Preview: North Carolina Tar Heels at California Golden Bears

BERKELEY, Calif. (Interstat) — Two teams looking to rebound from midweek conference losses will meet Saturday when the North Carolina Tar Heels visit the California Golden Bears in a nonconference men’s basketball game organized by the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The game, scheduled for Jan. 17, 2026, at Haas Pavilion, pits a pair of teams with strong early-season records. North Carolina (14-3) arrives after a 95-90 road loss at Stanford on Wednesday, while California (13-5) is coming off a 71-56 home defeat to Duke the same night.

The Tar Heels, led by standout forward Caleb Wilson, have been one of the nation’s most potent offenses but saw a three-game win streak snapped at Stanford. Wilson scored 26 points in that loss and has been on a tear, averaging 20.7 points over his last six games. His versatility was on full display in a 20-point, 15-rebound performance in a road win at Ohio State last month.

California will counter with guard Justin Pippen, who has been a consistent scorer. Pippen averaged 13.2 points over his last six contests, including a 17-point outing in a loss at Virginia. The Golden Bears have struggled recently against ACC competition, dropping three straight to Duke, Virginia Tech and Virginia by an average margin of 16.3 points.

North Carolina’s résumé includes notable wins over Kentucky and a narrow victory at Ohio State. California’s best win likely came against Notre Dame, a 72-71 decision on Jan. 2.

This matchup marks the start of a challenging stretch for both squads. Following this game, North Carolina continues ACC play against Notre Dame, while California embarks on a three-game ACC road trip, visiting Stanford, Florida State and Miami.

The Tar Heels will aim to leverage their high-powered attack and bounce back from a defeat where they allowed 95 points. The Golden Bears seek to rediscover their defensive form and secure a statement victory to halt their skid against power-conference opponents. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. PST.