North Carolina coach Roy Williams said he disciplined players who were seen maskless at a social gathering, but their punishment does not include suspension. Williams said he will have his "full personnel" available for their game at Virginia on Saturday at 6 p.m.
That came into doubt after Monday's game against Miami was postponed as a result of players appearing on video maskless with about 10 other people at a social gathering. Williams, who met with the media via video conference on Friday, said he handled discipline internally, but declined to reveal what it was.
"I was upset about it, I'm still upset about it, but let's not make it out like we charged the Capitol building or anything like that," Williams said. "That's not what it was, it was not a free-standing party at some fraternity house or in the middle of Franklin Street. And I've handled it what I think is very appropriately."
Williams added that he didn't like the way that some portrayed the players in the media.
The Daily Tar Heel obtained the 11-second Snapchat clip that showed forwards Armando Bacot and Day'Ron Sharpe breaking UNC's COVID-19 protocol. When the school released an apology on behalf of the team managers and players on Monday, it revealed that there were more members than just Bacot and Sharpe present to celebrate their win over Duke Saturday night.
"It was not at a fraternity house, it was not on Franklin Street, it was within our group of players and managers and a few — very few — other people got involved," Williams said. "And it's something and I don't think (former UNC guard) Jeff Lebo would mind me saying this, I told Jeff Lebo that our team did the same thing he did 100 times but there was nobody putting it on video."
Bacot's mother, Christie Lomax, posted on her Twitter account that her son received death threats afterward. When reached by the News & Observer, Lomax declined further comment while stating she stood by her post.
When Miami learned of the video, it expressed its concerns with both UNC and the ACC and the decision was made to postpone about two hours prior to the game's scheduled tipoff.
"I can't ever remember anything that frustrated me like this, I've never had a game postponed like that so it was not my favorite moment," Williams said. "...I don't ever want to go through it again, but you got to move on. And that's what we're trying to do is move on, put it behind us."
Up until Monday, UNC had three games either canceled or postponed because of COVID-19-related quarantines its opponents had to follow. Monday was the first time this season UNC was the cause of the pause in schedule.
North Carolina (12-6, 7-4 ACC) has not played since its 91-87 win over Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The last time the Heels had a week off before a road game, they were underwhelming in their return to the court in a 63-50 loss at Clemson.
The Heels have lost the last six meetings in the series with Virginia (14-3, 10-1), which is the second longest losing streak since they dropped the first eight meetings when the series first started in 1911. They also have lost the last six games at John Paul Jones Arena Charlottesville, Va. The Heels haven't won there since a 54-51 victory on Feb. 25, 2012.
