Luka Bogavac Dishes on His Role with Tar Heels

It was a mixed-bag performance by the Tar Heels in their 80-62 win over USC Upstate on Saturday at the Dean E. Smith Center. While there were areas of improvement, specifically from bench production, there were also concerns that presented themselves throughout the course of the game.

Dec 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) with the ball as Georgetown Hoyas center Julius Halaifonua (11) defends in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Role players played a monumental part in securing the win late in the game. One player who has been depended on to knock down shots outside the perimeter is overseas transfer Luka Bogavac. The former pro basketball player had his best game of the season and was extremely impactful in the second half.

While speaking with the media during his postgame press conference availability, Bogavac explained the importance of the Tar Heels staying together and battling through in the win.

Luka Bogavac's Thoughts

Dec 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) reacts in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"To just be consistent, to try to play for 40 minutes hard," Bogavac said. "Just try to give our best defensively, to use our qualities. We can do other things differently, so I think that you should maintain the focus for 40 minutes."

Maintaining focus for the entirety of the game was something the Tar Heels seemingly struggled with on Saturday. USC Upstate created several second-chance opportunities by having more urgency on loose balls.

The first-year collegiate player touched on this subject, speaking to how the team has to be better at raising their intensity levels as the season progresses.

Dec 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; USC Upstate Spartans guard Karmani Gregory (1) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) defends at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"We think that we relaxed a couple of times when we play, when we lead with double digits," Bogavac said. "But we can't do this. We can't do this against bigger teams. We should be able to come back to the game after this period of just shooting on the court. So, for us, just take the key to just play 40 minutes hard with effort, and we'll be great."

As stated earlier, Bogavac had his best of the season, scoring 15 points, while shooting 6-of-11 from the field, including 3-of-6 from three-point range. Bogavac explained how he found his rhythm, which elevated his confidence with his shot.

"I just played the game, so if it happened that I should pass 10 times, I would pass 10 times," Bogavac said. "If it happens that I get to shoot 10 times, I'll shoot 10 times. It just depends on the game, the coverage and the defense, so I just try to play the right way."

Dec 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; USC Upstate Spartans guard Mason Bendinger (9) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

For the first time this season, Bogavac's tempo did not seem hurried; rather, it blended in with the flow of the game, which allowed him to play under control.

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