Heels' Defense Draws Davis’ Ire in Loss to NC State

The North Carolina Tar Heels were wiped off the floor against their in-state rivals in NC State, falling to the Wolfpack by a score of 82-58 in a game that will certainly serve as a reality check.

After surviving the absence of Caleb Wilson, and Henri Veesaar against Pitt last week, the Tar Heels sorely missed their star frontcourt against NC State, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

The Wolfpack shot 48 percent from the floor, and 45 percent from three-point range as North Carolina’s defense provided little to no resistance to NC State’s offense. The Tar Heels are now 2-2 over their last four games, with wins over Duke and Pitt, but losses to Miami and NC State.

After the loss, head coach Hubert Davis voiced his displeasure with the team’s defensive effort in the blowout loss to the Wolfpack.

Feb 14, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) on the bench in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Lacking more than Wilson

“I felt like our competitive fight wasn’t there,” Davis said. “Especially from a defensive standpoint. They didn’t feel us defensively. They didn’t feel our presence at all. We talked about how, at the end of the day, it’s going to end up being one-on-one defense. Can we defend them without fouling, are we manning up when the ball goes up in the air, on the ground, can we go get it? I don’t think we did a very good job of that.”

“I’ve been consistent with this all year,” Davis added. “Our heartbeat, our lifeline — and I tell the team this all the time — there’s no other way, there’s no other road, there’s no other route. It starts with us with defense and rebounding. That’s what leads up to a really good offense. We weren’t tough enough, we weren’t good enough on the defensive end.”

Of course, not having their best all-around defender in Wilson does play a role in the Tar Heels’ struggles on that end of the floor. However, Wilson could remain out for several of UNC’s final games to end the regular season, so they’ll need to bear down defensively while their top player recovers from his fractured hand.

Feb 17, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack forward Ven-Allen Lubin (22) drives the ball to the basket against North Carolina Tar Heels forward Zayden High (1) during the first half at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Picking up pieces after crippling loss

After a crippling loss to the Wolfpack, UNC will look to turn things around despite being shorthanded as the season winds down. They’ll see Syracuse, #21 Louisville, Virginia Tech, Clemson, and #3 Duke to end the regular season. If the Tar Heels wanna retain a high seed for the NCAA Tournament, they’ll need to overcome the adversity they are currently faced with down the stretch.

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