UNC Throttles Central Arkansas, Wins 23rd Straight Home Opener

No. 25 North Carolina (1-0) opened the season with a 94-54 win over Central Arkansas (0-1), extending its streak to 21 straight victories in season openers and 23 in home openers.

Caleb Wilson led the Tar Heels with 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting and made his only three-point attempt of the night, the first of his career. He added four rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal.

Oct 4, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) attacks the basket in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

It was a strong night for UNC’s backcourt. Point guard Kyan Evans finished with 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Seth Trimble added 12 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals. In his debut, Luka Bogavac had 10 points, five assists and three rebounds.

Henri Veesaar receorded a double-double by scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Mar 21, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis during the first half of a first round NCAA men’s tournament game against the Mississippi Rebels at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

North Carolina will take on No. 19 Kansas at the Smith Center at 7 p.m. ET on Friday at prime time. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

1st Half

North Carolina jumped out to a 21-8 lead in the first five minutes. Wilson sparked the early run, scoring eight of the Tar Heels’ first 12 points.

Bogavac entered just before a Central Arkansas timeout and made an immediate impact, scoring seven points, including a three-pointer. His presence sparked a 19-2 North Carolina run over the next eight minutes. He added two rebounds and two assists as UNC took a 29-13 lead just past the halfway point of the first half.

North Carolina finished the first half with a 51-23 lead. Wilson and Evans both led the Tar Heels with 12 points at the half. Bogavac finished with eight.

UNC — Rameses | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Carolina outperformed Central Arkansas in nearly every statistical category.

The Tar Heels shot 17 of 37 (46%) from the field and 6 of 18 (33%) from three-point range. The Bears finished 10 of 31 (32%) from the field and hit only 23% of their three-point attempts. UNC also held a 22-12 advantage in points in the paint.

Turnovers and pace were major factors, as UNC forced 10 turnovers that led to 15 points. The Tar Heels also held a 16-0 advantage in fast-break points and recorded 11 assists to the Bears’ three.

The Tar Heels controlled the paint, outrebounding the Bears 26-14, including a 10-4 edge on offensive boards. Ten of UNC’s rebounds led to 15 of its 22 points in the paint. Veesaar had four offensive rebounds in the first half; no other player on either team had more than two.

2nd Half

UNC, Rameses Jr. — Rameses Jr. at the Blue-WHite Scrimmage on Oct. 4, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, Tar Heels On SI

North Carolina opened the second half with a 10-3 run, with Wilson and Veesaar scoring eight of those points. During that stretch, Wilson hit the first three-pointer of his college career.

While both teams went on a small run here and there, North Carolina held a large lead for the most part.

Carolina closed out the second half with an 18-5 run.

UNC — Seth Trimble attempting to get by a defender during North Carolina's 94-54 win over Central Arkansas; Nov. 3, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

The Tar Heels were more efficient shooting the ball in the second half than in the first as they made 16 of their 28 (57.1%) shots from the field and four of their 11 (36.4%) three-point shot attempts.

Veesaar was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field with eight points and a block. Wilson had 10 points in the half with three assists and a steal. His only miss: a missed dunk on an alley oop.

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