage to property and equipment at a hookah lounge in New York City. It was then discovered that the singer was wanted for another incident at a Times Square nightclub that same night. In that incident, he allegedly punched an employee who informed him that the venue was closing and that he needed to leave.

His attorney, Mitchell Schuster, stated that his client, who has pleaded not guilty to assault, harassment, and criminal mischief, is “cooperating fully and looks forward to the facts coming to light.”
https://www.complex.com/music/a/jose-martinez/trey-songz-kansas-city-police-lawsuit-chiefs-playoff-game

basketball, college athletics, sports

Lineup changes, renewed defense help No. 22 Tar Heels cruise past Notre Dame

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CHAPEL HILL — With all the noise surrounding the North Carolina basketball team this past week, it must have seemed like old times to head coach Hubert Davis.

A year ago, there were similar rumblings about whether Davis was the right fit to lead the illustrious program, but the Tar Heels went on a six-game winning streak near the end of the regular season to quiet the clamor.

Wednesday night, limping home after a two-loss West Coast trip and three defeats in four games, the 22nd-ranked Tar Heels faced a Notre Dame team enduring even greater struggles. The Fighting Irish were on a four-game losing streak, losers in five of their last six, and without their top scorer, Marcus Burton, who was injured after averaging 18.5 points through ten games.

Davis juggled his starting lineup for the third straight contest and the changes worked. Point guard Derek Dixon, starting his second consecutive game, opened the scoring with a 3-pointer from the right corner, and the Heels never trailed, coasting to a 91-69 victory.

“I thought about moving forward and not dwelling on California,” Davis said about his coaching approach in practice after the disappointing loss. “I didn’t want that to lead to the next game against Notre Dame. I wanted to be positive with these guys, give them confidence to go out there and play, and they were able to do that tonight.”

North Carolina is 12-0 at home this season, and the Tar Heels have won six in a row over Notre Dame. UNC is now 15-4 overall—a record most programs, not named North Carolina, would be happy with—and 3-3 in the ACC, while the Irish fall to 10-9 on the season, 1-5 ACC.

Notre Dame made two first-half runs at the Heels. Braeden Shrewsberry’s 3 cut the lead to one, but Luka Bogavac hit a 3-pointer from the left wing and Kyan Evans’s trey from the right corner gave UNC an 18-10 lead. When the Irish cut the margin to three, Carolina went on a 10-2 run and led 42-33 at the half.

After Henri Veesaar opened the second half with a hook shot and a 3-pointer, followed by another Dixon trey—extending the margin to 50-33 with less than two minutes gone in the half—the outcome was clear.

“At halftime, I said, ‘OK, let’s take another step, let’s get off to a good start, let’s raise our level even more,’” Davis said. “And we started off on an 8-0 run and we just continued it throughout the second half. That’s something that we hadn’t done in a while and I was very proud and very happy for them.”

Perhaps the loudest complaint after the loss to California was the perceived failure to get the ball to the Heels’ best player, Caleb Wilson—although the freshman took 12 shots, barely below his 12.3 shots per game average. Against Notre Dame, Wilson took only 11 shots but made eight, while converting 5 of 8 free throws to finish with 22 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.

It was the 19th game in a row Wilson scored in double figures, just one off the UNC record to begin a career set by Rashad McCants. Veesaar scored 15 points and hauled in 12 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season, and Dixon finished with 11 points.

Eight different Tar Heels made 3-pointers in the game, tying the all-time UNC record.

Tar Heel fans also blamed Davis for North Carolina’s porous defense. In their three recent losses against SMU, Stanford, and Cal, opponents shot 54% from the field and 54.3% from the 3-point line. Against Notre Dame, the Heels mixed man-to-man defense with a 1-3-1 zone to limit the Irish to 36% shooting from the floor and 32% on 3-pointers—although Notre Dame did convert 6-of-12 treys in the first half.

“We talk about communication all the time, and the communication at times wasn’t there in the first half,” Davis said of his team’s 3-point defense. “We did a much better job of communicating in the second half.”

If there was a chink in the Heels’ armor, it was on the offensive boards where Notre Dame beat them 18-10, although UNC still held a 17-13 advantage in second-chance points. The Heels shot 50.8% from the field, 38.2% from 3-pointers, and enjoyed a 13-2 advantage in fast break points.

The win gives Davis and the Heels some breathing room, as the performance may quiet the discontent—at least a bit. But Carolina can hardly rest on its laurels as it faces 14th-ranked Virginia in Charlottesville next Saturday, and a loss—especially a bad loss—will put the spotlight back on its head coach.

“This is the first time with this group and we have 11 new players,” Davis said. “We’re learning, we’re growing, we’re getting better, and we’re looking forward to practice and preparation to play a really good Virginia team.”
https://www.wilsontimes.com/sports/lineup-changes-renewed-defense-help-no-22-tar-heels-cruise-past-notre-dame-0c03fff9

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