UNC basketball ‘Live Action’ event postponed in response to Hurricane Ian
Hubert Davis will have to wait to put his own personal spin on North Carolina basketball’s preseason showcase. “Live Action with Carolina basketball,” scheduled for Friday night at the Smith Center, has been postponed until next week, Oct. 7, due to Hurricane Ian.
Other UNC athletic events — including Saturday’s home football game against Virginia Tech and a home swim meet and volleyball match Friday — are expected to be played as scheduled, the university said, as long as the opponents and officials arrive.
The storm has delayed the beginning of what is arguably North Carolina’s most anticipated season since the “redemption” year that ended with the Tar Heels winning the 2016-17 NCAA national title.
The symbolic start to the basketball season — formerly known as “Late Night” — will showcase the men’s and women’s basketball teams and again will feature UNC basketball public address announcer BDaht as the host.
Second-year coach Davis officially put his stamp on the event with the rebranding. Organizers took the name from an in-game interview Davis did during the Tar Heels’ national title loss to Kansas when he excitedly uttered the phrase, “It’s live action.”
Admission to the rescheduled event is free and doors open at 6 p.m. with the festivities beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The Heels are likely going to be the No. 1-ranked team when preseason polls are released next month.
Four starters return, including leading scorer and rebounder, Armando Bacot, who tied the NCAA record with 31 double-doubles last season. Carolina also added Northwestern transfer Pete Nance and a highly ranked recruiting class that includes guard Seth Trimble, who is the brother of former UNC forward J.P. Tokoto.
Just for good measure, like the 2017 team, these Heels will have a Maye on the roster. And no, current quarterback Drake Maye isn’t a two-sport athlete.
The program announced the addition of Beau Maye as a walk-on this week. It could be a good omen as their older brother, Luke Maye, gained program immortality when he delivered the shot to beat Kentucky and reach the 2017 Final Four.
The women’s team returned four starters from its squad that reached the Sweet 16 last season. Led by junior guard Deja Kelly, Courtney Banghart’s team is expected to be a top-20 team in the preseason rankings.
This story was originally published September 29, 2022 at 3:42 PM with the headline "UNC basketball ‘Live Action’ event postponed in response to Hurricane Ian."
