North Carolina’s NET ranking held at 22 after its 87–84 home Quad 2 victory Saturday over Wake Forest, but slipped after Sunday’s game to 23. The number of opportunities to polish its resume increased due to other results.

CHAPEL HILL — It was what Caleb Wilson didn’t say after getting only two second-half shots that stood out. Wilson went from making all seven shots, adding more highlight reels and scoring 17 points in the first half, to scoring five points and only one field goal in the second half of the No. 17 Tar Heels’ 87–84 victory Saturday night over Wake Forest at the Smith Center.

CHAPEL HILL — Hubert Davis summed up the problems that he must fix after the loss at SMU in one word: defense. That was the starting point for everything the No. 17 Tar Heels focused on last week, as Davis said they “worked on us” for most of the week before preparing for Saturday’s 6 p.m. home game (ACC Network) against Wake Forest.

In the four games since Seth Trimble’s return, North Carolina’s rotation has begun to crystallize. Trimble, Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar are obviously the leaders on both ends of the court. They are the only players who have scored at least 20 points this season for the No. 17 Tar Heels and will determine their ceiling.

There’s one big difference between the defensive philosophies of Roy Williams and Hubert Davis. Williams preferred that defenders fight through screens and stick with their assigned man. Davis is more willing to switch, even at the risk of occasional mismatches.