How Does Wolfpack Men's Basketball Match Up With Tar Heels?

North Carolina State entered the top tier of the ACC after the school hired Will Wade as its head coach. His rapid rebuild of the roster should have the Wolfpack ready to compete right away.

Competing with and beating the in-state rival North Carolina Tar Heels, instantly became one of Wade's top priorities. That's not an exclusive challenge for Wade, but one for every coach that takes the job in Raleigh.

NC State struggled mightily against its rival up the road under former coach Kevin Keatts.

Like NC State, the Tar Heels look to be an improved group heading into 2025. With head coach Hubert Davis' seat seemingly getting hotter each season, the Tar Heels could be a desperate team in the 2025-26 campaign.

The State of the Tar Heels

Since taking over for Roy Williams in Chapel Hill, Davis has amassed a record of 101-45. The Tar Heels have played in the NCAA Tournament in three of Davis' four seasons and made a run to the National Championship game in 2022.

While the numbers and the trip to the championship seem impressive, the program has underachieved in the eyes of its fan base and some analysts.

For the 2025-26 season, the Tar Heels needed to make some splashes in the transfer portal to replace some key contributors. Veteran guard RJ Davis finally departed the program, leaving a hole in the backcourt. Hubert Davis slid Kyan Evans in from Colorado State to help replace some of his former guard's shooting prowess. He'll join returner Seth Trimble and some other new options.

UNC has relied heavily on veterans during Davis' tenure and lacked a true freshman superstar. The Tar Heels are hoping freshman forward Caleb Wilson can be a major solution, as the five-star recruit is already making NBA Draft noise before playing a game.