Predicting North Carolina's Top Performances Against Wake Forest

It has been a week since the North Carolina Tar Heels last suited up, which resulted in a 97-83 loss to the SMU Mustangs at the Moody Coliseum. That feeling of disappointment has been brewing, and the Tar Heels' players and coaching staff are eager to prove themselves this upcoming weekend against Wake Forest. North Carolina will be hosting Wake Forest at the Dean E. Smith Center on Saturday night.

While speaking with the media during his press conference availability, head coach Hubert Davis explained why the timing of this game benefits the Tar Heels.

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

"So, I felt like it was a perfect time not to have a midweek game, to be able to get to practice and start doing fundamentally the things that have allowed us all year to be a pretty good defensive team," Davis said.

Let's take a look and evaluate if North Carolina can take advantage of the opportunity with a bounce-back performance against Wake Forest this weekend.

Caleb Wilson

Stat line prediction: 22 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals

Wilson's six-game streak of scoring at least 20 points was snapped against SMU last weekend, as the freshman forward totaled 13 points while shooting 6-of-11 from the field. While Wake Forest possesses more length, the 6-foot-9, 216-pound forward should not be as overwhelmed as he was against the Mustangs.

Obviously, Wilson will continue to face double teams, but it should be much more manageable to maneuver around for the former five-star recruit.

Henri Veesaar

Stat line prediction: 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks

Slow starts have been an issue for the Arizona transfer since the beginning of conference play. Across the last two outings, Veesaar has averaged 2.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in the first half, shooting 2-of-8 in those timeframes.

The 6-foot-11, 224-pound center needs a productive and energizing start against Wake Forest on Saturday. Veesaar should be able to bounce back in a comfortable atmosphere at home.

Seth Trimble

Stat line prediction: 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists

Since returning to lineup, Trimble is averaging 17.7 points, four rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. The senior guard's production on Saturday should resemble somewhere remotely close to that.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound guard has unlocked this offense, providing Wilson and Veesaar with a reliable threat in the backcourt. Additionally, Trimble has the most experience against ACC opposition, and that has been evident in his statistical production in the opening contests.

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