What North Carolina Learned From Sweet 16 Action

• "North Carolina head men's basketball coach Hubert Davis will not return next year, sources told ESPN," Thamel reported. "Davis informed his team of his departure on Tuesday night, sources said. His exit looms large over a historic program that's long leaned into alumni and the so-called Carolina Way and opens up one of the most coveted positions in all of basketball. Davis has nearly $5.3 million of guaranteed money left on his deal."

While North Carolina has not been relevant for the majority of this tournament, there have been several learning experiences from the Sweet 16, with the Elite Eight wrapping up this weekend.

Coaching Matters

This is an obvious statement, but when evaluating what transpired over the last couple of days, the level of coaching has been apparent. For example, Ben McCollum led Iowa to an Elite Eight appearance, which included wins over Clemson, Florida, and Nebraska.

Against the Cornhuskers, McCollum's system and adaptability were on full display as the Hawkeyes overcame a 10-point deficit in the first half and took firm control in the second. Iowa legitimately outplayed Florida in the second round in every facet of the game, but it could have been a fluke. However, the Hawkeyes followed that up with the aforementioned win over Nebraska.

Although Iowa fell short in the Elite Eight against Illinois on Saturday, McCollum has proved to be one of the best potential candidates if he explores other options around the nation.

Head Coach Hire Is Monumental To Keep Pace With Duke

The Blue Devils advanced to the Elite Eight with a win over St. John's on Friday night. Jon Scheyer has developed into an elite coach in short order and has shown the ability to assemble elite recruiting classes year after year.

Duke entered this year's tournament as the No. 1 overall seed in the Big Dance and is a legitimate contender to win the national title. The Blue Devils have one of the best classes heading into next season, and if North Carolina wants to remain competitive with Duke, hiring a formidable head coach is a requirement.