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Caleb Love’s new team and his old one are both fighting for No. 1 seeds.
When Love left UNC and eventually settled at Arizona, we all wished him well for sinking some of the biggest shots in Carolina history, including the 3-pointer that sent Coach K into retirement from Duke at the 2022 Final Four.
But Caleb would stay top of mind with Tar Heel fans, especially after Arizona upset the Blue Devils at Cameron in November, as he hit another big shot in front of where Mike Krzyzewski was sitting on the first row of baseline seats.
Joining the Wildcats after his transfer fell through at Michigan was the first good move for Love, as the Wolverines are in 14th place and dead last in the Big Ten. Arizona is first in the Pac 12 and No. 4 in the latest NCAA rankings where the Tar Heels are No. 5.
Those positions are also the projected seedings in the NCAA tournament, so Love’s new team is now the fourth top seed and his former team is the first No. 2 seed.
That may change with Arizona still to face 21st-ranked Washington State and play at UCLA and Southern Cal. Carolina, of course, visits Virginia Saturday and concludes the regular season in Durham, so the seedings are still very much up in the air.
What is it they say about divorce sometimes being good for both parties?
Love leads Arizona in minutes played per game (32), scoring (18.8) and is averaging 5 rebounds with a 2-1 assist-turnover ratio. He is shooting 43 percent overall and 35 percent from outside, both higher numbers than in his last season in Chapel Hill. His assimilation to a new program includes former UNC assistant coach Steve Robinson on the staff of head coach Tommy Lloyd, who is one of the best and just received an extension through 2029.
It is unlikely Love’s two teams will meet in the Big Dance before the Final Four as they are probably going to wind up in different regions.
Carolina, of course, is better this season with a revamped roster joining holdover stars R.J. Davis and Armando Bacot. Love remains close to his former teammates and school; he took the court for his last time at Cameron, where he also helped shock Coach K in his last home game, wearing shoes beneath his new uniform that said “Tar Heel 4 Life.” He left waving goodbye to the Crazies.
So as Carolina of the ACC and Arizona (which is departing for the Big 12 after this season) are heading for the NCAA tournament that the Tar Heels missed last season, both programs are in a far better position than they were a year ago.
For the Heels, it’s addition by subtraction, for the ‘Cats a new Love.
Featured image via Associated Press/Rick Scuteri
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
