While the end result wasn't up to par with the North Carolina standard, there are some key things the Tar Heels can carry with them from last season to the next.
While some areas on the stat sheetneed improvement, the Heels showed strength in others, and heading into next season, they should aim to keep it that way.
Turnover Percentage
The Heels were a relatively clean team last season. As a matter of fact, almost too clean. They boasted a 12.2% adjusted turnover percentage, one of the lowest among Power Five schools.
The issue is that while they protected the ball well, they struggled to take it away from the other team. If next season they can continue to protect the ball and learn to take it from opponents, it could give them a major advantage throughout the season.
Personal Fouls
Speaking of playing clean, the Tar Heels were among the least penalized teams last season, with only 14.7 personal fouls per game. Only Minnesota had a lower rate than them among all Power Five teams.
Keeping this clean play can be a good set of rules to live by, but there's a fine line between playing clean and not being aggressive enough. Carolina needs to play with an aggressive mindset, while also staying out of foul trouble, a fine line to walk in college basketball.
Defensive Rebounds Per Game
When it came to rebounding, Carolina was often able to use its size to its advantage and consistently grab defensive rebounds. They ranked ninth overall in defensive rebounds per game, a stat that will need to continue into next season.
The issue came on the offensive side of the ball. The Tar Heels ranked below average in offensive rebounding per game, which could be a major point of emphasis with Michael Malone heading into year one. The Heels will have to put a lot of stock into winning the rebound battle on both ends of the court if they want any chance of success this season.
Opponent Two-Point Percentage
For the most part, the Tar Heels did an excellent job of making their opponent take difficult shots from inside the arc. According to KenPom, North Carolina's opponents shot only 46.2% from two-point range, one of the lowest rates in the country.
Safe to say that's some great company to be in. They'll need to keep this stat as a priority in order to compete in a loaded ACC with some talented players in the paint.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/unc as 4 Stats UNC Must Carry Into 2026-27 Season.