North Carolina is coming off a huge week that saw it defeat Notre Dame convincingly and a Virginia team that is one of the best in the country.
While Carolina is 16-4 and 4-4 in ACC play, it has had an up-and-down season, to say the least. As the season has gone on, a lot of questions have been answered. However, there are still some questions remaining.
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Let’s look at what has improved for the Tar Heels and what still needs work.
Something that has improved
Jan 10, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Derek Dixon (3) brings the ball up court against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images
Somebody other than Seth Trimble, Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson is stepping up.
North Carolina, which has struggled to find reliable scoring beyond those three, is finally getting consistent help from several role players. After offensive depth had been nearly as problematic as defense and poor free throw shooting in ACC play, three supplementary pieces have begun to change that narrative.
New starting point guard Derek Dixon has been a standout, averaging 12 points and four assists on 46.4% shooting from the field and 56.2% from 3-point range, and his plus-minus has risen in each start, capped by a plus-22 performance in the upset of Virginia. Off the bench, Luka Bogavac has rebounded from a cold start to average 10.7 points and 3.0 rebounds over his last four ACC games, while Jarin Stevenson has surged in the past two contests, highlighted by a 17-point showing against Virginia and a well-rounded effort against Notre Dame. Together, their production has given the Tar Heels the complementary scoring they had been missing.
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Something that has not improved
Jan 21, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Matthew MacLellan (34) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Defense and free throw shooting.
While the defense did show some improvement last week, it’s still last in the conference in 3-point percentage defense and is allowing 82.1 points per game in ACC play. Yes, Virginia has a great offense and scored 80 points against Carolina. However, it is the fifth time in eight ACC games that the Tar Heels have allowed at least 80 points.
At the free-throw line, UNC is shooting 66.1% from the charity stripe in conference play, which is 15th in the ACC. Making free throws is what champions do, let alone winners, and the Tar Heels must find their stroke soon.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: What’s improved and what still needs work
