- Matchup: North Carolina Tar Heels vs California Golden Bears
- Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026
- Venue: Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, CA
- Broadcast: ACC Network
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The California Golden Bears (13-5) are set to face off against the North Carolina Tar Heels (14-3) at Haas Pavilion this Saturday.
In their previous matchup, the North Carolina Tar Heels fell to Stanford, with a close score of 95-90. North Carolina achieved a field goal percentage of 58.2% (32 of 55) and made 6 out of 16 three-pointers. At the free-throw line, they converted 20 of 32 attempts, totaling a 62.5% success rate. On the boards, they grabbed 29 rebounds, with 7 being offensive, and recorded 7 assists while forcing 8 turnovers and registering 4 steals. Defensively, the Tar Heels permitted Stanford to shoot 57.1% from the field.
Henri Veesaar was a standout player with 25 points, hitting 9 of 10 shots, along with 9 rebounds and 4 assists over 34 minutes of play.
North Carolina heads into this clash with a 14-3 record. The team averages 10.2 turnovers and commits 14.8 personal fouls per game. They secure 40.9 rebounds each matchup and have achieved a total of 290 assists this season, ranking 62nd in Division I. The Tar Heels shoot 33.8% from beyond the arc (144 of 426) and 67.9% from the free-throw line, averaging 82.2 points per game, placing them 86th nationally while shooting 48.1% from the field.
Defensively, they force 9.6 turnovers per game and draw 19.4 fouls, ranking 83rd in the nation for assists given up with 210 this season. Their defense allows a shooting percentage of 39.3% (425 of 1,082) and they average 32.7 rebounds allowed per game. They also limit opponents to 32.7% from three-point range, ranking 69th in points allowed per game (68.7).
California’s last outing resulted in a 71-56 defeat at the hands of Duke. The Golden Bears allowed Duke to secure 38 rebounds (11 offensive). They managed to shoot 21.9% from three (7 of 32) and converted 8 of 17 free throws for a 47.1% rate. Duke shot 45.2% (28 of 62) overall, compared to California’s 36.5% (19 of 52). The Golden Bears made 5 of 23 from three-point range (21.7%) and shot 76.5% at the line, converting 13 of 17 attempts. Duke committed 17 fouls, leading to 17 free throw opportunities for California, who also forced 10 turnovers while recording 8 steals and grabbing 22 rebounds in total.
Dai Dai Ames was instrumental for the Golden Bears, scoring 21 points on 8 of 12 shooting over 29 minutes without any rebounds.
California holds a 13-5 record this season. The Golden Bears average 18.2 fouls per game and boast a solid 79.3% success rate from the free-throw line. They average 14.4 assists (180th nationally) and commit 9.7 turnovers per game. The team has amassed 1,413 points this season, averaging 78.5 points per game while grabbing 34.4 rebounds overall. Offensively, California shoots 45.0% from the field, ranking 206th nationally.
On defense, California limits opponents to 30.6% from three (135 of 441) and 67.6% from the free-throw line. They allow an average of 14.2 assists and 36.3 rebounds per game, ranking 247th and 275th respectively in college basketball. The Golden Bears permit 70.1 points per game, placing them 94th in the country, while forcing 12.3 turnovers and allowing opponents to shoot 41.9% from the field (92nd in college).
Which team will emerge victorious in tonight’s NCAA game?
Prediction: Back North Carolina
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