North Carolina’s 91-69 bounce-back win over Notre Dame on Wednesday night wasn’t just about the final score, as it was a way to show that it can still play at a high-level when things are going as they should be.
After a stretch of frustrating losses and inconsistent play, the Tar Heels looked better on both sides of the basketball, something sophomore forward Caleb Wilson said began with an honest look in the mirror.
“It’s so much stuff that I was doing and my teammates were doing that was prohibiting us from winning,” Wilson said, per Chapel Boro. “Our defensive rotations, not going to the offensive glass, not sacrificing yourself for your teammates by screening and stuff like that. Once we were able to focus on that and really get that in our heads, it changed our mentality and our mindset for these next coming games.”
North Carolina defended with urgency and played with an edge that had been missing in recent outings. As long as this team can play some defense, even at a decent level, it should be more than fine.
Wilson’s comments made clear that the turnaround was all about trying to be better and he’s happy the team was able to do so.
However, the Tar Heels didn’t suddenly reinvent themselves, as they committed to doing the small things consistently.
“I know my time here is limited,” said Wilson. “And I want to make the most out of it. Every game matters to me. I’m still figuring out how to win. It’s not just scoring, it’s not just rebounding, it’s a collection of things. Honestly, I was yelling at my teammates about, ‘We’re North Carolina, bro. We shouldn’t be losing to Cal.’ That’s just how I feel. I feel like that’s how everybody feels.”
Wilson understands the jersey carries weight. Losses that might be acceptable aren’t OK in Chapel Hill and until something drastic changes, never will be.
His leadership showed on Wednesday and it’s really cool to see froma guy as young as him. There’s a lot that others need to do moving forward, but we all know what we’re getting from Wilson each night, and that’s a guy who will go out there and look to win.