Derek Dixon Reflects on North Carolina's Recent Win

The North Carolina Tar Heels do not win each of their last two games without freshman guard Derek Dixon. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound shooting guard hit the game-winning shot against the Kentucky Wildcats last Tuesday, following that with an all-around performance against the Georgetown Hoyas with 14 points and four assists.

Dixon went 5-of-7 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range. His output came in 27 minutes off the bench, and his playing time should steadily increase with Seth Trimble still out for a few weeks.

While speaking with the media during his postgame press conference availability, Dixon broke down several factors that led to North Carolina dominating Georgetown.

Dixon's Thoughts

North Carolina's three-point shooting

Dec 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis talks with guard Derek Dixon (3) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"I thought that was really big for us in opening the game up," Dixon said. "Just really wanted to focus defensively. We got stops and we were able to get out in transition and get those buckets. So I thought that was really big for us."

The Tar Heels were underwhelming from beyond the arc, hitting 9-of-28 from deep, but the timing of those made threes were crucial to North Carolina creating a clear pathway towards victory. In the early second half, the Tar Heels scored 15 straight points from three-point range, which ballooned North Carolina's lead to 68-54 in just three minutes.

The Tar Heels' Defensive Mindset in the Second Half

Dec 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis talks with guard Kyan Evans (0) and guard Derek Dixon (3) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"I think just our energy and our communication was a lot better," Dixon said. "Trying to limit their [points in the paint]. I think Coach said they had 22 in the first half and only 10 in the second half, limited their transition looks."

After allowing 39 points in the first half, North Carolina buckled down and suffocated the Hoyas' offense, limiting them to 22 points in the final 20 minutes. Extra effort on ball rotations and picking up KJ Lewis and Malik Mack with more urgency on set screens set the tone for the second half.

North Carolina's Growth and Development

Dec 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Derek Dixon (3) on the court in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"We're really good when we lock in on being good on the defensive end, our offense follows," Dixon said. "We've got a really good group, lot of growing we've done since then. I think the Michigan State loss was good for us. We were able to grow a lot from that, and I feel like we've been a lot better since then."

Since losing to the Michigan State Spartans on Thanksgiving Day, the Tar Heels have hit a different gear with defensive urgency and offensive stability, which have been driving forces in North Carolina's last two wins.

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