Three Observations From UNC's Sluggish Performance in Victory Over Navy

No. 18 North Carolina slogged its way to a 73-61 victory over Navy on Tuesday night at the Dean Smith Center, moving to 5-0 for the first time since the 2022-23 season. The Tar Heels looked disjointed at times, but still found enough answers to stay unbeaten.

Here are my three observations from the game.

Caleb Wilson's Huge Second Half

Nov 18, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) goes up for a dunk against the Navy Midshipmen during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Caleb Wilson’s energy continues to set the tone for the Tar Heels, an impressive feat for the youngest player on the roster at just 18. His influence was clear Tuesday night when early foul trouble forced him to the bench after North Carolina jumped to a 16-6 lead with just over 13 minutes to play in the first half. Without Wilson, Navy quickly took advantage, stringing together a 9-3 run that trimmed UNC’s cushion to 19-15.

After a frigid stretch in which North Carolina missed 12 of 13 shots bridging halftime, Wilson flipped the script. The freshman exploded for 15 of his 23 points in the second half, tacking on seven rebounds as well. Wilson's presence on defense was just as crucial—he recorded all four of his blocks and three steals after the break. His timely surge fueled a dominant finish for the Tar Heels.

He ended up finishing with 23 points and 11 rebounds, making it his third straight double-double, showcasing his impact on both ends.

North Carolina's Tenacious D

Nov 18, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Navy Midshipmen forward Mike Woods (30) shoots on North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

North Carolina put together one of its most stifling defensive performances of the season, smothering Navy’s attack from start to finish. The Tar Heels limited the Midshipmen to just 21-for-69 shooting (30.4%) from the field and 6-for-21 (28.6%) from three-point range. Navy struggled even more after halftime, hitting only 11 of 38 shots (28.9%) and connecting on just four of 13 three-point attempts (30.8%).

The Tar Heels tallied seven blocks as a team, with Wilson leading the way with three. Henri Veesaar added two blocks, and Jarin Stevenson chipped in one. Wilson was also a force in the passing lanes, collecting all four of UNC’s steals.

North Carolina's Sluggish Performance

Nov 18, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Navy Midshipmen guard Austin Benigni (1) blocks the shot from North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Despite the win, North Carolina trudged through stretches of sluggish basketball—something evident in the way both halves ended.

In the first half, North Carolina did not make a field goal attempt from 2:57 left in the first half until the Tar Heels finally converted on a putback dunk from Stevenson with 17:38 left in the second half. In total minutes, the Tar Heels did not make a basket for nearly five minutes. During this stretch, UNC went 0-7 from the field and committed two turnovers.

In the second half, North Carolina surged to its largest lead at 68-44 with 4:57 remaining, a commanding 24-point advantage. But Navy wasn’t finished—over the next three minutes, the Midshipmen rattled off a 15-0 run that cut the deficit to single digits. For the final two minutes, the Tar Heels and Midshipmen traded baskets, capping a frenetic stretch that saw Navy outscore UNC 17-5 in the last five minutes.

UNC — Nov 18, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis reacts after missed play during the first half against the Navy Midshipmen at Dean E. Smith Center. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

While it might be tempting to call this a one-off, it’s anything but. In fact, it marks the second time in three games that North Carolina has let an opponent surge late. Last week, the Tar Heels held an 86-63 lead over Radford with 3:43 remaining, only to be outscored 11-3 the rest of the way.

While UNC outrebounded Navy 45-38, the Midshipmen did better on the offensive class, outrebounding the Tar Heels 13-9. Carolina also had 15 turnovers to Navy's six.

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