2 Keys to North Carolina’s Game at SMU

It is a compelling matchup between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the SMU Mustangs on Saturday afternoon at the Moody Coliseum in Dallas, Texas.

While the Tar Heels enter the contest with a 13-1 record, the Mustangs boast an impressive 11-2 record. This will be North Carolina's second game in conference play. Meanwhile, SMU's opening ACC opponent is ranked No. 12 in the nation.

hubert davi — Dec 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis looks on during the first half against the East Carolina Pirates at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

When considering that Duke and Virginia still remain on the Mustangs' January slate, this game is monumental for a team looking to prove themselves against formidable opposition.

With all that being said, here are factors that will be telling signs in deciphering the winner of this explosive matchup.

Which Version of North Carolina Will Show Up?

Dec 30, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) reacts in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Tar Heels eventually figure things out as the game progresses. Still, their starts in the opening minutes of these contests have been a bit alarming, considering these sluggish first-half performances are a weekly occurrence.

North Carolina can recover against teams that struggle to score efficiently, but SMU can score while shooting a high percentage from the field. There have been several reasons for the Tar Heels' underwhelming starts to games, but head coach Hubert Davis explained what caused the team's sluggish opening against the Florida State Seminoles on Tuesday.

"I felt like at the beginning of the game we settled for threes, you know, because we said we wanted to dominate points in the paint through post penetration and offensive rebounding," Davis said. "And I felt like our first 10 possessions, seven of them were threes. And so we started to get into the paint, and that generated better threes in the second half, and I felt like we were able to knock those down."

Dec 30, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jonathan Powell (11) shoots in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Shooting 1-of-7 from the field in the first five minutes of the game could put North Carolina in a considerable hole on Saturday. Again, the Tar Heels' defense can always keep them in games, but at some point, the offense will have to perform for an entire 40 minutes.

Containing the Mustangs' Backcourt

Vanderbilt guard Frankie Collins (1) fouls SMU guard Boopie Miller (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. | Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

SMU possesses a three-headed monster in the backcourt - Boopie Miller, Jaron Pierre Jr., and B.J. Edwards - which accounts for roughly 52 of the Mustangs 91 points scored per game.

North Carolina has a plethora of defensive options to throw at the trio, but if SMU can orchestrate consistent offense with the guard play driving it, the Tar Heels could be forced out of their comfort zone.

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