North Carolina's Weaknesses Exposed in Win vs Kentucky

Beating the Kentucky Wildcats on Tuesday night was a monumental result for the North Carolina Tar Heels, who had not played in a true road game all season. The Tar Heels departed Rupp Arena with a 67-64 win over the Wildcats.

Despite winning, a couple of issues still presented themselves from North Carolina's perspective.

Here is an analysis of what those problems were, and if those should be considered long-term issues for the Tar Heels moving forward.

Guard Production

Dec 2, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kyan Evans (0) passes the ball during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

There is a solid chance Kyan Evans is demoted to the bench at some point this season, especially with Seth Trimble returning to the lineup later in December. The former Colorado State guard totaled two points and one rebound in 16 minutes.

Prior to this game, head coach Hubert Davis discussed Evans' impact on both ends of the floor.

"One of the things that I expect, and I've talked with him about, is not just his shooting," Davis said. "Kyan [Evans] is so beneficial to us on both ends of the floor; from an offensive standpoint, he's our guy in terms of a distributor. He's our best in transition, pitching the ball ahead. I love when he gets into the lane, draws two, plays off two feet, and is able to find teammates, and get us organized so he can execute."

Dec 2, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Derek Dixon (3) goes to the basket against Kentucky Wildcats forward Brandon Garrison (10) and guard Jasper Johnson (2) during the first half at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

However, that did not seem to be the case, especially with how Evans was deployed in the second half when he barely played.

His role being diminished could be a foreboding sign that he will play fewer minutes moving forward. In general, North Carolina's backcourt is thin at the moment, and the Tar Heels cannot afford for Evans to continue this lackluster output.

In totality, the Tar Heels' guards – Evans, Luka Bogavac, and Derek Dixon – combined for 23 points while collectively shooting 8-of-24 from the field.

Inefficient Shooting

Dec 2, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) goes to the basket against Kentucky Wildcats forward Brandon Garrison (10) during the first half at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

North Carolina shot 26-of-64 from the field (40.6%) and 6-of-20 from 3-point range (30%). Both of those were below the Tar Heels' season averages in both departments, but it has been an underlying issue all season.

This was highlighted by Caleb Wilson, who shot 5-of-19 from the field, and has shot below 35% in two of the last three games.

These areas have to improve throughout the season if the Tar Heels want to make a significant run in the NCAA tournament in March. We are a long way from then, but North Carolina cannot sustain this level of success with that lack of efficiency.

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