What we learned from UNC’s gritty defensive win over Clemson

Story by

Grant Chachere, Tar Heels Wire

Wed, Mar 4, 2026 ·

2 min read

No. 18 North Carolina edged Clemson 67-64 in a defensive battle that stayed tight from start to finish.

It was a fitting result for North Carolina (24-6, 12-5 ACC) on senior night, as Seth Trimble — who stayed four seasons in Chapel Hill in an era of frequent transfers — was honored. The win also moves UNC a step closer to securing a top-four seed and a double bye.

The Tar Heels still have one regular-season game left, visiting Duke for the Blue Devils’ senior day on Saturday. Still, there was plenty to take from Tuesday’s win over a tough Clemson (21-9, 11-6 ACC) team.

Homecourt Perfection

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 02: North Carolina Tar Heels fans cheer during the second half of a basketball game against the Syracuse Orange at Dean E. Smith Center on February 02, 2026 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
(David Jensen, Getty Images)

North Carolina went a perfect 18-0 at home, setting a single-season program record for home wins. It’s the 24th time in school history the Tar Heels have gone undefeated at home and the sixth time at the Dean Smith Center.

UNC has gone unbeaten at the Smith Center five previous times: 1986-87, 1992-93, 2004-05, 2010-11 and 2016-17. In four of those seasons, the Tar Heels reached the Final Four and won three national titles.

Luka Bogavac's Big Night

Mar 3, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) celebrates after a three point basket against the Clemson Tigers during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Luka Bogavac had a huge night and had the first 20-point game of his collegiate career. He scored exactly 20 points on 6-14 shooting with all of his baskets coming from three-point range and added three assists next to his name on the stat sheet.

Defense was the Name of the Game

Mar 3, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) and Gurad Elijah Davis (6) celebrate during the second half against the Clemson Tigers at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
(Scott Kinser, Scott Kinser-Imagn Images)

It was known coming in that Clemson had one of the better defenses in the ACC and it showed on Tuesday night as the Tigers held the Tar Heels to a field goal percenatage of 38% and just 32.3% from 2-point range.

The Tigers limited driving lanes and hounded UNC’s bigs in the post. Carolina missed 10 of 17 attempts at the rim and was outscored 34-18 in the paint. It took arguably UNC’s best 3-point shooting performance of the season – 12 of 27 (44.4%) – to offset Clemson’s defensive pressure.

Carolina countered with one of its sharper ACC defensive efforts, holding Clemson to 43.3% shooting and tightening late as the Tigers missed seven of their final nine shots. The Tar Heels also controlled the glass, limiting Clemson to seven offensive rebounds and edging them 37-36.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: What to take away from Tar Heels' win over Clemson