North Carolina Runs by Notre Dame in Blowout Win

The North Carolina Tar Heels entered Tuesday night's tilt against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, on a two-game losing streak. Meanwhile, Notre Dame headed into this contest with a 10-8 overall record and 1-4 conference record, losing its last four games.

Both teams were desperate for a win, and this was an opportunity to get back into the win column.

First Half

Head coach Hubert Davis made another change to the starting lineup, replacing Jarin Stevenson with Jaydon Young. The junior guard responded in the opening stretch of the game, recording three points, two rebounds, and one assist in the first five minutes. The Tar Heels would shoot 3-of-5 from beyond the arc during this span, taking an 11-10 lead into the under-16 media timeout.

By the next timeout, North Carolina had increased its lead to 18-10, as Kyan Evans and Luka Bogavac each connected on threes. Notre Dame's lack of shot-making ability and incoherent offense played right into the Tar Heels' fast-paced offense.

Davis implementing a three-guard system opened up space along the perimeter, as North Carolina had 12 three-point attempts by the eight-minute mark. The Fighting Irish were forced to burn a timeout following Caleb Wilson's putback dunk, giving the Tar Heels a 24-15 lead with 8:24 remaining in the first half.

Jan 21, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) with the ball as Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Carson Towt (33) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Three-point shooting continued to be the focal point of North Carolina's offensive operation. The Tar Heels were 7-of-16 from beyond the arc heading into the three-minute mark. North Carolina leads 35-25 with 3:18 left on the clock.

It was a first half filled with pace and aggressive perimeter shooting. North Carolina leads 42-33 at halftime, and Wilson was a major reason for that, as the star freshman led the Tar Heels with 14 points while shooting 4-of-6 from the field and 5-of-8 from the free throw line.

Second Half

Jan 21, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Matthew MacLellan (34) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

After scoring just three points the entire first half, Henri Veesaar opened the second half with eight points, driving North Carolina to increasing its lead to 55-37 with 15:23 remaining in the game.

Things were really getting out of hand for the Fighting Irish, as the Tar Heels had opened up a 70-45 lead with 11:10 on the clock. In addition to Veesaar's offensive explosion to open up the second half, Evans had found a rhythm from beyond the arc. The Colorado State transfer was 3-of-5 from deep at this point, and North Carolina was well on their way to an easy victory.

With North Carolina leading by more than 25 points, the Tar Heels coasted to victory and went through the motions for the final five minutes of the game.

Final: North Carolina 91, Notre Dame 69

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