It was a roller coaster of a season a year ago for the Tar Heels basketball team, leaving a sour taste in fans mouths after ending the season with an upset loss in the first-round of the NCAA Tournament. It came as the team squandered a 19-point second half lead against VCU.
After five seasons of Hubert Davis at the helm, the program decided it was time for a change. Enter NBA championship winning coach, Mike Malone.
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Now, as a new season approaches, the locker room is buzzing as the team eyes a return to the top of the sport.
The Tar Heels held a media press conference where players spoke on the impact Coach Malone is already bringing to the program. UNC Guard Isaiah Dennis shared how different practicing under the new coach can be.
"Last year we had great practices, but I feel like it's a little bit of a different energy," Dennis said. "If you've been to a practice you can see the energy shift...everybody's coming in ready to work."
"Even just the way practices are ran, you can tell he's brought down what he had in the NBA," Dennis goes on to say.
Returning Forward Jarin Stevenson spoke on how having Coach Malone in the locker room is changing the culture of the program and helping players grow.
"He can be fiery sometimes and he can spark me to play better," Stevenson said. "He always encourages me, wants me to be more aggressive...we plan on playing fast."
The men's basketball season tips off October 9, taking on the USC Trojans.