Henri Veesaar Provides Insight in Win Over USC Upstate

The consensus from the North Carolina Tar Heels' coaching staff and players is that the 80-62 win over the USC Upstate Spartans on Saturday at the Dean E. Smith Center was a learning experience that the team will have to address during this week's practices.

While the team was ultimately able to win by a comfortable margin, the end result does not accurately reflect how competitive this game was. The Tar Heels led by eight points with just over four minutes remaining in the contest.

Dec 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; USC Upstate Spartans guard Tyler Smith (0) shoots as North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) defends at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

That propelled head coach Hubert Davis to bring some of his starters back into the game, including center Henri Veesaar, who was instrumental in North Carolina's win.

While speaking with the media during his postgame press conference availability, Veesaar shared his thoughts on the Tar Heels' performance in the 18-point victory.

Veesaar's Thoughts

Dec 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) with the ball as USC Upstate Spartans forward Jafeth Martinez (12) defends in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"We're going to have a good film session after this game," Veesaar said. "We're [going to] look at all the clips that we did wrong, wherever guys didn't do their jobs, where they have a lot to do better, and those are the simple things that we can fix. And if you have it on tape, watching a video, you know what you [have to do]."

Davis echoed these thoughts during his postgame press conference, highlighting the overall feel coming out of this game, despite the double-digit win.

"It's a tremendous lesson," Davis said. "I told them, I'm a visual learner. I can remember things, but if I see it, I remember for the rest of my life, and my hope is that they could clearly see that there is a connection between how you prepare and how you practice in relation to how you play. And I identify the areas that have to be there every day. It's not missed shots. It's not the turnovers. Everybody misses shots, everybody turns the ball over, everybody makes mistakes."

Dec 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jonathan Powell (11) reacts after hitting a three point shot in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"I just think the things that you have control over; I think those are the things that are non-negotiable," Davis continued. "You have to bring it every day. That's energy, effort, attention to detail, enthusiasm, and can't use the excuse that we have final exams. I'm married and I've got three kids. I got prepared for this game early."

Jonathan Powell had a standout performance, scoring 17 points while shooting 6-of-9 from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Veesaar was impressed by the sophomore forward's performance and understands the Tar Heels need that type of impact moving forward.

"He went three for six from three," Veesaar said. "That's huge. We need shooting. We haven't been shooting it great as a team. So, him stepping up and making three threes in our game and shooting it efficiently is amazing for us. It helps us a lot."

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