Top Concerns UNC Should Worry About After Thursday’s Loss

The jump up in the level of competition from Tuesday night against St. Bonaventure to Thursday night against the Michigan State Spartans exploited multiple weaknesses in North Carolina's offensive and defensive execution.

North Carolina fell to Michigan State 74-58 on Thanksgiving Day in the Fort Myers tip-off. The score does not accurately depict how close this matchup was, but the final stretch of the game was majorly disappointing for the Tar Heels, who had a real opportunity to steal a win against one of the top teams in the nation.

The Michigan State Spartans compete against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Fort Myers Tip-Off Beach Division game at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. | Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Although the performance during the final nine minutes in change was the ultimate deciphering factor in the result of the game, North Carolina's shortcomings were evident throughout the game.

With all of that information in the memory bank, what are the potential concerns moving forward for North Carolina, as we head into December?

Lack of Depth

With Seth Trimble being out for multiple weeks, North Carolina's depth and guard play were tested and somewhat exposed on Thursday night.

The Tar Heels deployed a seven-man rotation against Michigan State, and that may be generous based on the number of minutes that were provided off the bench.

Jonathan Powell and Zayden High provided 27 combined minutes off the bench against the Spartans on Thanksgiving Day. That accumulation of minutes did not lead to inspiring production as the two players combined for five points and nine rebounds while collectively shooting two-of-seven from the field.

Luka Bogavac has been inserted into a starting role with Trimble unavailable, but it has become apparent that he is more of a role player who should be contributing off the bench. Although Bogavac has scored double-digit points in all but one game this season, he is wildly inefficient, as he is shooting 31.7% from three.

Shooting that poorly can be managed in spurts as a bench player, but when Bogavac is providing that type of output in 30+ minutes as a starter, those missed shots and ill-advised attempts begin to cause significant issues for the offensive rhythm and execution.

Offense Lacks Ball Movement and Assists

With Trimble out of the lineup, the Tar Heels are missing another guard who can create open shots for others, as North Carolina totaled nine assists among seven players.

Caleb Wilson has shown the ability to create off the dribble, but as a forward, his job is not to open up the rest of the offense for his teammates. Instead, North Carolina needs another guard to run the offense and get players into rhythm and into open spaces.

Kyan Evans is averaging 4.4 assists per game, which is solid, but other than him, there is no one in this offense who can consistently create for others.

Until Trimble returns to the lineup, these issues will become evident against formidable opponents like Michigan State.

On tap, the Tar Heels have the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on Tuesday night. If these problems and weaknesses present themselves on the road against Kentucky, the Tar Heels could get run out of the building if they are not careful.

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