Davis Shouts Out UNC's Depth Following Win Over Syracuse

The UNC Tar Heels have gotten much more production out of their second unit lately, resulting in some quality wins in ACC play.

It’s no secret that the Tar Heels are led by their incredible frontcourt duo of Caleb Wilson, and Henri Veesaar — both of whom are amongst the best players in all of college basketball, and projected to be first-round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft — but lately they’ve been getting solid production out of their bench.

In particular, players such as Jonathan Powell, Jarin Stevenson, and Luka Bogavac have had a profound impact off the bench in recent weeks. That increased production out of the second unit has helped UNC embark on a four-game winning streak, with big wins over Notre Dame, #14 Virginia, Georgia Tech, and Syracuse.

Feb 2, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jonathan Powell (11) waits to come into the game in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Davis’ thoughts

Following their latest win over Syracuse, head coach Hubert Davis spoke about the team’s depth of late. He highlighted Powell in particular, who finished with 12 points in the win over the Orange.

“Jonathan, I thought, did a really nice job for us,” Davis said. “Obviously, his ability to be able to shoot the basketball was good, but he's a big guard, physical, and competitive. In our switches, he can guard one through four. He does a really nice job rebounding, he even led us in rebounding at Virginia. He can do a number of different things that impact winning in a number of different areas. I thought he played really well.”

After slumping out of the gate to start ACC play, especially on the defensive end, the Tar Heels have been able to batten down the hatches of late, and rip off a four-game winning streak to improve to 18-4 overall, and 6-3 in ACC play this season.

Jan 21, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) and forward Caleb Wilson (8) and forward Jonathan Powell (11) react in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

They’ve been much better defensively in particular, giving up 80 points or less in each game during their winning streak. During their slump, they allowed 84 points or more in each of their previous four games.

Their next matchup presents possibly their biggest test of the season, as the #12 ranked Tar Heels will play host to the #4 Duke Blue Devils, who are led by future top 3 NBA Draft pick Cam Boozer. They’ll also have matchups with Miami, Louisville, and Clemson over the next month. If North Carolina wants to prove they are for real, they’ll need to show up against these high-marquee opponents leading into the NCAA Tournament.

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