The Tar Heels had a hard-fought two-point loss to the BYU Cougars in Utah on Friday night. It’s tough to know too much about a team from just one exhibition game, but let’s take a look at the perceived
strengths and weaknesses of this roster so far.
Strengths:
Height
As Hubert indicated in the offseason, height was an issue last year that he intended to rectify — and this roster certainly has more length. Last season’s starting guards RJ Davis and Elliott Cadeau were 6’0” and 6’1” respectively and Ven-Allen Lubin, the starting center, was only 6’8”.
It became apparent throughout the 2024-25 campaign that rebounding, one of the traditional staples of Tar Heel basketball, was a problem.
This season UNC added seven-footers Henri Veesar and Ivan Matlekovic (who is expected to play sparingly) to go along with 6’10” forwards Caleb Wilson, Jarin Stevenson, Zayden High, and James Brown.
Depth
An obstacle on several of Hubert’s previous teams, there was either an Iron Five or a very short bench. This version of the Heels does not look like it will have that drawback. In addition to the six big men named above, Carolina also brought on transfers Kyan Evans, Jonathan Powell, and Jaydon Young plus international prospect Luka Bogavac, not to mention freshmen Derek Dixon and Isaiah Denis.
Will the Tar Heel bench roll 12-deep? Probably not. But it’s certainly a good problem to have.
Less One-on-One
Another trouble for last year’s team was too much hero ball with players trying to iso, clear out, and do everything themselves. Through two preseason games, it already looks like this is not going to be the case with this team. They share the ball well and make the extra pass which is good to see.
Freshman Sensation?
In the BYU exhibition, Caleb Wilson outplayed top recruit in the nation AJ Dybantsa. Wilson finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks and looked to be every bit as good as advertised. His gameplay looks smooth and effortless while at the same time seeming to be an unselfish team player that puts winning ahead of himself.
UNC should have a solid big three with Caleb, Seth Trimble, and Veesar.
Weaknesses:
Turnovers
Against BYU, the Tar Heels committed 19 turnovers, including five from Jarin Stevenson. Sloppy play at the beginning of the season is nothing new for Carolina but it’s something they have to improve on.
Fouls
UNC was charged with 23 fouls versus BYU. Kyan Evans picked up two before the first media timeout which limited his playing time. James Brown, on the other hand struggled setting screens, picking up two fouls on consecutive offensive positions.
Physicality
Even with all the fouling that needs to be cleaned up and the increase in height down low, there seems to be a reluctance for contact in the paint. This could change when regular season matchups that truly matter begin, but it’s a bit concerning — considering the size of the frontcourt — how little resilience and intensity we’ve seen.
Three-point shooting
The Tar Heels hit only 21% from deep on 4-19 from beyond the arc against the Cougars. The only player who hit more than one was Stevenson, who had two. This is another aspect that could change as the season plays out but just an observation from a short sample size.
