Elon rallied. Hubert Davis fumed. Why UNC basketball needs fast lessons from opening night

A disjointed start to the season

The North Carolina Tar Heels dropped their season opener in disappointing fashion, falling 89-84 to Elon at home on Monday night. The loss was a major upset for the Tar Heels, who were ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP Poll.

The game was close throughout, but Elon took control in the second half. The Phoenix hit 10 three-pointers in the second half, while the Tar Heels made just 2 of 14 from beyond the arc.

Lessons to be learned

The loss to Elon was a wake-up call for the Tar Heels. They showed a number of weaknesses that will need to be addressed if they want to be a contender for the national championship.

One of the biggest issues was the Tar Heels' defense. They allowed Elon to shoot 52.9% from the field and 44.4% from three-point range. The Tar Heels also had trouble rebounding, getting outrebounded by Elon 40-30.

On the offensive end, the Tar Heels were too reliant on Caleb Love. Love scored 22 points, but he was the only Tar Heel to score in double figures. The rest of the team combined to shoot just 36.4% from the field.

Hubert Davis's frustration

Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis was understandably frustrated after the loss. He said that the team "didn't play with the intensity and focus that we needed to." He also said that the team needs to "learn from this and get better."

The Tar Heels have a lot of work to do if they want to reach their potential this season. They need to improve their defense, rebounding, and offensive efficiency. They also need to find a way to get more consistent scoring from their supporting cast.

Looking ahead

The Tar Heels will look to bounce back from their loss to Elon when they host Gardner-Webb on Friday night.