The Tar Heels proved doubters wrong in their comeback win on Saturday against the Cavaliers.
The North Carolina Tar Heels illustrated that they can compete with elite teams, defeating the Virginia Cavaliers 85-80 after facing a 16-point deficit in the first half.and Henri Veesaar to deliver, that was not the case on Saturday, as the Arizona transfer was marginalized against Virginia's frontcourt.
Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson shows emotion against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images “ can guard on the perimeter. He can guard on the post. He’s got size. He can move his feet offensively," Davis said. "We found a couple plays that worked for us that either got our guard going downhill, got Jarin open from three, or we got a little guy on Caleb down on the post by himself. And Jarin, in those times, stepped up and knocked down some big-time threes, and when Henri got in foul trouble and got his fourth, that was a lineup that we had in there. And I kept it throughout the rest of the game because it worked on both ends.” North Carolina's transition offense overwhelmed Virgina, specifically in the second half, which jumpstarted the Tar Heels' comeback. North Carolina totaled 21 fast break points. Davis explained how that has been the team's strength all season. “100 percent. Yeah, I mean that’s what we focus on all year. I always say, since before the season started, I want to be the fastest team in the country from free throw line to free throw line," Davis said. "And the way that we transition from defense to offense has to be real. In order to do that, you have to rebound." Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar and forward Caleb Wilson slap hands during the second half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images "We rebounded better in the second half, and then, really, you talked about Jarin and Caleb, their ability to sprint down the middle of the floor; they did exactly what was told of them," Davis continued. "They did their job and requirement, and we got some picturesque and some easy baskets that got us back in the game.” The sequence to close out the first half proved to be a momentum-altering stretch, as the Tar Heels went on a quick 7-0 spurt, cutting the deficit to nine points heading into halftime. Davis discussed the importance of that. Dec 30, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis with guard Seth Trimble and guard Derek Dixon in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images “Yeah, that was big. I think we were down 15 and then Luka a hit a three, and then Derek hit a three," Davis said. "We were actually looking for the pop, for the big, but switched and actually took the play away, and Derek just made a basketball play and went one-on-one, hit a three over a seven-footer." "So, I think going into the half only down by nine was a huge momentum," Davis continued. "And if you look at something that was a huge factor in the game, you’re right. Those two threes, that last minute, minute and a half where we cut the lead to single digits, was huge.” Never again miss one major story related to your beloved Tar Heels when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news.Logan Lazarczyk is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Journalism. He is our UNC Tar Heels Beat Reporter. Logan joined our team with extensive experience, having previously written and worked for media entities such as USA Today and Union Broadcasting.
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