Top Quotes Heading into North Carolina-California Matchup

The North Carolina Tar Heels have lost two of their last three games in which they have allowed 92 points per game during that span. On Saturday, North Carolina faces the California Golden Bears at the Haas Pavilion.

It is not a must-win situation for the Tar Heels, but it is pivotal game in an attempt to build positive momentum heading into the end of January and start of February.

Here are some thoughts from players and the coaching staff that carry weight into Saturday's contest.

Frustration Brewing

Jan 14, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) looks on against the Stanford Cardinal in the second half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

“Me, I’m frustrated," Caleb Wilson said. "I hate to lose and I hate losing when we don’t have to, so that’s all I can say. Emotional locker room, nobody was really talking so that’s all I can say."

“Personally, I think everybody is pissed off because we know that those are controllables that are in our control," Henri Veesaar said. "So, I think just clearing up those little things. One on one, just taking pride in your matchup, not letting a guy score on you, and just being proud to wear this uniform and do what we can do to win the game."

Defense Needs to Improve

Jan 14, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Jeremy Dent-Smith (25) dribbles against North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kyan Evans (0) in the second half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

“Just go back, learn from this game, watch film on this game, and then concentrate on the next opponent and do whatever we can do to have the best defensive game there,” Veesaar said, “and just really change our identity as a team and show how physical we can be and how good we can be defensively, because I think that’s what coaches take pride in, and we’re not doing our job.”

“I guess, at the end of the day, it’s just about being able to guard the ball,” Wilson said. “That’s really all I can say. They stuck to exactly what was working. They were in the same place over and over again. It wasn’t like they were doing anything special.”

Jan 14, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) drives to the basket against North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) and forward Jarin Stevenson (15) in the first half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

"I don't think you can point to one specific thing, and I think it's coming from a number of different directions," Hubert Davis said. "I think not getting picked up in transition. Short closeouts. No pressure on the ball. Late rotations. Kickouts from offensive rebounds. Just coming from a number of different directions."

"It's just you know defensively we're just not getting sustained stops you know and it's you know two three-minute stretches where you know teams will go on a seven or nine point run and it's something that's been happening to us all year," Davis continued. "It's something that's just going to have to change moving forward."

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