Alicia Thomas, a physical-education teacher in Watertown, New York, was already planning on making the roughly hour-long drive to the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday for UNC’s men’s basketball game against Syracuse. She’d bought her tickets in January. But then, on Tuesday, she got a call from an old friend offering an upgrade.
“A couple days ago, Trevor (Trimble) called me and said, ‘Hey we’ve got two tickets for you,’” Thomas told the N&O on Saturday, referring to Seth Trimble’s dad. “He said, ‘Seth and I, our family, want you to sit with us.’”
And so it was that Thomas found herself seated next to the Trimbles — in the front row, just behind the UNC bench — to watch the Tar Heels beat the Orange, 77-64, on Saturday with forward Henri Veesaar back in the lineup.
Thomas, despite living deep in the heart of Syracuse country and spending her whole life in upstate New York, is a North Carolina fan. As you might imagine, it’s not often she gets to make the trip down to Chapel Hill to see UNC play. But that hasn’t stopped Thomas from forging a relationship between her school, H.T. Wiley Intermediate, and the Trimble family, as detailed in the N&O last fall.
It all started when Thomas met Trimble’s parents in a chance encounter outside the JMA Wireless Dome after a UNC-Syracuse game back when Trimble was a freshman. They kept in touch over the years and, during Trimble’s junior year, he recorded a short video for Thomas’ class.
Trimble, wearing a North Carolina Jumpman hoodie and standing outside on a sunny day on campus, spoke directly into the camera and delivered the following message to Thomas’ students:
“Coach Thomas, what’s up, I hope you’re doing well. Coach Thomas and you kids in the classroom at the Wiley School, I hope you guys are doing great. I just want to motivate you guys to keep going, keep up your grades in the classroom, to not be afraid to say ‘no’ and just stay focused. I promise if you guys stay focused and chase your dreams each and every day, that you guys will live the life that you want to live. So just keep going, and continue to be great. Appreciate y’all and go Heels!”
Thomas said that, when she showed the video to her students, “the whole class just erupted.”
“I was the cool one that day,” she told the N&O’s Luke DeCock last year.
And Thomas was the cool aunt on Saturday, bringing her nephew along to the game with her. Both wore Trimble’s jersey — “once they dropped in the (store), we immediately ordered them,” she said — and chatted with Trimble after the game.
The photo Thomas took with Trimble will, no doubt, be shared with her students come Monday.
“We have a little over 300 students, and some of them are Cuse fans — I’ve seen a lot of them here tonight, actually, when they were walking by — (but) I’ve converted some of them,” Thomas said. “The thing about these videos… we never get big-time athletes to send our kids anything. So when Seth shouted them out, it was game over. And the kids were constantly like, ‘When is he playing? When can we watch him?’ And so it really got a lot of them into it more.”
This story was originally published February 22, 2026 at 12:25 PM.
North Carolina guard Derek Dixon (3) drives to the basket between Syracuse guards Nate Kingz (4) and Nathan George (11) in the first half on Monday, February 2, 2026 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
UNC edged Syracuse 87-77 as Caleb Wilson scored 22 and Veesaar posted a double-double.
Tar Heels committed 11 turnovers, allowing Syracuse 12 points and a late 10-point surge.
Bench scoring rose (Powell, Bogavac combined 22), but defense and fouls worry coaches.
Chapel Hill
It was a close call, but No. 14 North Carolina avoided falling victim to a pre-Duke trap game that’s proven dangerous for the Tar Heels in recent years. Despite an ending that UNC coach Hubert Davis called “unacceptable” — one in which Syracuse knocked down 13 of its last 17 shots — it wasn’t enough to change overcome the Tar Heels, who won 88-77 on Monday night at the Smith Center.
Since 2020, UNC held a 1-5 record in midweek games ahead of the first UNC-Duke game of the year, losing three straight. Well, make that 2-5.
Despite the win, Davis said he’s putting “a lot of stock” in the way North Carolina finished the game.
“We always talk about finishing possessions, finishing halves, finishing games and that’s just unacceptable,” Davis said. “I thought we were playing really well on both ends of the floor… but the last nine minutes and 32 seconds? Just a departure of what allowed us to get the lead.”
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) drives to the basket in the second half against Syracuse forward Donnie Freeman (1) on Monday, February 2, 2026 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Caleb Wilson led North Carolina (18-4, 6-3 ACC) once again with 22 points — 10 coming from the free throw line. That extends Wilson’s UNC freshmen records to a program-best 22 double-figure scoring games to begin his career and 16 games scoring 20 or more points.
Henri Veesaar recorded 17 points and 11 rebounds for his 12th double-double of the season. After two seasons without a double-double at Arizona, Veesaar now has the most in the ACC this season. You don’t have to go too far to find the runner-up in that category: Wilson.
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) puts up a shot against Syracuse forward William Kyle III (42) in the first half on Monday, February 2, 2026 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Syracuse forward Donnie Freeman torched the Tar Heels for 18 first-half points on six-of-nine shooting. He only added five more point by the end of the game as the Orange failed to get him involved.
The Orange (13-10, 4-6 ACC), though, didn’t stand down. After falling behind by more than 30 points midway through the second half, Syracuse went on a hot streak — at one point making 11 of 12 field goal attempts to cut the deficit to 10 points. That prompted Jarin Stevenson to call a timeout as the Tar Heels attempted to inbound the ball with just under a minute and a half remaining.
Out of the huddle, Derek Dixon turned the ball over, which Syracuse took advantage of to hit a 3-pointer — pulling the Orange within eight points of the lead at 82-75. A layup soon afterward cut it to six.
The Tar Heels clutched up at the free throw line to hold on to the win.
Here are some takeaways from the game:
Tar Heels turnovers out of character
The Tar Heels committed over five times the number of turnovers they did against Georgia Tech. Here’s an explanation.
North Carolina tied a school record for fewest turnovers in its last game, committing just two (both in the first half), while assisting on 21 of a season-high 36 made field goals in Saturday’s 91–75 win at Georgia Tech. Over the course of the season, even as the guard rotation has fluctuated, the Tar Heels’ ball security has been historically good. North Carolina entered Monday night averaging just 9.48 turnovers, the fewest in program history (the previous low is 10.08 in 2023-24).
That improved ball security has helped fuel UNC’s offensive efficiency. Since the start of ACC play, North Carolina ranks third nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency. The Tar Heels’ 130.7 points per 100 possessions (as of Monday) only trails Houston and Illinois. UNC also entered Monday among the nation’s best in assist-to-turnover ratio (9th) and turnover rate (17th), while also sitting top-20 in offensive efficiency.
North Carolina coach Hubert Davis instructs his team in the first half against Syracuse on Monday, February 2, 2026 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
This game against Syracuse marked a departure from that trend. The Orange scored 12 points off of 11 UNC turnovers, with 10 of those points coming in Syracuse’s second-half surge.
“I’m sure we’re going to watch film on the end of the game, but we definitely know what we did wrong,” Veesaar said. “Just stay calm. Be strong with the ball. Don’t turn it over. Don’t ever let go. Don’t give up the momentum if you have it. Just keep pushing, because at one point they’re going to give up. But we kind of thought we had it before they gave up.”
Luka Bogavac finding his groove
Bogavac had another notable performance on Monday night with 10 points, eight of those coming in the second half.
He made three 3-pointers and scored 16 points in Saturday’s win at Georgia Tech and now leads the Tar Heels with 33 made threes on the season. Bogavac has been a major plus during Carolina’s recent stretch, posting a +40 over the last three games.
North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac (44) drives to the basket against Syracuse forward Tyler Betsey (5) in the second half on Monday, February 2, 2026 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
After Bogavac’s trio of triples against the Yellow Jackets on Saturday, opposing coach Damon Stoudamire made a point of highlighting the Montenegrin’s impact on the game.
“Soming off the bench, the kid [Bogavac] has a plus 16,” Stoudamire said Saturday. “That’s the second-best plus/minus on the team for the day. And you lose by 16 points…that’s where the game was lost from us.”
Part of that is Bogavac’s improved defense and aggression on the boards, which Davis complimented on Monday.
“I thought Luka was really good defensively,” Davis said. “He did a really nice job defending, trying to help out rebounding the basketball. He was getting to the offensive glass. [Bogavac] didn’t get any offensive rebounds, but he went, and that’s a job and a requirement of our wing players.”
Jonathan Powell pops off for 12 off bench
By halftime, Jonathan Powell had scored eight points, including two triples, on a perfect shooting performance. That’s the same amount of points the West Virginia transfer had managed in the last four games combined.
Powell’s 12 points against Syracuse marked his second-best scoring performance of the season, behind his 17 points against USC Upstate in December. Monday night, though, is his best performance against a power conference opponent.
North Carolina guard Jonathan Powell (11) reacts after sinking a three-point basket in front of the Syracuse bench during the first half on Monday, February 2, 2026 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
And on an otherwise sleepy night — the Tar Heels had already amassed a 32-point lead with roughly 10 minutes to play — Powell played with plenty of flair. His 3-pointers were followed by a celebration, whether that be a simple flex or recreating the “aura farming” dance popularized by the viral clip of the Indonesian boat kid, Rayyan Arkan Dikha.
This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Powell, like Bogavac, is not short on confidence. In his introductory press conference back in October, the sophomore wing called himself the “best shooter in the country.” But he, like Bogavac and fellow transfer Kyan Evans, have struggled at times to find a consistent stroke from deep.
If Powell and his bench counterparts can continue to produce like they did with their 29 point outing on Monday night, that bodes well for the Tar Heels entering the home stretch of the season.
“He definitely stretches out the court,” Wilson said. “And you know defensively, he’s a dog too, so he just brings up both ends, and he’s a heck of a shooter.”
One area for improvement, though, would be staying out of foul trouble. Powell exited the game with 2:03 remaining after being called for his fifth foul, this one sending JJ Starling to the line for three shot attempts.
This story was originally published February 2, 2026 at 9:32 PM.
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) breaks to the basket for a dunk against Florida State forward Chauncey Wiggins (7) in the second half on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Wilson lead all scores with 22 points in the Tar Heels’ 79-66 victory.
Robert Willett
rwillett@newsobserver.com
Chapel Hill
When Caleb Wilson earned an offensive rebound and putback about seven minutes into No. 12 North Carolina’s game against Florida State on Tuesday night, it brought a good portion of the Dean E. Smith Center crowd to its feet.
The play wasn’t anything overtly flashy. Yes, there was the trademark display of Wilson’s pro-ready athleticism — he did, after all, jump over two Seminoles to wrangle the rebound before putting the ball back up over three defenders — but the response was presumably garnered by the timing of the bucket.
Before cruising to a 79-66 win over FSU, the Tar Heels shot terribly to open the game. A 1-of-11 start (9%) was bolstered by six missed 3-pointers. After Hubert Davis heavily emphasized shot selection in his press conference on Monday afternoon, North Carolina didn’t display much discipline in that regard to begin Tuesday night’s contest.
Wilson’s putback put a stop, at least momentarily, to that mess. The shot tied the score at 7-7 and kick off a 32-18 run — capped off by a Wilson dunk in the final minutes of the first half. The freshman went on to lead the Tar Heels in scoring (22), rebounding (16), assists (6) and blocks (2).
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) launches a three-point shot over Florida State guard Robert McCray V (6) in the first half against Florida State on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
“We feed off of that,” Davis said of Wilson’s play. “Just the plays that he makes — there’s plays that only he can make.”
Davis said that, with the exception of four or five minutes, he felt the Tar Heels were disjointed in the first half.
“We just didn’t have any rhythm,” Davis said. “From an offensive standpoint, their pressure and intensity on the defensive end was more than our will and want to on an offensive end. So we were struggling getting any type of rhythm offensively.”
North Carolina coach Hubert Davis talks with guard Derek Dixon (3) in the first half against Florida State on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina (12-1, 1-0 ACC) lead by as many as 12 in the opening period before FSU (7-6, 0-1 ACC) cut its deficit to six points at halftime. The Seminoles proved peskier than their nonconference record might suggest, as it took UNC until midway through the second half to build another sizable lead over Florida State.
FSU switched up its defensive looks throughout the night — something Davis predicted on Monday — which forced the Tar Heels into some awkward attempts late in the shot clock. North Carolina still struggled overall from the perimeter, finishing 24.1% from deep.
Seth Trimble, who finished with 20 points and four steals, said Tuesday was one of those days where the team needed an “extra boost.”
North Carolina guard Seth Trimble (7) reacts after sinking a basket and drawing a foul in the first half against Florida State on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
“There’s a lot of things that we could have cleaned up,” Trimble said. “Guys are really tired… but offensive rebounds, we gave up [12] just not getting to shooters in time, things like that. We got a lot to learn from today, but it’s hard to win games.”
Tuesday night marks UNC’s seventh straight victory over Florida State. Here are two takeaways from North Carolina’s ACC-opening win:
Wilson stuffs stat sheet, Veesaar picks up play late
After Wilson’s putback the freshman continued to add to his highlight reel — particularly in the first half.
Take the stretch of play, for instance, after Wilson subbed back into the game with 13:23 remaining in the first half. In less than two minutes of game time, he recorded a layup, three free throws, a jumper and an eye-popping assist in transition for a Jonathan Powell 3-pointer.
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) breaks to the basket for a dunk against Florida State forward Chauncey Wiggins (7) in the second half on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Wilson lead all scores with 22 points in the Tar Heels’ 79-66 victory. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Wilson said he was most proud of his assists on Tuesday night and credited his work in the film room.
“I know that teams are scouting against me heavily… I have to kind of make the playing field even,” Wilson said.
Veesaar, meanwhile, had a quiet first half. While the Arizona transfer had one shot attempt, he pulled down five boards. Even with zero points, he stayed involved in the offense by drawing defenders in the paint and kicking the ball out for a few hockey-style assists.
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) gets a dunk in the second half against Florida State on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Veesaar scored 12 points and collected 12 rebounds in the Tar Heels’ victory. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
A dunk to open scoring in the second half got Veesaar on the board. Veesaar said that, at halftime, Davis told the big man he “wasn’t being aggressive enough.”
That play opened things up for the Estonian native, who was a perfect 6-of-6 from the field in the second half.
He kept adding dunks and layups to finish with 12 points, also adding 12 boards and three assists for his final statline.
Evans matches season high, Bogavac sees limited minutes
Evans has struggled to find his stroke as of late, with his last double-digit performance coming against St. Bonaventure over UNC’s Thanksgiving trip to Fort Myers, Fla.
There was an immediate difference on Tuesday night, though, which saw Evans make three of his first four attempts from deep.
On Monday, Davis praised Evans for a “really nice job” in running the Tar Heels’ offense, but also discussed the adjustments Evans has made in his new role in Chapel Hill.
North Carolina guard Kyan Evans (0) drives to the basket against Florida State forward Kobe Magee (5) in the second half on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Evans scored 15 points in the Tar Heels’ victory. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
“It is different in regards to having the ball in his hands a little bit more,” Davis said. “I think one of the things for him is also moving him off the ball and using his ability to shoot the basketball, make plays coming off of flares, wide pins, and being able to mix that up for him will put him even more in a better situation.”
Evans was by no means efficient against the Seminoles — finishing 5-of-15 from the field and 5-of-12 from deep. But those makes were needed on a night that saw the rest of the Tar Heels go 11.76% from deep.
“I think my teammates are doing a good job of finding me and I think I’m finding shots,” Evans said. “I just got to knock them down.”
Another interesting note on the backcourt rotation: Luka Bogavac finished with 13 minutes. That’s a season low and the second time in three games he’s logged just 13 minutes.
Derek Dixon and Jonathan Powell both finished with over 20 minutes on Tuesday night.
The backcourt combination of Dixon, Evans and Powell proved crucial in UNC’s second-half push against FSU. Davis said that, against a team like the Seminoles, the trio gave North Carolina a much-needed variety in who could handle the ball and initiate offense.
“When you had multiple guys out there that could do that, that helped us get into our sets, get to our spots and be able to get the shots that we wanted,” Davis said.
This story was originally published December 30, 2025 at 9:24 PM.
Southeastern Prep’s CJ Rosser drives towards the lane against Davidson Day During the first half. The Davidson Day Patriots and the Southeastern Prep Academy National Falcons met in the John Wall Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. on December 27, 2025.
Steven Worthy
RALEIGH
Christmas at home with family as an elite athlete is always cherished time.
Being able to make that happen, and throw in a whole lot of “work” in the process? Icing on the cake.
CJ Rosser of Rocky Mount, the top-ranked junior nationally per On3 recruiting — and No. 2 according to 247Sports — made his way home for the holidays this week, and while he was at it, threw in an unofficial visit to UNC and, of course, some tournament ball.
Rosser, who now attends Southeastern Prep Academy in Orlando, made his presence known Saturday at the annual John Wall Holiday Invitational at Broughton High School in Raleigh, even without leading his team in scoring.
Southeastern Prep’s CJ Rosser Jr. (4) blocks the shot from Davidson Day’s Sherod McCormick III (3) during the first half. The Davidson Day Patriots and the Southeastern Prep Academy National Falcons met in the John Wall Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. on December 27, 2025. Steven Worthy
Rosser scored eight points on 4 of 18 shooting, but opened up opportunities for eight teammates to find the scoresheet as the Falcons upended Davidson Day of Charlotte, 56-40, in the teams’ first game of the tournament, on the event’s second day.
Rosser kicked off his weeklong homecoming with an unofficial visit to North Carolina on Monday as the Tar Heels hosted — and walloped — East Carolina at the Smith Center.
“It went really well,” Rosser said to 247Sports after his visit. “I enjoyed it a whole lot — the atmosphere and the crowd going and everything like that. I really like their playing style.”
Southeastern Prep’s CJ Rosser, Jr. (4) brings the ball downcourt ahead of Davidson Day’s Cody Peck (10) during the first half. The Davidson Day Patriots and the Southeastern Prep Academy National Falcons met in the John Wall Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. on December 27, 2025. Steven Worthy
Kentucky, Louisville and Kansas are among other schools who have shown great interest in the 6-foot, 10-inch forward.
Following his visit, and subsequent holiday celebrations, the rest of Rosser’s team joined him in North Carolina for the John Wall Invitational, and joined his family for another unique celebration — that of his 1,000th high school point.
Beckham Black was the primary beneficiary of the attention to Rosser, scoring 14 points in the win. Jaxon Richardson added 10 for the Falcons.
Cody Peck, an uncommitted senior at Davidson Day and the top-ranked North Carolina recruit per 247Sports and On3, had eight points for the Patriots. Peck’s teammate, Clemson commit Will Stevens, added six. Xavier Hall led all Davidson Day players with 14.
Davidson Day’s Cody Peck (10) drives to the lane against Southeastern Prep’s CJ Rosser Jr. (4) during the first half. The Davidson Day Patriots and the Southeastern Prep Academy National Falcons met in the John Wall Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. on December 27, 2025. Steven Worthy
Southeastern Prep’s Jayden Wilkins (2) drives to the basket and is fouled by Davidson Day’s Omari Whiteside (4) during the first half. The Davidson Day Patriots and the Southeastern Prep Academy National Falcons met in the John Wall Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. on December 27, 2025. Steven Worthy
Davidson Day’s Cody Peck (10) protects the loose ball away from Southeastern Prep’s Beckham Black (0) during the first half. The Davidson Day Patriots and the Southeastern Prep Academy National Falcons met in the John Wall Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. on December 27, 2025. Steven Worthy
Davidson Day’s William Stevens (22) posts up against Southeastern Prep’s CJ Rosser Jr. (4) during the first half. The Davidson Day Patriots and the Southeastern Prep Academy National Falcons met in the John Wall Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. on December 27, 2025. Steven Worthy
Southeastern Prep’s CJ Rosser Jr. (4) blocks the shot from Davidson Day’s Sherod McCormick III (3) during the first half. The Davidson Day Patriots and the Southeastern Prep Academy National Falcons met in the John Wall Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. on December 27, 2025. Steven Worthy
Southeastern Prep’s CJ Rosser, Jr. (4) brings the ball downcourt ahead of Davidson Day’s Cody Peck (10) during the first half. The Davidson Day Patriots and the Southeastern Prep Academy National Falcons met in the John Wall Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. on December 27, 2025. Steven Worthy
Davidson Day’s Justyn Whitfield (2) gets a hand on the shot from Southeastern Prep’s CJ Rosser, Jr. (4) during the first half. The Davidson Day Patriots and the Southeastern Prep Academy National Falcons met in the John Wall Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. on December 27, 2025. Steven Worthy
Davidson Day’s Cody Peck (10) reacts to a shot made by a teammate against Southeastern Prep during the first half. The Davidson Day Patriots and the Southeastern Prep Academy National Falcons met in the John Wall Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. on December 27, 2025. Steven Worthy
Reidsville 71, Southeast Raleigh 68
Another day, another amazing outing for UNC-Greensboro-bound Dionte Neal.
Neal hit for 42 points, equaling his total from Day 1, to lead Reidsville High School to a 71-68 win over Southeast Raleigh in the third-place game of the Rudy Watson bracket at the John Wall Holiday Invitational.
Paul Cauthen Jr. added 22 and Frankie Galloway completed the scoring for the Rams with seven points.
Travis Cooper led Southeast Raleigh with 21 points.
Southern Durham 64, Petersburg 61
AJ Morman drilled a game-winning 3-pointer to lift Southern Durham to a 64-61 win over Petersburg High School of Virginia on the second day of the John Wall Holiday Invitational in Raleigh. Morman finished with a game-high 22 points for the Spartans, who advance to face Broughton on Monday at 11 a.m. in the third-place game of the Day’Ron Sharpe bracket.
Jace Glaspie had 13 points and Aden Jeffries added 12 in the win.
Latrell Allmond led Petersburg with 19 points and Ladarius Givan chipped in 18 in the loss.
Broughton 61, Garner 54
Jordan Page was on fire Saturday, posting 27 points and 13 rebounds to lead host Broughton High School to a 61-54 win over Garner in a Day 2 matchup at the John Wall Holiday Invitational.
Hudson Fitzgerald added 11 points for the Capitals, who advance to the third-place game of the Day’Ron Sharpe bracket of the tournament, in which they’ll face Southern Durham on Monday at 11 a.m.
Garner’s Darius Whitner led his team with 15 points, while Don Jackson added 10.
Broughton’s Jordan Page (1) drives against Wilson’s Isaiah Addison (10) during the first half. The Broughton Capitals and the Wilson (SC) Tigers played in the first round of the John Wall Holiday Tournament on December 26, 2025. Steven Worthy
Christ School 74, Washington 50
Trevor Manhertz, a top-five 2027 recruit in North Carolina, drained 20 points and pulled down seven rebounds, and teammate Kingston Whitty added 18 points and 10 boards to lead Christ School to a decisive 74-50 win over Washington High School in the championship game of the Rudy Watson bracket at the John Wall Holiday Invitational on Saturday.
The Greenies held a commanding lead at the half, only to watch the Pam Pack chip away a bit in the third quarter. But Christ School poured it back on in the fourth quarter to pull away and capture the title.
Shimere Garris led Washington with 19 points and Jarryn Payne added 14 in the loss.
IMG 62, Burlington School 44
Four players scored in double digits to lead IMG Academy to a convincing 62-44 win over The Burlington School in the teams’ first game of the John Wall Holiday Invitational on Saturday.
Trey Beamer, a Boston College commit, led the Ascenders with 14 points and eight assists. Pittsburgh commit Jermal Jones Jr. also poured in 14 points, while fellow future Panther Chase Foster added a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Aziz Olajuwon rounded out IMG’s double-digit scorers with 10.
Geren Holmes led all players with 19 points for The Burlington School. Junior Kamari Nicholson added 10 for the Spartans in the loss.
Greenfield 57, Highland 54
Kobe Edwards went 12-for-20 from the field, including 4-for-7 from beyond the arc, and poured in 28 points to lead Greenfield School to a 57-54 win over Highland School in the semifinals of the Day-Ron Sharpe bracket at the John Wall Holiday Invitational on Saturday.
Highland advances to the bracket final on Tuesday, and will face either Wilson High School of Florence, South Carolina, or Coronado High School of Nevada, which square off in the second semifinal Monday afternoon.
Johnny Winborne also hit double figures for Greenfield, draining 14 points in the win.
Brayden Ragland scored 13 and Isaiah Carter added 12 for Highland in the loss.
Spire vs Ambassador Christian
Darrell Davis drilled a game-high 19 points and Spire Academy ran out to a double-digit lead early and protected its advantage the rest of the way in a 54-45 win over Ambassador Christian in the nightcap of Day 2 at the John Wall Holiday Invitational in Raleigh on Saturday.
Aiden Derkack added 10 points for Spire.
RJ Moore led Ambassador Christian with 18 points on 6-fof-17 shooting, including 3-of-10 from beyond the arc. Nick Haney chipped in 11 in the loss.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Caleb Wilson had 21 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 12 North Carolina had its highest point total of the season in a 99-51 victory over East Carolina on Monday night.
Wilson also had four blocks and three steals, while Henri Veesaar finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Luka Bogavac added 15 points and Seth Trimble scored 12 for the Tar Heels (12-1), who hit 12 3-pointers and shot 54% from the field.
Gio Emejuru finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds for ECU (5-8). Jordan Riley, who came in averaging a team-high 21.7 points, scored a season-low 11 on 4-of-24 shooting.
ECU missed its first seven shots and went 5:46 without a field goal. Offense came easily for the Tar Heels, who rolled into halftime up 49-26 while shooting 58.6%.
The Tar Heels stretched their lead to 50 points in the second half.
Trimble was playing his first home game since breaking his left forearm in a Nov. 9 weight room accident. The senior guard returned with 17 points in Saturday’s 71-70 victory over Ohio State in Atlanta.
The win was UNC’s 52nd straight over an in-state, non-Atlantic Coast Conference opponent.
East Carolina: Hosts Tulane on Dec. 31 in American Conference opener.
North Carolina: Hosts Florida State on Dec. 30 to begin ACC play.
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After a nail-biter on Saturday in Atlanta, No. 12 North Carolina men’s basketball treated its home crowd to a comfortable 99-51 win over ECU to close out nonconference play.
The game had tilted so far in UNC’s favor that, by the later minutes of the second half, the loudest sound from the crowd was the jeering of a lone — and very loud — ECU fan in the upper level of the Dean E. Smith Center. With just under two minutes remaining, UNC cleared its bench, allowing Hubert Davis’ son, Elijah, and Ivan Matlekovic to record their first points as Tar Heels.
“Apparently, my little brother took his shirt off, hurling it around,” Elijah Davis said. “That was funny.”
The Tar Heels (12-1) are now 5-0 all-time against the Pirates (5-8) and 4-0 on the season in games Seth Trimble has played.
North Carolina led by 23 points at the half and stretched its lead to as much as 46 points after halftime. Caleb Wilson led UNC in scoring (21), rebounds (4), blocks (4) and free throws attempts (he went 7-of-13 from the line) but also turned the ball over a team-high four times. Wilson’s 21 points makes him the second freshman in program history to record 20 or more in five straight games. Phil Ford was the first.
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) soars above the rim for a dunk in the second half against East Carolina on Monday, December 22, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Wilson scored 21 points in the Tar Heels’ 99-51 victory. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Henri Veesaar also recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Luka Bogavac added 15 points and Trimble recorded 12.
North Carolina will take a break for the holidays before returning on Dec. 30 to host Florida State and open ACC play.
Here’s what we learned from Monday night’s contest:
Jarin Stevenson impresses in the post
Stevenson said he’s been getting more practice reps recently in the post and had been “gearing up” toward a performance like Saturday, which saw the Alabama transfer paired in stretches with Wilson in the frontcourt.
“I think that’s one of my biggest traits and things that I bring to the team — being able to play multiple positions and just bring different looks for the team,” Stevenson said on Saturday. “If somebody’s in foul trouble, I just take us through.”
Stevenson’s versatility can also bail the Tar Heels out of trouble if a pick-and-roll action forces him to switch onto a five — a position he picked up multiple times on defense against Ohio State.
North Carolina forward Jarin Stevenson (15) blocks a shot by East Carolina guard Jordan Riley (12) in the first half on Monday, December 22, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
UNC’s contest against ECU showed that this role for Stevenson isn’t just a flash in the pan.
On Monday night, Hubert Davis’ first substitutions — made roughly five minutes into the game — created a lineup with Wilson and Stevenson in the post. The next round of substitutions, just a few minutes later, left Stevenson on the floor to play alongside Veesaar.
Stevenson played in multiple lineups alongside Wilson or Veesaar in the post against ECU — another example of the flexibility that Trimble’s return gives Davis in terms of rotation options.
“Jarin’s a great player. I feel like he’s severely underlooked,” Wilson said on Monday. “He’s somewhat of a Swiss Army Knife. You can play him wherever you need and he’ll make an impact.”
Tar Heels still tinkering with backcourt rotation
UNC went with the same starting lineup again on Monday night of Bogavac, Kyan Evans, Veesaar, Trimble and Wilson.
Against Ohio State on Saturday, Evans and Bogavac played a combined 29 minutes, compared to an eye-popping 24 for Derek Dixon and 27 for Stevenson. Jonathan Powell, who also came off the bench, recorded 15 minutes against the Buckeyes.
On Monday night, Evans’ minutes (17) were more in line with those of Dixon (11) and Stevenson (17).
East Carolina forward Luke Davis (43) defends North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac (44) in the first half on Monday, December 22, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Bogavac saw a notable increase in playing time against ECU. He had managed just four points over UNC’s last two games, but that total in less than two minutes against the Pirates when he opened the contest with two layups.
Bogavac played just five minutes in the second half against the Buckeyes. Evans and Bogavac shot a combined 0-for-5 in that game, all shots taken from 3-point range.
On Monday night, Bogavac put his hands on his face — in a prayer-like formation — after he sank a 3-pointer in the second half. Bogavac opened the season by recording at least one triple in 10 straight games, but had gone cold since UNC’s Dec. 13 win over USC Upstate.
Evans shot 1-for-3 from deep against ECU.
Trimble said on Monday night that UNC’s multitude of backcourt lineups is a testament to the team’s versatility.
“We’re very dynamic,” Trimble said. “We can switch things up when certain things aren’t working and we don’t have to depend on someone who’s cold or someone when it’s just not their night. We don’t have to depend on them. We’re fortunate enough to go to a different guy.”
Henri Veesaar continues to drain it from deep
What if I told you, at the beginning of this season, that North Carolina’s incoming seven-footer from Arizona would be the team’s top threat from the perimeter?
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) puts up a three-point shot against East Carolina guard Corey Caulker (5) in the second half on Monday, December 22, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Veesaar scored 16 points in the Tar Heels’ 99-51 victory. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Well, that’s the reality right now in Chapel Hill. After a career-best 4-for-5 performance from deep, Veesaar is now shooting nearly 53% from three on the season. That’s the best percentage on the team with a minimum of six or more attempts. Second-best is Dixon with a 45.5% clip on the year so far.
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) works to secure an offensive rebound against East Carolina forward Reid Cason (23) in the second half on Monday, December 22, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Veesaar scored 16 points and collected 10 rebounds in the Tar Heels’ 99-51 victory Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
“Henri, his ability to shoot the basketball is real,” Davis said on Monday night. “Obviously he can score around the basket, but he’s pretty good beyond the arc… I felt like we took really good threes and we stepped up and were able to make them tonight.”
Entering Monday night, UNC was shooting 32.5% from deep on the season — good for 245th in the nation. The Tar Heels’ 48% performance from beyond the arc against ECU marked a season-best percentage.
This story was originally published December 22, 2025 at 10:24 PM.
Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. was equal parts playmaker and ringmaster on Thanksgiving Day, whipping the Spartans fans who traveled to Fort Myers, Florida, over the holiday into a frenzy with every blow-by drive, pass and dunk.
The Michigan State faithful weren’t just treated to a show, but invited to be a part of the No. 11 Spartans’ 74-58 victory over No. 16 North Carolina (6-1) at the Fort Myers Tip-Off.
At one point in the second half, when UNC guard Luka Bogavac was fouled on a 3-pointer and went to the line, Fears and Bogavac bumped into each other. Incidental contact, it appeared. The Spartan point guard turned to Bogavac, telling him, “Don’t do that!”
A teammate stepped in to pull Fears back. He smiled and locked eyes with a fan in the crowd, nodding his head. He may as well have offered the spectator a playful wink.
So it’s no wonder that, when Fears was fouled on a late 3-pointer — a dagger cutting through a late push for the Tar Heels — the crowd erupted in glee. He kept them cheering, following that up with an assist on a fastbreak layup. That stretched Michigan State’s lead to double digits. UNC never recovered, suffering its first loss on the season.
The Tar Heels made a late push, cutting the deficit to three points midway through the second half, but that’s as close as they’d get as the Spartans, led by Fears’ 19 points, soon pulled away.
“He controls the game,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “He’s big, strong, plays under control… I felt like his presence out there on both ends of the floor really settled them. And he played a really good game tonight. I was very impressed.”
UNC started the season by stacking six wins for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign. The Tar Heels will have to wait for a bit longer for the seventh.
Here’s what we learned from North Carolina’s loss to Michigan State (7-0):
Spartans dominate on the boards
North Carolina entered Thanksgiving having outrebounded all of its opponents by a margin of seven or more.
It was evident pretty early on against the Spartans that continuing this trend would be a struggle for the Tar Heels. At one point midway through the first half, Michigan State had outrebounded UNC 11-4.
Veesaar missed a chance for a defensive rebound, instead batting the ball out of bounds. He clapped his hands in frustration, shaking his head. Senior guard Elijah Davis yelled from the bench to box out. His father, coach Davis, yelled “everyone has to come back!” to the team, bunching his hands together to emphasize the importance of everyone crashing the boards.
The team listened, and pretty soon, multiple stops and defensive rebounds helped fuel a brief 8-0 run for the Tar Heels.
But that didn’t last very long. The Spartans ended the game with 37 boards to UNC’s 30. Michigan State particularly excelled in defensive rebounding, pulling down 25 to North Carolina’s 18.
“We knew that it was going to be a physical game, and I do feel like we met that challenge at the beginning of the game,” coach Davis said. “It just goes back to being able to sustain it, and that’s something that this group has to do.”
UNC’s Kyan Evans (0) grabs the ball against Michigan State’s Carson Cooper (15) and Jeremy Fears Jr. (1). Intersport
Tar Heels struggle to contain Fears
The Spartans stormed back into the game with a 13-0 run late in the first half, powered in large part by Fears. The stellar point guard had four assists during that three minute stretch and backed up his playmaking with plenty of trash talk.
Fears entered Thursday averaging a nation-high 10.4 assists per game and assist rate of over 50%. He showed exactly why on Tuesday evening, finishing with seven dimes to power his team and rile up the large legion of Spartans fans in the process. Fears also added his 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting.
Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. drives against UNC’s Kyan Evans. Intersport
His dribble drives routinely forced UNC to collapse. That exposed openings for his teammates to exploit when North Carolina failed to rotate or help on defense.
The highlight, of course, was his alley-oop to Carson Cooper, who finished with a nasty left-handed slam.
It would’ve been hard for any team, or any player, to stop Fears — especially with that kind of performance. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo called it Fears’ best all-around game.
But it still begs the question: what would UNC guard Seth Trimble have been able to do on Fears, if he was healthy?
Fouls hamstring UNC frontcourt
After he was whistled for a loose ball foul with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half, Veesaar was sent to the bench. He stayed there until halftime, watching as UNC relinquished a seven-point lead.
Reserve forward James Brown took Veesaar’s place, with fellow backup Zayden High also seeing some minutes late in the first half when Wilson picked up a second foul.
That bench-heavy rotation, which also included Jonathan Powell, struggled to contain the Spartans. High added a putback layup late in the first half that cut UNC’s deficit to three, but North Carolina didn’t get much bench production outside of that.
With a 3-pointer from Powell, the Tar Heels only mustered five bench points.
“I wouldn’t specifically single out the bench,” Davis said. “North Carolina’s North Carolina. We’re all a team.”
Veesaar and Wilson returned in the second half to combine for 19 points after halftime. Veesaar, at one point, went on a personal 7-0 run.
But it wasn’t enough to get the job done, especially with the Spartans’ 28 paint points in the second half alone.
“I talked about points in the paint going into the game… they shot 51%. That’s just not going to work,” Davis said. “And then our struggles being able to shoot the ball from the perimeter. So there’s a number of things that we’ve got to get better at, clean up and continue to become more consistent. And that comes from everybody on the team.”
This story was originally published November 27, 2025 at 6:48 PM.
Luka Bogavac, left, stands on the court prior to the Tar Heels’ exhibition game against Winston-Salem State on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Kaitlin McKeown
The News & Observer
Chapel Hill
North Carolina basketball guard Luka Bogavac was finally cleared by UNC, allowing the 22-year-old Montenegro native to make his Tar Heels debut in Monday night’s season opener against Central Arkansas.
A university spokesperson confirmed before tipoff that Bogavac, who had previously been cleared by the NCAA but was awaiting final institutional approval, was eligible to play Monday night.
Bogavac entered the game with 16:12 to play in the first half, the first reserve player off the bench for the Tar Heels.
The 6-foot-6 junior guard, who joined the Tar Heels in August after several years playing professional hoops overseas, is expected to play a key role on a UNC team that underwent a major offseason overhaul.
“He’s older, more experienced, and his personality is, just, he’s a competitor,” head coach Hubert Davis said at ACC Tipoff. “Whether it’s just a pick-up game or we’re scrimmaging or just an individual drill. He’s someone that competes on every possession.”
North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac (44) launches a three-point shot over North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) during the Blue-White scrimmage on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Bogavac’s situation has been closely watched by fans and teammates alike, given how central he figures to be in UNC’s rotation once ruled eligible. The wing brings extensive international experience and polished offensive skills to a retooled Tar Heel roster featuring 11 newcomers.
Bogavac spent the past two seasons with SC Derby Podgorica in the AdmiralBet ABA League, part of the Adriatic Basketball Association. In 2024-25, he averaged 14.9 points per game and shot nearly 40% from three.
“He does a number of different things out there on the floor,” Davis said at ACC Tipoff. “I mentioned him in regards to positional size… he’s a guy, from an offensive standpoint, that can make plays with the ball in his hands, whether coming off ball screens, [dribble handoffs], different stuff like that.”
Born in Mojkovac, Montenegro, Bogavac comes from a basketball family. His father, Nebojša, played 13 years professionally and now coaches in Montenegro. Luka attended high school in Belgrade, Serbia, before launching his own pro career in 2021.
Since arriving in Chapel Hill on Aug. 13, Bogavac has impressed teammates with both his maturity and his shooting ability. During UNC’s intrasquad Blue-White Scrimmage in early October, he led all scorers (unofficially) with 14 points and four made threes — a glimpse of how his shooting could transform a team that struggled from the perimeter last season.
Davis has described Bogavac as effective coming off screens — whether it’s flares or staggers or wide pins — and praised his poise.
UNC tips off against Central Arkansas at 7 p.m. on ACC Network.
This story was originally published November 3, 2025 at 6:43 PM.
LOS ANGELES — LOS ANGELES (AP) — Grant Nelson converted a go-ahead three-point play with 38 seconds remaining, and Alabama beat top-seeded North Carolina 89-87 on Thursday night to reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history.
Nelson finished with a season-high 24 points, 19 in the second half, and he blocked RJ Davis’ attempt at a tying layup after giving Alabama the lead. Rylan Griffen added 19 points, tying his career high with five 3-pointers, and Aaron Estrada also scored 19 for the fourth-seeded Crimson Tide (24-11).
The Tide face sixth-seeded Clemson on Saturday for a berth in the Final Four. The Tigers (24-11) defeated second-seeded Arizona 77-72 in the first semifinal at Crypto.com Arena.
After Nelson blocked Davis’ shot with 25 seconds left, Davis furiously dribbled around before missing a layup and the Tar Heels got called for a shot-clock violation with 8 seconds left. They were forced to foul, sending Nelson to the line. He calmly made both for an 89-85 lead.
Armando Bacot scored inside with 1 second left, leaving North Carolina trailing 89-87. The Tar Heels fouled Nelson again with 0.9 seconds left. He missed both and time expired on the blueblood Tar Heels, who own six national championships.
Bacot finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds for UNC (29-8). Cormac Ryan had 17 points and made five 3-pointers and Davis had 16 points.
___
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The most exciting two days of college basketball are finally upon us. The NCAA tournament Round of 64 begins with North Carolina and North Carolina State on the docket Thursday and Duke playing Friday.
Duke
The Blue Devils enter the NCAA tournament on a two-game losing streak. They dropped their last two games against rivals North Carolina and North Carolina State. Worse for the Blue Devils is the fact that no college team has ever lost its first game of a conference tournament and then won a national championship.
The Blue Devils enter as a No. 4 seed and look to avoid an upset against Vermont.
But that doesn’t mean Duke is dead. The team has the talent to get back on track with its winning ways.
The Blue Devils (24-8) are a No. 4 seed playing at 7:10 p.m. Friday in Brooklyn against 13 seed Vermont (28-6). This is the fourth time those teams have met; Duke has never lost against the Catamounts.
NC State
Some felt NC State wasn’t supposed to be here. The Wolfpack proved they belonged.
Some felt NC State wasn’t supposed to be here. The Wolfpack proved they belonged.
NC State (23-14) used a strong night from its frontcourt to take control in the second half and subdue No. 6 seed Texas Tech 80-67 on Thursday night.
Ben Middlebrooks scored a career-high 21 points, Mo Diarra added 17 points and 12 rebounds, and DJ Burns Jr. chipped in with 16 points as the Wolfpack frontcourt feasted on the Red Raiders.
DJ Horne also tossed in 16 points as the Wolfpack shot nearly 51% from the floor to Texas Tech’s 38.7% shooting.
NC State’s Ben Middlebrooks battles inside against Texas Tech’s Warren Washington at the NCAA tournament on Thursday night.
Gene J. Puskar
It was the Wolfpack’s first NCAA tournament win in nine years and the first under head coach Kevin Keatts.
Joe Toussaint led the Red Raiders with 16 points, but Texas Tech made just 7-of-31 3-pointers and couldn’t keep pace in the second half.
NC State broke the game open with a 13-2 surge midway through the second half, highlighted by a pretty bounce pass from Michael O’Connell that turned into a dunk by Diarra and a soft running hook shot by Burns that made it 65-51.
Texas Tech’s Joe Toussaint shoots past the defense of NC State’s Casey Morsell on Thursday night at the NCAA tournament.
Matt Freed
The sixth-seeded Red Raiders (23-11) had relied on defense to reach the tournament in coach Grant McCasland’s first season. Texas Tech came in 18-0 when holding opponents under 70 points and just 5-10 when teams reach that threshold.
N.C. State hit the 70-point mark on a layup by Middlebrooks with 4:06 to go.
It’s been a remarkable turnaround in the past 10 days for N.C. State, which entered the ACC Tournament as the 10th seed and was dealing with questions about coach Kevin Keatts’ future. The Wolfpack responded by beating rivals Duke, Virginia and North Carolina, the last in a decisive victory in the title game.
Keatts admitted he was worried about how his team would respond emotionally against an opponent it barely knows. Turns out N.C. State was just fine thanks to Middlebrooks, a transfer from Clemson who has been a key reserve but rarely the focal point.
WATCH | NC State’s big win
NC State Wolfpack beats UNC Tar Heels, wins the ACC Tournament and earns NCAA March Madness bid
That changed against the Red Raiders. The 6-10 Middlebrooks tied his career high of 14 points set in January against Wake Forest in the first half. He kept going in the second. And when Burns – who plays a throwback under-the-rim game – got going after halftime, Texas Tech was scrambling to keep up.
It couldn’t, sending N.C. State to the second round for the first time since 2015, when the Wolfpack won two games in Pittsburgh to reach the Sweet 16. Another chance awaits this weekend against Horizon League champion Oakland. The Golden Grizzlies (24-11) stunned No. 3 Kentucky (23-10) 80-76. The results ensure that a double-digit seed will reach the Sweet 16.
North Carolina was the first of the Triangle schools to take the court in this year’s tournament, beating Wagner 90-62 in Charlotte.
The West Region No. 1 seed Tar Heels (28-7) came out sloppy in the first half, committing six turnovers that Wagner (17-16) converted into nine points.
Armando Bacot had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and North Carolina never trailed.
Hubert Davis’ team steadied the ship quickly and started to use its size advantage against the Seahawks — finishing the first half with a 24-12 advantage on points in the paint.
UNC led Wagner 40-28 at halftime and steadily pulled away.
Armando Bacot had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and North Carolina never trailed.
UNC’s Armando Bacot drives to the basket against Wagner in Thursday’s opening round of the NCAA tournament.
Chris Carlson
Jae’Lyn Withers had a season-high 16 points and matched his best rebounding work with 10 boards for the West Region’s headliner. That helped the Tar Heels finish the game shooting 55% while dominating up front against a short-handed upstart aiming to pull off only the third opening-round takedown of a 1-seed in March Madness history.
“I think he did set the tone,” Davis said, and he added: “J-Wit, his energy and effort on both ends of the floor really ignited us and got us the lead going into halftime. He came off the bench and his production was real.”
UNC’s Armando Bacot shoots over Wagner forward Keyontae Lewis on Thursday during the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Chris Carlson
RJ Davis, named this week as a first-team All-American by The Associated Press, had 17 of his 22 points after halftime for the Tar Heels.
UNC also played with the backing of a blue-clad crowd about 2 1/2 hours from its Chapel Hill campus. And the Tar Heels will have that again for the next step: a marquee matchup with Michigan State (20-14) and Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo on Saturday. It’s a rematch of the 2009 national championship game. The Tar Heels won that game, to give head coach Roy Williams his second national title.
RJ Davis scored 22 points for the Tar Heels against Wagner.
Mike Stewart
The Tar Heels dominated this one inside, finishing with 48 points in the paint and a 43-24 rebounding advantage to go with 17 second-chance points.
Withers had scored in double figures only three times all year, the last time coming against his former Louisville program on Jan. 17.
The UNC basketball team practiced at Johnson C. Smith, a Charlotte HBCU that means a lot to Hubert Davis.
“(Davis) typically challenges us before the game and sometimes at half, saying, ‘It doesn’t need to be only an Armando Bacot rebounding game or a Harrison Ingram rebounding game,’” Withers said.
Melvin Council Jr. and Julian Brown each scored 18 points for the Seahawks, who won their first-ever NCAA game by holding off Howard in the First Four on Tuesday night. Wagner shot 39.7% for the game.
“I was happy for them to be able to compete in this, and I was really proud the way they competed,” Seahawks coach Donald Copeland said. “Obviously what we’ve gone through all year isn’t ideal, but we expected to play well. We expected to win the game. Obviously, we didn’t. But I’m glad the way we played.”
UNC had the clear edge inside against a team with only seven available scholarship players and only one – 6-foot-9, 255-pound Keyontae Lewis – offering any notable size. By halftime, the 6-10 Bacot had a double-double after getting multiple deep-block touches while the 6-9 Withers showed plenty of energy in the paint by tallying his first double-digit scoring output since Jan. 17.
The Tar Heels gradually stretched that lead out after the break. That included Davis and Harrison Ingram hitting back-to-back 3-pointers, followed shortly by an alley-oop dunk in transition from Elliot Cadeau to a high-flying Withers for a 70-50 lead with 8:33 left.
The Tar Heels got another comfortable setting to start the tournament. They improved to 35-2 in NCAA games in their home state, including 13-1 in Charlotte. Notably, the lone loss came in their last tournament game here: a second-round loss as a 2-seed to Texas A&M.
Tar Heel fans excited about team’s chances in NCAA tournament
Looking ahead, Izzo’s Spartans have lost all four meetings with UNC in the NCAA tournament. The time of the game and the channel on which it will air have not yet been announced.
Back in Chapel Hill, Maggie Casey was celebrating her 17th birthday this weekend, and a UNC victory was just what she wanted to start the party. She and her friends cheered on the Heels from Top of the Hill on Franklin Street.
“I’m thrilled for everything. Go Heels all day,” she said.
WASHINGTON (WTVD) — Michael O’Connell kept NC State’s NCAA tournament hopes alive by the slimmest of margins, banking in a wild 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime. Then, DJ Burns Jr. took over in the extra time as the Wolfpack stunned Virginia 73-65 in a raucous ACC Tournament semifinal Friday night.
The Wolfpack looked dead in the water Friday night with four seconds left before O-Connell’s prayer kissed the backboard and nestled softly into the net to send the game to extra time and the Wolfpack bench and fans into delirium.
“I had a direct view of it,” N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts said. “As it went up I was like, man, that shot is going in, it’s going in, and then luckily it did and obviously sent us to overtime.”
NC State’s Michael O’Connell shoots the miracle 3-pointer over Virginia guard Isaac McKneely to tie the game 58-58 and send it to overtime.
Nick Wass
The 10th-seeded Wolfpack (21-14) are one victory from pulling off an epic five-wins-in-five-days run for the ACC’s automatic bid, and if they do it, they’ll remember this escape for a while. With the score 58-55, Isaac Mckneely missed the front end of a 1-and-1 for Virginia. O’Connell rushed the ball up the left sideline and shot a high-archer in front of his team’s bench.that will long be remembered in Raleigh.
It was the second straight night a team made a shot at the buzzer against Virginia to force overtime, but on Thursday the Cavaliers were able to beat Boston College.
NC State’s DJ Burns Jr. shoots against Virginia forward Jordan Minor on Friday night in the ACC Tournament semifinals.
Nick Wass
“They got momentum because we missed the free throw and they were coming down, and once they got down we did not want to foul in the act of shooting,” Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. “We just were worried about that.”
In overtime, it was the Burns Jr. show. Time and again, N.C. State would give the ball to the 6-foot-9, 275-pound post player, who would slowly back his way down, he and his defender repeatedly bouncing off each other. Burns scored seven points in overtime and 19 in the game on 8-of-11 shooting.
The Wolfpack take on old rival and top-seeded North Carolina for the tournament championship on Saturday night. The Tar Heels swept the regular season meetings.
NC State’s DJ Horne drives past Virginia’s Reece Beekman on Friday night in the ACC Tournament semifinals.
Nick Wass
Perhaps feeling the fatigue of playing four games in four nights, N.C. State shot just 3 of 17 from 3-point range, but O’Connell made the one the Wolfpack needed, and the Cavaliers (23-10) were done in by their poor free-throw shooting.
With 1:10 remaining, Virginia had a five-point lead, and after a flagrant foul called on Burns, the Cavaliers got two shots and the ball. Reece Beekman missed both attempts though, and when he was fouled on the ensuing possession, Beekman made only one of two.
Then Ryan Dunn fouled a 3-point shooter, and Casey Morsell made all three free throws to cut the lead to three.
After a defensive stop, N.C. State had a chance to tie, but when Morsell missed a 3-pointer and Mckneely rebounded, Virginia needed one free throw to ice the game. It never came.
The teams split their regular season meetings, each winning at home but in an arena full of Cavaliers fans, the Wolfpack won the one that mattered most.
The Wolfpack and Cavaliers look to book their spot in Saturday night’s ACC championship game.
UNC 72, PITT 65
Top-seeded North Carolina survived a stern test Friday night against fourth-seeded Pitt 72-65 to advance to the ACC Tournament championship game.
The No. 4 Tar Heels (27-6), who also hope to get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, inched closer to that goal and will look for a first ACC title since 2016 on Saturday night.
Armando Bacot and RJ Davis provided the bulk of the offense for the Tar Heels. Davis led the team with 25 points and Bacot was strong in the paint with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Armando Bacot hangs on the rim after scoring two of his 19 points against Pitt on Friday night at the ACC Tournament.
Nick Wass
“RJ, he’s been our closer all year and he hit some huge shots,” Bacot said.
Davis and Bacot scored UNC’s final 18 points of the game.
“Just super excited to get a chance to play in the championship,” said Bacot. “It was a tough game, and it got close down in the stretch and I think me and RJ just really wanted to make plays so we can win the game.”
The Panthers led by as many as nine in the first half and kept punching back until late, tying it at 62 with about four minutes left until Davis hit just his second 3-pointer to put the Tar Heels ahead.
After seven lead changes throughout, they never trailed again, with Davis grabbing a crucial rebound and hitting a long 3 in the final minutes to help put it away. The unanimous ACC Player of the Year scored 19 of his points in the second half.
“The player of the year stepped up and made plays,” Pitt coach Jeff Capel said. “You have to tip your hat to him. He made a deep 3, a 28-footer, some pullups. He just made plays.”
Carlton Carrington led Pitt with 24 points, and Jaland Lowe had 17. The Panthers, who were up early thanks to some hot 3-point shooting, were hurt by three fouls in the first 14 minutes on Federiko Federiko, keeping the center on the bench for long periods.
UNC’s tenacious defense made life hard for Pitt star Blake Hinson, who made only 2 of 12 shots and missed all five of his 3-point attempts.
Nick Wass
The Tar Heels never let Pitt’s Blake Hinson get into a rhythm, harassing him into a 2-for-12 shooting night. Hinson missed all five of his 3-point attempts.
“All year, I’ve been taking pride in trying to be the best defensive big man in the country,” Bacot said. “And today, it’s always tough playing against them because they’ve got so many skilled guards, they’ve got bigs that can shoot, so today we had to switch, and after the first half, I was a little sloppy, in the second half I wanted to take the challenge and thought I did a good job.”
UNC, winners of eight consecutive games, will face old rival NC State in the final. The Tar Heels won both regular season matchups against the Wolfpack.
“We set goals in the beginning of the year, and for us to be one more game away means a lot,” Davis said. “But the job’s not finished.”
The Panthers (22-11) now wait to see whether they get invited to the NCAA tournament.
“We’ll see if we’re in,” Capel said. “We have become a really good basketball team. We could be a team that could be dangerous in the tournament.”
Guard Ishmael Leggett added, “I 100% believe that we’re an NCAA Tournament team, regardless of what anybody says.”
WASHINGTON (WTVD) — NC State put together one of its most complete performances of the season in routing Syracuse 83-65 in the second round of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday night.
The Wolfpack led 35-32 at the half. Syracuse opened the second half on a 7-2 spurt for a 39-37 advantage but N.C. State answered with a 21-4 run for a 58-43 lead with 12:33 remaining.
DJ Horne scored 11 points during that stretch and capped it with a dunk. Jaydon Taylor made a pair of 3-pointers. The Orange pulled within 60-50 but didn’t get closer.
NC State’s Michael O’Connell and DJ Burns Jr. celebrate after O’Connell hit a 3-pointer Wednesday against Syracuse.
Alex Brandon
The Wolfpack scored 30 points from 19 Syracuse turnovers.
“We’ve just been as locked in as we can be,” Horne said. “I feel like we’ve been locked in as we have been all season and going into this tournament, we just kind of went in with a why-not-us mindset, and I think we’re showcasing that right now.”
NC State (19-14) had dropped both games to Syracuse in the regular season but this third meeting was drastically different and revenge was sweet.
After winning two consecutive games in the tournament, it doesn’t; get easier for Kevin Keatts’ squad, which advances to face No. 2-seeded Duke at 7 p.m. Thursday on ESPN.
NC State forward Mohamed Diarra battles for a rebound with Syracuse guard Justin Taylor on Wednesday at the ACC Tournament.
Nick Wass
But just like in an opening-round win against Louisville, it was a total team effort for the Wolfpack, which had four players in double figures and got 14 rebounds, eight points and six assists from Mo Diarra. Jayden Taylor scored a team-high 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Michael ‘Connell made all three of his 3-point attempts and finished with 16 points. DJ Burns Jr. added 15 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Horne, N.C. State’s leading scorer, scored all 16 of his points in the second half. The 6-foot-1 senior injured his hip in the regular-season finale at Pittsburgh and did not play in the Wolfpack’s win against Louisville.
“I’m feeling good,” Horne said. “To get hurt, with the last couple of games of my season … it was definitely tough on me mentally but my teammates, my coaches, the staff, they did a great job of me getting treatment and making sure my head stayed in it, and I’m glad we were able to come out here and get this win.”
Judah Mintz scored 21 points to lead No. 7 seed Syracuse (20-12). Maliq Brown, Chris Bell and Quadir Copeland added 11 points apiece.
FLORIDA STATE 86, VIRGINIA TECH 76
Round 2 of the ACC Tournament got underway Wednesday with ninth-seeded Florida State taking down No. 8 seed Virginia Tech 86-76.
The Seminoles (17-15) advance to play No. 1 seeded North Carolina (25-6) That game will be a noon tip-off Thursday and can be seen on ESPN.
Florida State dropped both regular-season meetings with the Tar Heels, 78-70 on the road and 75-68 at home. Florida State hasn’t beaten North Carolina since the 2020-21 season.
Virginia Tech center Lynn Kidd battles Florida State forward Baba Miller underneath the rim at the ACC Tournament on Wednesday.
Susan Walsh
Jamir Watkins scored 12 of his career-high 34 points in the final three minutes and Jalen Warley added 18 points to help Florida State pull away in the second half.
Watkins was 9 of 15 from the field and 14 of 17 at the free-throw line to set a program record for points in an ACC Tournament game. He also had 11 rebounds and four steals. Warley made 8 of his 10 shots as Florida State shot 54% from the field.
Virginia Tech was 4-of-17 shooting in the opening 17 minutes of the second half. The Hokies also finished with 13 turnovers, leading to 25 points for the Seminoles.
Tyler Nickel sank a long 3-pointer with 7:28 left to tie it at 57-all, but Virginia Tech did not make another field goal until Sean Pedulla’s basket with 2:42 left to pull within 71-62.
Florida State took advantage of back-to-back Virginia Tech turnovers with layups by Warley and Primo Spears to take a 63-58 lead with 5:01 left. Another steal under the basket led to Warley’s fast-break layup to make it 68-58 at 3:06.
Each team turned it over on an inbounds play and Watkins was fouled before making two free throws at 2:49. Watkins added two more free throws at 2:30 and had an alley-oop dunk at 2:11 for a 74-65 lead.
Spears finished with 10 points for the Seminoles.
Pedulla scored 24 points, Nickel added 18 and MJ Collins had 15 for Virginia Tech.
Both teams shot 55% or better from the field in the first half. Virginia Tech shot 64% (16 of 25), despite going 4 of 11 from 3-point range, in the first half before finishing at 49%.
The Hokies fell to 18-14 and now wait for a possible NIT bid.
WAKE FOREST 72, NOTRE DAME 59
Kevin Miller scored 17 points, Hunter Sallis added 14 and Andrew Carr had a double-double as fifth-seeded Wake Forest handled 12-seed Notre Dame.
The Demon Deacons (20-12) will take on fourth-seeded Pitt in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Wake Forest lost to Pitt 77-72 in January before rolling past the Panthers 91-58 at home the next month. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
Wake Forest and guard Hunter Sallis powered their way past Notre Dame on Wednesday at the ACC Tournament.
Nick Wass
Carr had 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks and Cameron Hildreth scored eight of his 10 points in the second half. Wake Forest shot 46%, outscored Notre Dame 15-7 off turnovers, 16-7 on second-chance points and 38-14 in the paint.
ACC rookie of the year Markus Burton scored 21 points, making 12 of 12 from the line but only 4 of 16 from the floor for the Fighting Irish. Tae Davis added 16 points and Carey Booth 11. Braeden Shrewsberry, who led Notre Dame with 23 points in their 84-80 first-round win over Georgia Tech, had just five points on 1-of-9 shooting. The Irish shot just 29%, 20% in the second half.
Davis made 7 of 8 free throws for all of Notre Dame’s scoring early in the first half as the Fighting Irish went over six minutes without a field goal until a Davis bucket. Wake Forest took advantage, extending its six-point halftime lead to 16 midway through the second half with a 13-4 run during which Hildreth turned a steal into a three-point play and added a 3-pointer. Notre Dame didn’t get closer than nine thereafter.
Sallis hit a 3-pointer to open the game and the Demon Deacons led throughout. They were up by as many as 14 before the Fighting Irish worked their way back to trail 40-34 at halftime.
The Fighting Irish finished 13-20.
The final game of the night features Boston College (18-14) vs. Clemson (21-10) at 9:30 p.m. That game is on ESPNU.
Durham, N.C. — Seventh-ranked North Carolina led the entire first half and carried a 40-31 lead into the second half against No. 9 Duke on Saturday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham.
The ACC regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in next week’s ACC Tournament are on the line.
UNC grabbed a 10-2 lead in the first four minutes with Cormac Ryan hitting three 3-point attempts. The Tar Heels extended their lead to 15 points on several occasions, the last time on a driving layup by Elliot Cadeau with 9:46 remaining.
Duke cut the deficit to seven before Jae’lyn Withers lay-in at the end of the half.
Ryan paced the Tar Heels with 10 points in the first half. Duke’s Jared McCain scored a game-high 11 points in the first half.
Cadeau and Duke’s Kyle Filipowski picked up two fouls in the first half. Cadeau played less than nine minutes in the first half.
Duke senior Jeremy Roach was 1-for-8 in the first half. Filipowski was 2-of-7. The pair combined for six points.
UNC stars RJ Davis (five points) and Armando Bacot (two) were likewise held in check. Instead, it was Ryan, Harrison Ingram (seven points) and Seth Trimble (six) who led the way.
ESPN’s “College GameDay” held its Saturday morning pregame show at Cameron Indoor Stadium. All analysts picked Duke to win at the end of the broadcasts.
Duke (24-6, 15-4 in the ACC)) has won three straight games. North Carolina (24-6, 16-3) enters on a five-game winning streak. The Tar Heels can earn the outright ACC title with a victory. The rivals will share the regular-season crown with a Duke victory.
Watch WRAL Sports’ postgame coverage of the “Battle of the Blues” on WRAL News +, antenna Ch. 34, Spectrum channel 34 or in the WRAL News app on your smart TV or mobile device.
