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Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis talks to media members after the game against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

2 Massive Questions Linger After Grueling UNC Trip

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Brandon J. Rincon | Last updated Jan 20, 2026 10:00 AM ET

The Tar Heels find themselves at a pivotal crossroads in the season following a challenging West Coast road trip that had intensified scrutiny on head coach Hubert Davis and raised questions about the teams’ defensive identity.

Currently, North Carolina holds a 14-4 overall record but sits at 2-3 in conference play which is tied for 10th with Wake Forest and SMU. They have dropped three of their last four, including back-to-back losses on the road against Stanford (95-90) on the 14th and California (84-78) on the 17th.

“Continue to repeat it, continue to drill it, continue to coach it, and continue to hold guys accountable towards it,” Davis said. “And also, throughout the year, everybody goes through some bumps, whether it’s at the beginning of the year, middle of the year, you hope it’s not at the end of the year, and you have to find a way to work through it. And so, these are some bumps that we went through this week and three of the last four games, and we’re going to have to respond and fight back.”

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Defensive identity

These Quad 1 setbacks highlighted persistent defensive vulnerabilities, particularly from beyond the arc, where opponents have exploited UNC’s perimeter coverage.

In the loss to the Golden Bears, Cal shot 50% from the field and a stellar 62.5% from three-point range (10-for-16), contributing to UNC allowing an average of almost 15 (14.4) three-pointers per game in ACC contests so far. In both games, Tar Heels rallied late but couldn’t overcome early deficits, including falling behind by 20 points to Cal.

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Offensively, the Tar Heels remain a potent offense averaging over 80 points per game in non-conference play with strong showings from freshman Caleb Wilson and guard Seth Trimble. Wilson, who is averaging a double-double with 19.2 points and 10.6 rebounds while shooting almost 60% from the field (57.7). Before ACC action began, UNC notched two solid wins against ranked teams in #19 Kansas and #18 Kentucky.

The Hubert Davis Era Has to Be Coming to An End Soon

The recent back-to-back losses from the Tar Heels have sparked debate among fans, alumni, and analysts. Former Tar Heel great like Tyler Hansbrough have voiced their concerns publicly, while social media and fan forums reflect growing frustration with the team’s defensive lapses and inconsistent play under Davis, now in his fifth season.

Davis addressed some of these issues in a recent ACC coaches’ call, discussing Wilson’s offensive inconsistencies. Trimble’s contributions, and the need to address their pressure on defense.

“We had a 30% offensive rebounding percentage. That’s nowhere close to the goal that we have every game for the entire year,” Davis said. “Our lack of ability to dominate the boards was also a huge factor in outcome of the game. Was it not there to be more physical? You know? I mean, I think there’s a physicality about rebounding, but ultimately, it’s about a will and a want to whether is defensive rebounding or trying to get a second chance opportunity on the offensive end last three.”

This article first appeared on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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