Luka Bogavac Reflects on UNC’s Slow Play, Team Talk

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Luka Bogavac addressed the media Tuesday night after North Carolina’s 73-61 win over Navy at the Dean E. Smith Center.

Check out what Bogavac said after the game in the video below.

Partial Transcript from Hubert Davis' Postgame Presser after Navy

Coach, a few of the players told us they held a team meeting after your postgame talk. They said they were bothered by the 15–0 run and some other stretches tonight, even in a win. What’s your reaction to them calling that meeting on their own, and do you like having a group that takes that kind of ownership after a game they didn’t feel they played well in?

UNC, UNC Basketball — North Carolina players huddling up during a stoppage in play; Oct. 29, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

I mean, that's great that they're, you know, communicating and talking amongst themselves. And you're right. You know, I think we had a 24-point lead. We went on a 15-0 run, and then down the stretch, 17-3. And so was disappointed in how we finished the game. I felt like the sustained energy in the first half wasn't there, but I thought we picked it up in the second half. We were playing well, and just unfortunate that we didn't finish the game better than the way that we did.

Caleb has said in the past, the one thing he really likes about this team is that a lot of guys are willing to speak up. It's not just one person sort of leading the charge. Is that what you've noticed in your time around them so far?

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

Yeah, I mean, there's a number of guys that that will speak up. And one of the things that I have encouraged everyone is that everyone should be a leader within their own personality. It's not a situation where, you know, when I was in school, where you're waiting for the junior or the senior to be able to speak up, and you had to wait your turn.

I just don't think it's that way anymore. Whether you're a freshman, walk-on, senior, starter, off the bench, I think the more voices that you hear, the better your team is. So I like the talking in the locker room, but I like also talking on the court as well.

This season, the team has had some slow starts in the first half—for example, the score was 38-31 at halftime. What have you noticed about the team's performance early in games, and what do you think contributes to them picking up the intensity in the second half?

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

Well, I mean, I don't necessarily think slow in the first half. You know, Navy, they're methodical in their approach, in regards to, you know, switching up defenses. Man, zone. When they're in zone, you throw the ball in the middle. When they match you up man, they pick up full court, three-quarter court, just a number. Sometimes they play football, which we means that they don't switch any off the ball and they go switch everything.

And so for this new group, new team, to be able to read and adapt through the changes, I felt like it took us to the second half to really get a rhythm. We got stops, we got out in transition. I mean, that says, you know, once we get stops and we're able to get out in transition. That's when we're at our best.

Navy, as a service academy, represents more than just basketball. Their players go on to serve in the military for four or five years after they finish playing. What does it mean for your program to compete against a team with that kind of mission and commitment? What lessons do you think your team can learn from facing them?

UNC — Nov 18, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Navy Midshipmen guard Jordan Pennick (21) drives on North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Well, a number of things. I've been to the Naval Academy. We played there (for the Veterans Day Classic) and was it the 15-16 season, and we were there for three or four days and I just saw the commitment that they make every day.

I've been at West Point, I've been to the Citadel. And my wife is an Army child, and so I understand the sacrifice that all of them make for us to be able to experience the life that we all live, and it's an act of service, not just for themselves, but it's bigger than themselves.

And so that's a message that I've preached to our guys, is that playing here at North Carolina is an act of service. It's not just about you, it's about it's about the we. It's about our team. It's about our program, this university and community. And I always believe that you're at your best when you go outside of yourself, and you're playing for more than just just yourself.

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