Three takeaways from UNC’s 97-83 loss to SMU in ACC road opener

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Three takeaways from UNC’s 97-83 loss to SMU in ACC road opener

Grant Chachere, Tar Heels Wire · Tar Heels Wire

Sun, Jan 4, 2026 ·

3 min read

UNC's Defense Finally Meets Its Match

$Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kyan Evans (0) and center Henri Veesaar (13) and guard Derek Dixon (3) and forward Caleb Wilson (8) and b7#2\\ come back on the court during the second half against the SMU Mustangs at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images$

Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kyan Evans (0) and center Henri Veesaar (13) and guard Derek Dixon (3) and forward Caleb Wilson (8) and \nb7#2\ come back on the court during the second half against the SMU Mustangs at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Tar Heels had not given up 75 points or more all season until SMU did so on Saturday. The Mustangs' 97 points are the most allowed by UNC this year. It was the first time Carolina surrendered 90 or more since Dec. 17, 2024, against Florida , the eventual national champion, and the first time it allowed 95 or more since a 103-101, four-overtime loss to Alabama on Nov. 27, 2022, at the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland, Oregon.

SMU shot 60% from the floor and 52% from beyond the arc and North Carolina only forced seven turnovers.

UNC's Backcourt Outmatched

Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) looks to move the ball past North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) during the second half at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

While Trimble's 22 points may have been the lone highlight of Saturday afternoon, the rest of the backcourt struggled. No other guard scored in double figures, with the next-highest total being just eight points from Luka Bogavac .

Between Bogavac, Kyan Evans , Derek Dixon and Jonathan Powell , the group combined for only 16 points on 5-for-15 shooting (33%) from the field and 4-for-12 (33%) from beyond the arc.

SMU's starting backcourt — BJ Edwards, Miller and Jaron Pierre — scored 51 points, 13 more than UNC's backcourt as a whole. In total, six Tar Heel guards saw the floor, whether as starters or off the bench, but they couldn't match the Mustangs' production.

The backcourt was already a concern heading into this game given the lack of production outside of Trimble. SMU may have given the rest of the ACC as well as the country a blueprint to defeat UNC. The conference is full of teams that have backcourts that are just as good as SMU, and some even better than what the Mustangs already had.

Veesaar and Wilson were Non-Factors

Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU Mustangs guard Jaron Pierre Jr. (5) blocks a shot by North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) during the first half at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

SMU did a good job of slowing down Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson, as neither player recorded a double-double after the duo had posted three straight games with double-doubles in the same contest. Veesaar finished with 14 points and six rebounds, while Wilson added 13 points and six rebounds, but they had little impact on the outcome.

SMU also outscored UNC 36-28 in the paint, blocked five Tar Heel shots and limited North Carolina to just two dunks — a sharp drop from the 11 it had in a win over Florida State last week and well below its 7.3-per-game average over the previous three outings.

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