UNC Basketball
Complete coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball.
Three Takeaways: UNC’s defensive woes continue in 84-78 loss to Cal
UNC has shown once again it cannot stop anyone defensively. The Tar Heels allowed Cal to shoot 29-for-58 (50%) from the floor and 10-for-16 (62.5%) from 3-point range. UNC has surrendered a 40% clip from 3-point range for four straight games. Since the start of ACC play, opponents have hit 72 3-pointers against UNC — an average of 14.4 per game. (
USA Today)
Winless West Coast Road Trip Signifies Crossroads In UNC’s Season: 'This has to change'
For the second time in as many games, North Carolina players walked off the basketball court with heads down as the home crowd, still riding the momentum of an upset, chanted in celebration. If the message Wednesday night in Palo Alto was that something had to change quickly, Saturday in Berkeley only amplified it: Something has to change — fast. (
Inside Carolina)
UNC’s furious rally falls short as recurring issues push Heels toward NCAA bubble
For the third straight game, shots for
Caleb Wilson (team-high 17 points, four assists, team-high plus-6) largely disappeared in the second half, as he didn’t take a shot in the final 15 minutes in North Carolina's loss to Cal on Saturday. Still, his activity in the full-court press helped ignite the comeback, something
Hubert Davis said "did help us today." (
Tar Heel Tribune)
Lucas: A Long Game
It would be wonderful to report that North Carolina lost, 84-78, because the Tar Heels simply ran out of gas after a furious comeback. And they did mount a significant fight, closing to within four points with the ball with 1:06 left. But the fact is that UNC didn't expend enough energy in the first half to say that they were exhausted in the second half. (
GoHeels.com)
UNC Can’t Recover From First-Half Three-Point Barrage at Cal
In its previous games against SMU, Wake Forest, and Stanford, UNC allowed opponents to shoot 44-for-90 from three-point range. Stanford went 10-for-16 from deep in the second half of Wednesday's loss. When California knocked down an open three less than two minutes into Saturday's game, it felt all too familiar. Then came another. And another. (
TarHeel247)
Video: Derek Dixon Post-Cal Locker Room Interview
North Carolina point guard
Derek Dixon speaks with reporters following the Tar Heels' 84-78 loss to the Cal Golden Bears on Saturday afternoon in Berkeley, California.
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Sat Jan 17, 2026
Seth Trimble says it’s just a ‘bump in road’ for UNC, and it’s about manning up
Seth Trimble didn’t dance around UNC's problems after Saturday’s loss at Cal. He described a group learning how to respond when the plan goes awry, voices get quiet, and opponents keep making shots. He rejected any notion of internal drama and said the recent slide comes down to accountability. "It’s nothing culture-related. It’s nothing team-wise." (
Tar Heel Tribune)
Box Score: Cal 84, North Carolina 78
View the complete box score from the No. 14 North Carolina Tar Heels' 84-78 ACC road loss to the Cal Golden Bears on Saturday afternoon in Berkeley, California. (
View Box Score)
Sat Jan 17, 2026
Video: Hubert Davis Post-Cal Press Conference
North Carolina head men's basketball coach
Hubert Davis speaks with the media following the No. 14 Tar Heels' 84-78 loss to the Cal Golden Bears on Saturday afternoon in Berkeley, California.
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Sat Jan 17, 2026
Video: Cal Basketball Post-UNC Press Conference
California head men's basketball coach Mark Madsen joins players John Camden and Dai Dai Ames in speaking with the media following the Golden Bears' 84-78 win over the No. 14 North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday afternoon in Berkeley, California.
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Sat Jan 17, 2026