Why UNC Is Underrated — And Why That’s Actually a Good Thing

North Carolina should be a much better team this season that it was last year.

Last season, North Carolina finished with a 23-14 record and just barely earned a spot in the NCAA tournament. How close was it? The Tar Heels had to play in the First Four in Dayton—a group of games typically reserved for teams on the tournament bubble. Those matchups often feature lower-seeded teams that many expect will be quickly knocked out by the tournament's top contenders.

The Tar Heels dispatched San Diego State in the First Four before falling to Ole Miss in the opening round of the tournament.

However, North Carolina retooled the whole roster, adding size with Henri Veesaar and Jarin Stevenson

in the transfer portal and blue-chip Caleb Wilson. James Brown returns as well and has developed nicely during the offseason. All are listed at 6-10 or above.

Mar 1, 2025; Provo, Utah, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jonathan Powell reacts after a rebound against the Brigham Young Cougars during the first half at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The backcourt should be great as well, with Seth Trimble leading the way along with the additions of Colorado State transfer Kyan Evans and Montenegrin international Luka Bogavac. Virginia Tech transfer Jayden Young, West Virginia transfer Johnathan Powell and freshman Denis Dixon will be in the mix as well.

However, many people don’t see North Carolina as a serious threat.

What Different People Are Saying About Carolina

Mar 18, 2025; Dayton, OH, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels mascot “Rameses” walks the court in the first half against the San Diego State Aztecs at UD Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

A lot of national beat writers have North Carolina ranked at the bottom of the Top 25.

Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports/247Sports provided the highest ranking for North Carolina among notable college basketball beat writers, placing the Tar Heels at No. 25in his preseason Top 25.

So does the Field of 68 and ESPN's Jeff Borzello. The Field of 68 staff, in particular, are less optimistic than either Borzello or Trotter, even giving UNC an offseason grade of C+. If some Carolina fans find that hard to believe, they might be even more surprised to learn that NC State received an A- grade.

While that might seem disrespectful, it reflects the current perception of the program. Most Carolina fans aren't used to seeing the Tar Heels take a back seat to teams like Duke, Louisville, or even NC State. However, this underdog status could actually work in North Carolina's favor.

A Blessing In Disguise?

UNC — Mar 21, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) shoots during the second half of a first round NCAA men’s tournament game against the Mississippi Rebels at Fiserv Forum. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

North Carolina being slept on is a blessing in disguise.

To begin with, national expectations for the Tar Heels are relatively modest this season. While expectations in Chapel Hill always run high for obvious reasons, it’s arguably healthier for the team to feel pressure from those closest to the program rather than from outside voices.

The fact that Borzello and The Field of 68 have NC State ranked above North Carolina only means the Tar Heels aren’t in the national spotlight for now. However, this could be a perfect setup for UNC to surprise people and reclaim its place among college basketball’s elite. With talent across the roster and motivation to prove doubters wrong, North Carolina is poised to turn lowered expectations into fuel for a special season.

Also, if you look throughout Hubert Davis' tenure as the head coach, Carolina has been better when the expectations are low rather than high.

In his first season in 2021-22, North Carolina entered the year ranked No. 19, but spent much of the season unranked. The Tar Heels closed the regular season on a five-game winning streak, highlighted by a stunning upset of Duke in Coach K’s final home game.

That momentum sparked a Cinderella run to the national championship game, capped by another victory over Duke in one of the most historic matchups between the Triangle Area rivals.

The following season, the Tar Heels were ranked as the preseason No. 1 team in the country. However, Carolina finished the season with a 20-13 record and missed the tournament. The Tar Heels became the first preseason #1-ranked team to miss the tournament since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

UNC — Mar 20, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis watches team workout during NCAA Tournament First Round Practice at Fiserv Forum. | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

In 2023-24, expectations dropped once more as UNC was ranked No. 19 in the country. The end result? North Carolina finished as ACC regular season champions, RJ Davis won ACC Player of the Year, and they narrowly lost to eventual Final Four participant Alabama in the Sweet 16.

While hindsight is always 20/20, this season presents a real opportunity for Carolina to return to the national spotlight. They addressed last season's shortcomings by adding perimeter shooting, size, and versatility during the offseason—exactly what the team lacked before.

Mar 27, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; The North Carolina Tar Heels logo on the video board during practice prior to NCAA Tournament at West Regional at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Now, it's time for Carolina to bring all the pieces together and make their mark.

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