North Carolina Lineup Earned 3 Individual A’s in Road Triumph

The Tar Heels picked up a tremendous road win over the Cavaliers on Saturday.

Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kyan Evans (0) and center Henri Veesaar (13) and guard Derek Dixon (3) and forward Caleb Wilson (8) and guard Seth Trimble (7) come back on the court during the second half against the SMU Mustangs at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The North Carolina Tar Heels were on the ropes against the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday afternoon, facing a 16-point deficit late in the first half. However, a quick 7-0 spurt heading into halftime was the jolt the Tar Heels needed. North Carolina would carry that momentum over into the second half on its way to an 85-80 victory over Virginia.

This was a complete team effort, as the Tar Heels had five players score at least 11 points. That level of balanced production has not been the case for North Carolina throughout the season.

With all that being said, here is how the starting lineup graded out in the comeback win over the Cavaliers.

Caleb Wilson

Stat line: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) during the first half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Once again, Wilson tallied at least 20 points, which was the 14th this season that the freshman forward has met that threshold. It was a slow start for Wilson, as he was limited to just one rebound in the first half, but still totaled 10 points in the first 20 minutes.

The 6-foot-9, 216-pound forward went 8-of-12 from the field and 4-of-6 from the free throw line, commanding the ball on the block consistently, which opened up shots for his teammates, as Virginia would double Wilson in those situations.

Grade: A

Seth Trimble

Stat line: 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis (right) talks with guard Seth Trimble (7) during the first half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

This was the type of performance the Tar Heels were needing from their veteran guard. After being uncharacteristically dormant the last three games, Trimble was aggressive on Saturday.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound guard shot 5-of-6 from the field, including 2-of-2 from three-point range and 4-of-6 from the free throw line.

Grade: A-

Derek Dixon

Stat line: 11 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Derek Dixon (3) during the first half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

in his third consecutive start, Dixon was instrumental in North Carolina's comeback win over the 14th-ranked Cavaliers. Although he finished fifth on the team in scoring, he may have been the most impactful player on the floor.

It is safe to say that the 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard will be a staple in the starting lineup moving forward.

Grade: A+

Henri Veesaar

Stat line: 7 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 block

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) during the second half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

This was Veesaar's worst performance of the season, and he never looked comfortable against Virginia's frontcourt. The Arizona transfer's shot selection was poor and felt rushed throughout the game.

Veesaar went 3-of-8 from the field, including 1-of-3 from beyond the arc. It was a disappointing performance by one of North Carolina's top players in a monumental game.

Grade: C-

Jaydon Young

Stat line: 2 rebounds and 1 steal

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Jaydon Young (4) reacts during the second half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Young's experience as a starter could be a short-lived one, as the junior guard has made no impact since being elevated to the starting five.

Grade: D

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