Tar Heels’ Important ACC Win Rested on 4 Factors

The Tar Heels are entering an important stretch in their season.

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis before the game against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The North Carolina Tar Heels' win on Saturday would be the boost of confidence the team needs after a hectic and disappointing month of results. North Carolina would overcome a 16-point deficit in its 85-80 win over the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday at John Paul Jones Arena.

There have been several instances this season when the Tar Heels have fallen short in similar game scripts. However, North Carolina's resilience was on full display, as it continued to battle when adversity was at its highest.

During his appearance on his weekly radio show, head coach Hubert Davis highlighted multiple factors that contributed to the Tar Heels' win on Saturday.

Davis' Thoughts

Jan 21, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) on the fast break in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

• “A number of people showed up and played really well,” Davis said. “[In] our wins last week, you can point to a dozen of people that contributed in so many ways.”

Limiting Mistakes

Jan 14, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8), guard Kyan Evans (0), and Stanford Cardinal forward Aidan Cammann (52) reach for a loose ball in the second half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

• “Ultimately, you just want to play well,” Davis said, relating from past experiences against Stanford and California. “Multiple consecutive mistakes on both ends of the court. When things didn’t go well, it carried on to the next possession instead of just letting it go. And I felt like, last week against Notre Dame and against Virginia, we cut down those mistakes. We had a mindset of ‘next play, next possession.’ And just a number of people showed up and played really well.”

Jarin Stevenson's Impact

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (left) goes through a pregame routine with guard Elijah Davis (6) before the game against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

• “It wasn’t just that,” Davis said of the forward's scoring output. “It was his rebounding, his defense. He got that charge late in the big play second half, which was a huge play.”

Backcourt's Efficient Production

Dec 30, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis with guard Seth Trimble (7) and guard Derek Dixon (3) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

• “Derek [Dixon] has a calmness and a confidence about himself that, especially as a freshman, I never experienced,” Davis said. “That confidence and that composure, the team feels. They just do. Derek got the ball up the floor, got us into our offense.”

While Dixon made his third-career start on Saturday, Seth Trimble has spent four seasons in Chapel Hill. Davis explained how Trimble's experience was evident in the win over Virginia.

• “I thought this was Seth’s maybe best game ever,” Davis said. “I was so proud of him. He went to the offensive glass. He was a combination shooting threes, taking the ball to the basket, an and-one in transition. Defensively, he’s our guy. I thought his senior presence led us, and he was huge.”

Improving Defense in the Second Half

Jan 21, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Matthew MacLellan (34) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

• “Our defense was better, our rebounding was better, our fast break arrived,” Davis said. “It came even after made baskets. We’re pitching a ball ahead, scoring in three or four seconds.”

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