Hello, everyone.

The regular season ended with a couple of very different reminders about this Carolina team.

First, the Tar Heels finished the year, undefeated at the Smith Center.

And that Clemson game was exactly the kind of grind you'd expect late in the season.

Tight, physical, and uncomfortable.

Carolina didn't play perfectly, but they made enough plays to close it out.

And then a few hours later, a few days later, however you want to phrase it, came the news that

changed everything and that not only was Caleb Wilson not returning, he'd broken his thumb

and was done for the season. That left North Carolina having to walk into Cameron and North Stadium, and they did what most

teams eventually do there.

They hung around for a while before Duke's pressure, turnovers, and transition offense

finally turned the game into something much different than it had been.

So now the regular season is over.

Carolina is headed to Charlotte for the ACC tournament with an undefeated home record

and a fresh loss to the number one team in the country and also a roster that has to finish

the season without its most dynamic player.

Tonight we're going to reset the conversation, not about what Carolina hoped to be,

but what this team actually is heading into tournament play.

This is the coast to coast-to-coast podcast.

I'm Joey Powell.

With me, as always, Sherell McMillan, Sean Moran.

We are delivered by Salvio's pizza.

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