The UNC basketball program is very far from home and feels very far away from playing at the level they are capable of.
Following a disgusting loss to Stanford on Wednesday night, North Carolina looks to bounce back to conclude its two-game West Coast trip. They will take on the California Golden Bears, a program whose arena, Haas Pavilion, is 2,805 miles away from the beloved Smith Center.
Before heading back to Chapel Hill, UNC fans are hopeful that the Tar Heels can figure out a way to rectify the major issues they've showcased through the early portion of conference play. While it might not seem like it, this is a must-win game for the UNC basketball program, and the hope is that the players bring that mindset on Saturday afternoon.
2025-2026 Season
North Carolina Tar Heels
Overall record: 14-3
Conference Record: 2-2
Home Record: 11-0
Away Record: 1-2
Neutral Site Record: 2-1
Top-25 Wins: 2
California Golden Bears
Overall record: 13-5
Conference Record: 1-4
Home Record: 12-2
Away Record: 0-3
Neutral Site Record: 1-0
History
North Carolina has had a lot of success against California, holding a 5-1 series advantage.
Last season, the UNC basketball program defeated the Golden Bears 79-53 in a game that was held in Chapel Hill. It also served as the first meeting as conference foes between the two squads. Ian Jackson led the way with 20 points while Seth Trimble added 12 of his own, as North Carolina shot 56.7% from the floor.
Key Players
North Carolina
Caleb Wilson (Fr. Forward)- 19.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Henri Veesaar (Jr. Center)- 17.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Seth Trimble (Sr. Guard)- 15.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists
California
Dai Dai Ames (Jr. Guard)- 17.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Justin Pippen (So. Guard)- 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists
Chris Bell (Sr. Forward)- 13.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists
Keys to Victory for North Carolina
DE-FENSE! DE-FENSE! DE-FENSE!
The UNC basketball program has to do a much better job at guarding the perimeter.
Recent efforts on the defensive end have absolutely stunk. If the trend continues, Cal, who has the shooters to connect from deep, will continue the trend of having a three-point shootout at the expense of the Tar Heels.
The goal should be less than 10 three pointers allowed by UNC's defense.
Something to Watch For
Adam Lucas provided a stat that will make you shake your head.
Since opening night, each team's respective leading scorer has tallied more points against the Tar Heels than their season average prior to the game.
Basically, the UNC basketball program has had no answers for the opposing team's top scoring threat, the guy who likely was the focus of the gameplan strategy.
Dai Dai Ames is Cal's leading scorer, averaging 17.3 points per game. Can the Tar Heels keep him at (or below) his average?
Based on the trend, probably not!
Projected Starters
No. 0- Kyan Evans
No. 7- Seth Trimble
No. 15 Jarin Stevenson
No. 8- Caleb Wilson
No. 13- Henri Veesaar