Story byGrant Chachere, Tar Heels WireSun, January 18, 2026 at 2:50 AM UTC·3 min readNorth Carolina is going through its toughest patch of the season as it lost 84-78 against California on Saturday, its third loss in its last four games. North Carolina is now 14-4 on the season and 2-3 in ACC play. Cal, on the other hand, improves to 14-5 overall and 2-4 in conference play. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Tar Heels went 0-2 on their Bay Area road trip, something they couldn’t afford, especially given how tough the ACC is this season and their NET ranking getting lower due to their nonconference opponents struggling in their own respective conference slates. It also doesn’t look any better for Hubert Davis, as people were already questioning whether he could get it done as the head coach of his alma mater in his fifth season at the helm. Here are three takeaways from UNC’s loss. Groundhog DayJan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears forward John Camden (left) reacts after scoring while being fouled during the first half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Haas Pavilion.