2 Winners, 2 Losers From UNC Basketball’s Brutal Loss to Georgia

Things didn’t go as planned for the Tar Heels, as they dropped an early November game to Georgia, 78-70.

There’s a lot to unpack from this performance, but here are the biggest positives from Friday’s action, as well as the areas that continue to pain the Heels.

Winners

Terrence Brown

It’s becoming clear that Terrence Brown is the driving force behind this offense, and I thought he was exceptional against Georgia in the loss. He was aggressive and continued to attack the paint, where success seemed to follow. Brown continues to prove that his ability to create off the dribble and attack downfield is unmatched within this team.

Brown shot 7-for-15 from the field and 4-for-8 from three-point range, as he was one of the only players who shot well from beyond the arc, and ended with 21 points, three rebounds, and four steals. In addition to his aggressive nature on defense, we saw Brown very active with his hands on defense and able to disrupt Georgia’s offense at times throughout the night.

Isaiah Denis

Isaiah Denis is a player who I think should flirt with the starting lineup at some point this season. His connection with Terrence Brown in the rotation seems better than most pairings we've seen so far this season, as Denis plays with the same aggressive tempo, trying to push the ball up the floor when he is in the game as the primary ball handler.

We saw against Georgia that the Tar Heels had success when pushing the ball up the floor and playing with a high tempo, yet for some reason they moved away from it in the later stages of the game. Denis is one of the only players that I would trust to take any three-pointers until this team figures out an identity from beyond the arc. He shot 3-for-9 from the field, going 3-for-7 from three-point range, with 11 points, four rebounds, one assist, one block, and two steals.

Losers

Three-Point Shooting

This team struggled badly from beyond the arc, and they took far too many shots compared to the efficiency we saw. Carolina shot 38 times from beyond the arc, only making nine of them, converting at a 24% rate. That stat alone is enough to place a ton of the weight of this loss on, as it was a killer on so many crucial possessions down the stretch.

The makeup of this roster doesn’t scream “three-point shooting team” to me, so I admit I am a bit puzzled as to why it’s such a point of emphasis for Michael Malone this season.

Rebounding (Again)

Nov 13, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Sayon Keita (21) throws the ball back in bounds against the Georgia Bulldogs during the first half at Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Just about everyone talked about rebounding in their postgame press conferences, as it continues to be a killer for this team. The Heels were outrebounded once again, 52-43, with the majority of the disparity coming on the defensive end.

It has become increasingly frustrating for both this team and their fans as the season goes on. If the Tar Heels want to get back on track, they're going to need to figure out a serious solution, and quickly.

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