Roy Williams and North Carolina host Virginia on Saturday night. (Getty)
North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams was less than pleased with his coaching performance in a home loss against Clemson on Saturday.
The head coaching legend was highly emotional in a post game press conference following North Carolina’s first home loss to Clemson in more than 90 years.
“I told them if I die tomorrow, twenty years from now this will be the biggest regret I have in 32 years as a coach because these kids really need a win, and their coach let them down today,” said Williams.
“Gotta tell [athletics director Bubba Cunningham] he should probably fire me,” Williams said. ” The coach is supposed to help his kids, I didn’t help them very much. ”
North Carolina had a 59-game home-winning streak against Clemson, before it was snapped by scrappy Clemson bunch in the Dean Dome on Saturday.
According to the Raleigh News and Observer, the North Carolina won streak lasted through four arenas and gyms and six national championships for the school.
A streak that lasted through a myriad of different teams and 11 different head coaches ended with a performance that Williams calls his lowest moment as a coach.
Williams was emotional about his Coaching Performance
https://twitter.com/ClemsonSportNet/status/1216142632956710914
“They’re dribbling the ball across the 10-second line, and I said, ‘you didn’t remind them to foul,’ Williams said. “I’ve had some great moments as a coach, and right now I’d say this is my lowest moment because losing this game was my fault.”
Williams is one of the most animated coaches in the game of basketball. His emotion and passion have helped lift his team to historic levels of greatness throughout his career.
However, it’s obvious that this season has taken a significant toll on the aging coach. Williams has been struggling all season to get this team to play to a level identical to his dominant North Carolina teams of the past.
“I didn’t remind them to foul,” Williams said during the press conference, holding back tears.
This is a Different North Carolina Team
https://twitter.com/Kyle__Boone/status/1216165397533163520
This year’s North Carolina team is not the Tar Heels squad of years past. This team faces a plethora of struggles that other North Carolina team’s talent eliminated.
Without the presence of freshman star Cole Anthony, this team struggles to have consistent play.
The star guard underwent a knee procedure on December 16, according to the News and Observer.
He was initially expected to miss four to six weeks as he recovers from a partially torn meniscus.
Anthony’s injury was said to have occurred over time and wear and tear forced the young star to have surgery.
His absence has certainly been missed on this Tar Heels team.
The Tar Heels have now fallen to 8-8 with a 1-4 conference record with the loss. Clemson’s victory improves their record to 8-7 with a 2-3 conference record.
Both teams are in the lower-half of the Atlantic Coast Conference standings and fighting for an NCAA tournament berth.