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A statistical breakdown of UNC's defense five games into ACC play
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- A statistical breakdown of UNC's defense five games into ACC play
North Carolina has stumbled early in ACC play despite a hot start to the season.
Carolina entered ACC play with a 12-1 record, its best start in 17 years . However, the Tar Heels have faltered in conference, going 2-3 through their first five ACC games. They have also lost three of their last four, falling to SMU , Stanford and California .
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UNC's struggles, though, have little to do with the offense , which has been one of the most efficient in ACC play. The problem is the defense .
Here is a statistical breakdown of the Tar Heels' defense through the first five ACC games.
Defensive Rankings (Among ACC Teams)
Jan 10, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Juke Harris (2) goes to the basket with North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) defending during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images
(Cory Knowlton, Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images)
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Scoring Defense - 85.2 points per game (1st)
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Defensive Efficiency - 120.5 (17th)
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Field Goal Percentage - 49.7% (16th)
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Two-Point Percentage - 54.7% (13th)
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Three-Point Percentage - 44.9% (18th)
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Effective Field Goal Percentage - 61.1% (18th)
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Defensive Rebounds - 9.2 per game (8th)
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Blocks - 2.4 per game (14th)
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Block Percentage - 8.1% (12th)
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Steals - 6.6 per game (7th)
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Steal Percentage - 9.3% (9th)
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Non-Steal Turnover Percentage - 4.8% (18th)
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Turnovers - 9.6 per game (15th)
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Turnover Percentage - 14.1% (16th)
Just by looking at where the Tar Heels rank among different defensive metrics, North Carolina has been terrible . It's been downright shocking how bad Carolina has been, considering how elite it was throughout the nonconference slate , when it did not allow opponents to score more than 75 points even once .
The Tar Heels rank 16th in field-goal percentage allowed (49.7%) and 17th in points allowed (85.4 per game) and defensive efficiency (120.5).
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The perimeter numbers are especially glaring.
They are last in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (44.9%) and in effective field-goal percentage, a metric that heavily relies on 3-point shooting. Opponents have hit at least 40% from 3-point range against UNC in four consecutive games. Since the start of conference play, teams have knocked down 72 3-pointers against the Tar Heels — an average of 14.4 made 3s per game, the worst mark in the ACC.
The Tar Heels haven't been great on the inside either, as they are 14th in 2-point field-goal percentage, and they don't block many shots, ranking 12th in block percentage and 14th in blocks per game. But to be fair, the Heels' opponents are feasting on the perimeter.
An overlooked part of the Tar Heels' struggles defensively has been their inability to create turnovers, something they have failed to do all season long, as they are second to last in the ACC and 341st nationally in all games played. In conference play, North Carolina is 16th in turnover percentage and 18th in non-steal turnover percentage (forcing passes out of bounds, drawing charging fouls, etc.).
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Until the Tar Heels can rediscover their defensive identity — especially on the perimeter — their once-promising season will continue to teeter on the edge.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Offensive stats and rankings five games into ACC play
