The Tar Heels Rotation Adjustment That Could Define March Madness

North Carolina has dealt with adversity the entire season, and that will carry over into the NCAA Tournament.

Dec 16, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; ETSU Buccaneers guard Brian Taylor (11) drives between North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) and guard Derek Dixon (3) during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

The North Carolina Tar Heels have been an up-and-down team all season, and a major reason for that is the number of injuries they have dealt with throughout the season.

It has been a season-long issue for the Tar Heels, as Seth Trimble suffered a fractured forearm in a gym accident in early November. The senior guard against Ohio State in early December and made an immediate impact. North Carolina went a couple of months without any injuries.

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis reacts in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

However, just about a month ago, the Tar Heels' injury luck worked against them, which is a major part of the equation heading into the NCAA Tournament. With that all being said, here are a couple of rotational changes that can define the level of success for North Carolina.

Derek Dixon Taking Over as the Starting Point Guard

Mar 3, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Derek Dixon (3) brings the ball up court against the Clemson Tigers during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

This past offseason, the Tar Heels landed former Colorado State guard Kyan Evans in the transfer portal. Evans' arrival was supposed to provide North Carolina with an experienced backcourt that would produce steady numbers. Trimble held up his end of the bargain, but Evans never made a considerable impact.

The junior guard has averaged 4.2 points, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 rebounds while shooting 33.1 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from three-point range. Evans's struggles spurred head coach Hubert Davis to make a change to the starting lineup heading into conference play, promoting Dixon to the starting lineup.

Feb 10, 2026; Coral Gables, Florida, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Derek Dixon (3) dribbles the basketball as Miami Hurricanes guard Dante Allen (35) defends during the second half at Watsco Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

It is safe to say that the change was a good decision by the 55-year-old head coach, as the freshman guard is averaging 6.1 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 38.1 percent from beyond the arc. While those numbers do not portray lofty production, Dixon has several impressive outings this season that have propelled North Carolina over the finish line.

Dixon went through a lull for a large portion of the stretch in conference play, but has jumped to life in the last two games, shooting 9-of-14 from three-point range during that span. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard will be a pivotal piece in North Carolina's operation in the coming days.

Caleb Wilson Out of the Rotation

Feb 21, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) looks on prior to the game against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

It has been well-documented that the freshman forward will miss the rest of the season with a broken right thumb, which he suffered in practice leading up to the regular season finale against Duke.

Wilson's absence is a major reason that the Tar Heels could face an early exit in the NCAA Tournament, which starts on Thursday.