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UNC loss at Cal highlights shifting backcourt, rotation amid ongoing struggles
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- UNC loss at Cal highlights shifting backcourt, rotation amid ongoing struggles
North Carolina's latest loss to California on Saturday highlighted more than just another rough defensive showing. It underscored real changes in the Tar Heels ' backcourt and rotation as ACC play intensifies.
For the first time this season, UNC did not start Kyan Evans at point guard. Instead, the Tar Heels opened with freshman Derek Dixon . Given Evans' struggles this year, the move was not surprising, but it was still notable that UNC turned to a freshman who had also been battling inconsistency with his shot.
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Carolina trailed by 20 points early in the second half but clawed back to within three in the final 20 seconds. Dixon's shooting fueled much of that surge. He scored nine of his 14 points after halftime, going 3-for-5 from 3-point range, and added two assists. His second-half scoring matched Caleb Wilson for the team high during that stretch; Wilson finished with 17 points.
Dixon was not the only recent change to the starting five. Forward Jarin Stevenson made his second straight start. He went scoreless against Cal but had seven points in the win over Stanford earlier in the week.
The rotation has shifted as well. Jaydon Young has earned more minutes since scoring 12 points off the bench in UNC's 87-84 win over Wake Forest . Zayden High also logged extended time against Cal, finishing with six points and a rebound.
"I don't make big deals out of starting lineups," North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis said after the game. "I felt like it would be good for us to get some different rotations out there on the floor. Zayden played some extended minutes. Obviously, Jaydon has gotten extended minutes. And I thought overall Derek did a good job."
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Lineup Shifts Highlight Carolina's Growing Pains
Jan 14, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Derek Dixon (3) dribbles against Stanford Cardinal guard Jeremy Dent-Smith (25) in the second half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
(Eakin Howard, Eakin Howard-Imagn Images)
These changes have come as ACC play has exposed some of UNC's flaws. The Tar Heels are 2-3 in the conference after starting the season 12-1, their best opening stretch since the 2008-09 national championship team.
That title team, however, had an elite defense — something this year's group lacks . In ACC play, Carolina sits near or at the bottom of the league in most major defensive categories, ranking 16th in field goal percentage allowed (49.7), 17th in points allowed (85.4 per game) and last in 3-point field goal percentage allowed (44.9).
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Opponents have shot at least 40% from 3-point range against UNC in four straight games. Since the start of ACC play, teams have made 72 3-pointers against the Tar Heels — an average of 14.4 per game, also last in the conference.
California took full advantage. The Bears shot 29-for-58 (50%) from the field and 10-for-16 (62.5%) from beyond the arc . That outburst was a sharp contrast to their 71-55 loss to Duke a few days earlier, when they shot just 37% overall and 22% from 3. Entering Saturday, Cal ranked second to last in the ACC in field goal percentage (38.2%), last in 3-point percentage (26.8%) and second to last in effective field goal percentage (44.2%).
For now, UNC's story is as much about who is on the floor — and when — as it is about how often its opponents are scoring. The Tar Heels are still searching for a rotation that can both spark the offense and finally slow someone down.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Tar Heels experiment with lineup changes
