Story by
Three Keys to Victory: UNC searching for bounce back win at Cal
- Story by
- Three Keys to Victory: UNC searching for bounce back win at Cal
When a team scores 90 points, chances are that team wins its game. If you're the North Carolina Tar Heels on Wednesday night , those 90 points weren't enough.
Despite career nights from its star-studded, Caleb Wilson-Henri Veesaar duo , UNC lost a 95-90 clash with Stanford in which perimeter defense struggled again.
Advertisement
North Carolina (14-3, 2-2 ACC), which remains winless on the road in conference play, led by double-digits on multiple occasions. The Cardinal (14-4, 3-2 ACC) shot their way back into Wednesday's game, ending its night with a whopping 16 threes.
With the Stanford loss now in their rearview mirror, the Tar Heels now quickly turn their attention to Cal. UNC remains on the West Coast, facing the Golden Bears (13-5, 1-4 ACC) in a 4 p.m. clash on Saturday afternoon.
Cal started its 2025-26 campaign with an impressive 12-1 record, showcasing its possibility at becoming an ACC dark horse. The Golden Bears quickly fell back to earth upon starting conference play, losing four of their past five games. Cal could easily be winless in ACC play, but a 72-71 victory vs. Notre Dame saved itself.
Are fans overreacting in Chapel Hill? Yes, but only because of the early-season promise North Carolina showed. The Tar Heels only lost once in non-conference play, a 74-58 defeat against National Championship contender Michigan State on Thanksgiving Day . Freshman guard Derek Dixon helped UNC win at Rupp Arena for the first time in ages, while escaping a talented Ohio State team just before Christmas.
Advertisement
North Carolina can't return to the Dean Dome empty-handed. Here's three keys we're looking at for a Tar Heel victory on Saturday at Cal.
UNC HAS to defend the perimeter
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 14: Ebuka Okorie #1 of the Stanford Cardinal reacts after he made a three-point basket against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Maples Pavilion on January 14, 2026 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Stanford shot 57 percent overall on Wednesday night, equaling its percentage from beyond the arc with 16 threes. Jeremy Dent-Smith led the Cardinal with six threes off the bench, while Ryan Agarwal and freshman superstar Ebuka Okorie also made multiple threes.
North Carolina will face another solid perimeter shooting team in Cal, which is sixth in the ACC at 35.3 percent from deep. The Golden Bears have three regulars shooting a minimum 33% from deep, anchored by a lights-out 43.4% mark from leading scorer Dai Dai Ames .
Advertisement
Whether breaking through screens or switching more effectively, the Tar Heels have to defend better from deep if they want to beat Cal.
Someone in the backcourt has to step up
Jan 14, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) gets fouled by Stanford Cardinal forward Aidan Cammann (52) in the second half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Backcourt production is few and far between for UNC. Seth Trimble 's return from injury is a big positive, but outside of him, Luka Bogavac is the only semblance of consistency for North Carolina.
Kyan Evans is not living up to his transfer hype, while Derek Dixon doesn't see the court enough. Isaiah Denis rarely plays, but he thrives when on the court. Jaydon Young is solid off the bench, while Jonathan Powell is the Tar Heels' three-and-D guard.
Advertisement
It doesn't matter which guard steps up Saturday, but someone has to if UNC wants to down Cal.
UNC has to keep its foot on the gas
No more Mr. Nice Guy. I don't care how much North Carolina leads its opponents by. If it's a 10-point game, push that margin to 20. If it's a 20-point game, the Tar Heels need to make that a 30-point game.
UNC doesn't want to shed its good sportsmanship moniker, but also has to play with that dog mentality. North Carolina led Stanford by double-digits in each half on Wednesday, only for a 5-point loss becoming the final result.
The Tar Heels are a better team than Cal – and need to prove it in a must-win Saturday. That includes running up the score.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Three Keys to Victory at Cal
