basketball

North Carolina took a gamble hiring Michael Malone. It just might pay off

By Craig Meyer, USA TODAY NETWORKUSA Today

North Carolina took a risk hiring former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone. Given his resume, though, there's ample reason to believe he can excel.

There was always going to be something jarring about whoever North Carolina was going to hire as its next mens basketball coach. After firing Hubert Davis following a first-round NCAA tournament fla…