How Scary Recurring Issue is Weighing Down Tar Heels

North Carolina is currently sitting in the bottom half of the ACC. With multiple ranked conference opponents on the schedule yet to play, the Tar Heels could be in for some trouble.

UNC is making the same exact mistakes game after game, and when will it change? Who knows? That is the frustrating part about this team. It is the same game script night after night.

Here is the Tar Heels’ clamoring issue game after game.

veesaa — Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears guard Dai Dai Ames (7) shoots against North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) during the second half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Defense, Defense, Defense

Defense. It is pretty plain and simple. The defense for the Tar Heels is pretty bad, to put it lightly. UNC has given up 90 points in the last four games. The opponents have been SMU, Wake Forest, Stanford, and Cal. Not a single one of those teams has a conference record over .500, and the tough part of the schedule is yet to come for UNC.

Cal scored 54 points in the first half versus UNC, which is the most points in a half the Tar Heels have allowed to an ACC opponent since 2008. This UNC team is getting to historically bad levels of defense, which could result in a disappointing end of the season.

The players have poor rotations and look lost on defense. Nobody has any sense of urgency outside of very few players. Jaydon Young, Derek Dixon, and Caleb Wilson are the only players who show that they want to win.

Wilson has his own mistakes on defense, specifically with back cuts and not keeping an eye on his man. Head coach Hubert Davis has to get his team under wraps and get them to buy in on the defensive end. Unfortunately, it may be too late to make that drastic of a change at this point in the season, but something has to change for this team to start winning games.

evan — Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kyan Evans (0) shoots against California Golden Bears guard Semetri (TT) Carr (center right) during the second half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

No accountability

The offense is by no means perfect, but it is definitely better than the defense. The Tar Heels are averaging just over 84 points a game in this four-game span. This team just wants to score points and play flashy, instead of doing the dirty work.

The team as a whole must take some accountability and turn this season around. Yes, there are tough opponents left on the schedule, but UNC has also beaten some tough opponents this season. Although those wins against Kansas and Kentucky feel like a century ago. It is truly a shame what is unfolding in Chapel Hill.

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