Predicting North Carolina's Bench Output Against SMU

The North Carolina Tar Heels' depth has continued to provide and extra boost for the team in its seven-game winning streak. North Carolina improved its record to 13-1 after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 79-66 on Tuesday night.

Possessing multiple players from the second unit has allowed head coach Hubert Davis to deploy several rotation combinations, which played a role in the Tar Heels' dominant second-half performance against the Seminoles.

Dec 30, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kyan Evans (0) 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

While speaking with the media during his postgame press conference, the 55-year-old head coach highlighted the rotation consisting of Derek Dixon, Kyan Evans, and Jonathan Powell, explaining how that specific group exposed Florida State's aggressive defense.

"Yeah, you know, one of the things against Florida State that is really good defensively, they get a lot of steals, deflections, they've got length, versatility, athleticism," Davis said. "And so, in order to run any type of offense, you need multiple ball handlers, guys that can make plays, get us into our offense."

North Carolina may require a similar performance against SMU in a tough road matchup on Saturday afternoon. Here is how the bench could perform against the Mustangs.

Jarin Stevenson

Stat line prediction: 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block

Stevenson has settled into his revised role seamlessly, operating as an energizer off the bench. The Alabama transfer serves as a fantastic piece to relieve Henri Veesaar or Caleb Wilson, or to fill in at the small forward position alongside those two, forming an intimidating defensive lineup against opposing teams.

He is not going to score double-digit points, but he will contribute on defense and on the glass, which is how the Tar Heels maximize their offensive production on the other end of the floor.

Jonathan Powell

Stat line prediction: 7 points and 4 rebounds

Over the last few games, Powell has been given playing time shortly after the opening tip-off. Despite being a bench player, the sophomore forward has quickly been inserted into games, showing how much trust he has earned from Davis and the coaching staff.

If that trend continues on Saturday, Powell could have an opportunity to produce early and often against the Mustangs. Powell's length on defense and ability to stretch the floor on offense have expedited the development of his role for North Carolina.

Derek Dixon

Stat line prediction: 5 points and 3 assists

While Dixon has not been effective from the field, he does contribute in other ways, including opening up open looks for his teammates.

The freshman guard is always a threat to hit multiple shots from the outside, which is what provides those extra spaces for others along the perimeter.

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