Davis Addresses Questions About Lack of Supporting Cast

With Seth Trimble out for the bulk of the non-conference portion of the schedule, the North Carolina Tar Heels' offensive production had predominately been accounted by Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar. While that has led to success, the Tar Heels offensive gameplan can be minimized if opposing teams focus on taking away those two players and force someone else to score against them.

Luckily for the Tar Heels, Trimble has been back in the lineup for four games, dating back to North Carolina's nail-biting 71-70 win over Ohio State on Dec. 20. In those outing, the senior guard has averaged 17.8 per game, which is easily the third-most on the roster behind the aforementioned frontcourt duo.

Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kyan Evans (0) and center Henri Veesaar (13) and guard Derek Dixon (3) and forward Caleb Wilson (8) and guard Seth Trimble (7) come back on the court during the second half against the SMU Mustangs at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

However, as stated, the supporting cast's production has simply not been good or consistent enough throughout the season. There have been glimpses of Kyan Evans and Luka Bogavac contributing double-digit points, but for the most part, that production has come too far and between.

Those shortcomings were exposed in the Tar Heels' 97-83 loss to the SMU Mustangs this past Saturday, as Evans and Bogavac were essentially no-shows for North Carolina.

While speaking with the media earlier this week, head coach Hubert Davis explained how he discusses those things with his players.

Davis' Thoughts

Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) shakes hands with North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis after the Mustangs defeat the North Carolina Tar Heels at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

“I do talk to players all the time,” Davis said. “Whether they’re feeling comfortable out there or struggling with their confidence, I do have conversations with them.”

Evans is the first name that pops up when assessing what Davis portrayed about the communication with his players. The Colorado State transfer has battled with confidence issues this season and seemed to be turning a corner after his 15-point performance against Florida State.

One role player that did step up on Saturday was junior forward Jarin Stevenson, who totaled 16 points and four rebounds while shooting 5-of-6 from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Davis highlighted Stevenson's performance and hopes that continues moving forward.

Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) drives to the basket past SMU Mustangs forward Corey Washington (3) during the first half at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

“Prior to (SMU), there have been times where he found his rhythm, but nothing like against SMU,” Davis said. “So that was really good to see him not only make shots but be aggressive and be a factor on the offensive end.”

The 55-year-old head coach understands what is like to be a player on the court, and he spoke on never losing confidence in his players.

“As a player, no coach, nobody could take away or give me confidence,” Davis said. “As a coach, I support them. I’ll do anything for them to be the best that they can be.”

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