4 Things to Know Before UNC’s Exhibition Matchup With BYU

North Carolina heads west to face BYU in a highly anticipated exhibition at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. Eastern.

No. 25 North Carolina is coming off a 23-14 season that ended with a first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament. BYU, meanwhile, finished 26-10 and made it to the Sweet 16—the program’s first appearance there since 2011.

Here are four things you must know before the Cougars and Tar Heels go to battle tonight in the desert.

The Game Will Be Streamed On ESPN+

Originally slated for an ESPN network, the game will now stream on ESPN+. You can watch it via the ESPN app or website.

Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET. If you don’t have ESPN+, you can follow our live game thread that will be posted later for all the latest updates.

UNC's First Trip to Utah in Nearly 40 Years, Elevation Will Play Role

Feb 24, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; A general view of the John Stockton statue outside the Delta Center before a game between the Utah Jazz and the Portland Trail Blazers. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The matchup against BYU will be Carolina’s first appearance in Salt Lake City since 1988, when the Tar Heels defeated North Texas and Loyola Marymount in the Huntsman Center in the first two rounds of the 1988 NCAA Tournament.

The Tar Heels will also have to battle the elevation in Salt Lake City, which sits at about 4,300 feet above sea level. For comparison, Chapel Hill is 262 feet above sea level. The thinner air could be a significant factor, giving BYU an advantage in conditions the Cougars are used to, compared to North Carolina.

It Will Feature Two Potential First Round Picks

UNC, Caleb Wilson — North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

No matter where the game airs—ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+ or even ESPN8 "The Ocho"—all eyes will be on UNC’s Caleb Wilson and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa.

Wilson, a five-star prospect ranked No. 5 in the 2025 recruiting class by ESPN, is the crown jewel of the Tar Heels’ 2025 recruiting cycle. In his senior season, Wilson averaged 21.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 3.6 blocks and 2.1 steals per game, leading Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School to its first state championship title.

Wilson excels on the interior at both ends of the floor. On offense, he is a tough matchup in the paint because of his athleticism and physicality. He is also capable of playing point forward when needed, displaying strong passing skills. On defense, it’s hard to get past Wilson as he have averaged nearly four blocks per game since his sophomore season in high school and averaged 2.1 steals per game his senior season.

Oct 22, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; BYU's AJ Dybantsa speaks to media during Big 12 Menís Basketball media day at T-Mobile Center. | Sophia Scheller-Imagn Images

Dybantsa is BYU's most publicized player, and for good reason. The freshman phenom was the No. 1 recruit in the country, a McDonald’s All-American, and is considered by many to be the potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

A three-time FIBA gold medalist, he helped lead the United States to a gold medal at the 2025 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, averaging 14.3 points while shooting 50 percent from the field and 84 percent from the free-throw line.

During the Nike EYBL circuit last summer, Dybantsa led the Oakland Soldiers to the 2024 Peach Jam title game, averaging 23.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game.

Sharpshooters Everywhere

UNC — Kyan Evans at the Blue-White Scrimmage on Oct.4, 2025. | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Both teams will feature plenty of sharpshooters ready to put their three-point skills on display.

After it struggled at times with long-range scoring, head coach Hubert Davis went out made sure he got guys that could score in the transfer portal. In total, UNC added three players who shot 35% from three-point range: Kyan Evans, Johnathan Powell and center Henri Veesaar.

Evans made 44.2% of his three-point shots last season at Colorado State, which was 24th in the country. He also made 20 of his 48 (41.7%) three-point shot attempts off the dribble.

Oct 4, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) shoots as center Henri Veesaar (13) defends in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

While Veesaar shot 32.7% from three at Arizona last season—which is still a good rate for a big man—he posted an impressive 38.7% from beyond the arc against Big 12 competition. Keep in mind that he served as the Wildcats' sixth man, so his numbers could rise as the primary center for North Carolina.

Jarin Stevenson and Zayden High are also reliable from beyond the arc. Luka Bogavac, who shot nearly 40% from three in Europe last season, could also get a chance to display his shooting if he's cleared to play.

Mar 26, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Brigham Young Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) talks to the media at the Prudential Center. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

BYU was one of the better three-point shooting teams in the coiuntry as they shot 36.8 from beyond the arc. That rate was good for 40th in the country out of 355 teams and second in the Big 12.

Richie Saunders, a first team All-Big 12 pick and the league’s Most Improved Player, is BYU’s top sharpshooter. He averaged 16.5 points per game while shooting an impressive 51.8% from the field and 43.2% from three. In Big 12 play, Saunders led the league in three-point percentage (45.1%) and true shooting percentage (66.5%), and ranked third in offensive rating (127.8) and effective field goal percentage (63.3%), per KenPom.

Robert Wright III, a top transfer from Baylor, averaged 11.5 points and shot 35.2% from three last season.

BYU also added two more shooters from the transfer portal: Kennard Davis (16.3 points, 37.6% from three at Southern Illinois) and Nate Pickens (9.8 points, 39.2% from deep at UC Riverside).

Dawson Baker adds even more shooting off the bench, averaging 7.5 points and hitting 38% of his threes for BYU last season.

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