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Mar 20, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis during a press conference at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

UNC Men’s Hoops Schedule Breakdown: Navy

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Jeremiah Artacho | Last updated Aug 15, 2025 8:00 AM ET

As I continue breaking down the non-conference schedule of UNC men's basketball, we will be taking a look at the Navy Midshipmen. The program finished 2025-2026 with a record of 15-19 overall, 10-8 in the Patriot League Conference.

The Midshipmen won nine games at home, six on the road, but zero on neutral parquet. For UNC and Head Coach Hubert Davis, a 23-14 record by the end of the season was all it could accomplish, which comes after the loss to Ole Miss in the first round of this year's NCAAT.

The Tar Heels bring in a lot of new players via the transfer portal — Coach Davis' largest incoming group yet. But it would not have been possible without the assistance of General Manager Jim Tanner. Maybe if GM Tanner were not a part of the program, international player Luka Bogavac may not have committed to UNC, who knows?

Furthermore, this roster may align with Coach Davis' coaching style the most, but until the first exhibition game comes around against BYU and the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2025, AJ Dybansta, it is all remaining to be seen. For the sake of the fan base, it will probably hope to see the Tar Heels go back on track and find success similar to the 2021-2022 team during the postseason.

How Did Navy Perform Last Season?

Navy was able to win a little more than half of its games on the entire schedule. The Midshipmen's last game came at the hands of American, losing 74-52 during the Patriot League Tournament. That game came after wins over Boston University and Bucknell, where they scored in the 80s in both outings.

Jon Perry was officially announced as the program's head coach on March 19 of this year, after spending some time already with the team on the coaching staff. Here is more on Perry, per NavySports:

"Perry, who most recently was the associate head coach for the Mids, played a key role in the development of Navy’s offensive game plan and opponent scouting and film breakdown. He served as the recruiting coordinator, the Director of Navy Basketball Summer Camps and Clinics and the head coach of the Navy developmental team. Perry was also responsible for perimeter player development and instruction, organized the scheduling of non-conference opponents, oversaw the student managers and was the liaison between the staff and the Navy compliance office.

Navy posted an 82-64 overall record and a 53-32 mark against Patriot League foes over the last five years and put together a winning record against league foes in six of the last nine years (80-67 record in league games during this span). The Mids reached the championship game of the 2022 and ‘25 Patriot League Tournaments after they won their division in 2021, placed second in the league in 2022, tied for second in 2023 and tied for third in 2025.

Navy finished in a tie for fourth place during the 2015-16 season when the Mids were 9-9 against league foes (19-14 overall) and then had a fourth-place finish in 2016-17 when they posted a 10-8 record in league play and were 16-16 against all opponents."

Once the time arrives for these two teams to square off, UNC will have to deal with Austin Benigni, a native of The Woodlands, Texas. He is a rising senior who averaged 18.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, plus shot 40.6% from the field. From the three-point line, he made 33.7% of his attempts, much higher than his freshman (20%) and sophomore (24.7%) years, where he made below 25%, respectively.

Please

This article first appeared on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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