UNC’s Dominant Frontcourt Performance Buries NC Central in Easy Victory

North Carolina delivered another dominant performance before the home crowd at the Dean Smith Center, defeating NC Central 97-53 behind the big-man duo of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar.

Wilson recorded a double-double and was 7-for-8 from the floor with 21 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks and three assists. Veesaar also recorded a double-double, the second of the season for him as he scored 12 points and 11 rebounds. He also had five blocks.

Luka Bogavac had his most efficient scoring night, tallying 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting from the field and making all three of his free throw attempts.

North Carolina has scored 80 or more points in all four of its games and scored at least 90 points for the second time this season.

North Carolina will face Navy in its next game at the Dean Smith Center on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. Eastern time. It will be the Tar Heels' last home game until they host Georgetown on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 5 p.m. Eastern.

First Half

UNC — Nov 11, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) blocks a shot from Radford Highlanders guard Jr. Dennis Parker (11) during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

North Carolina had an efficient half, shooting the ball, making 14 of their 25 field goal attempts, and outscoring NC Central 22-10 in the paint. However, 10 turnovers cost them from extending the lead even further.

North Carolina's first basket was a three-pointer from Bogavac. NC Central responded with a three-pointer of their own from Lattimore.

The Tar Heels seized control of the game when Kyan Evans lobbed an alley-oop to Wilson, who slammed it home to give them an 8-5 lead with 16:40 remaining in the first half. This play sparked a 13-2 run that put Carolina up 19-7 with just over 10 minutes left in the half, with Wilson accounting for 11 of those points (three field goals and an assist).

The highlight of the run came when Wilson took the ball on a fast break, crossed over, and hammered down a tomahawk slam.

Dec 6, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; A general view of the logo on the court prior to the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Western Carolina Catamounts at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

After Carolina grew its lead to 27-14 with just over six minutes to play in the first half, the Eagles managed to storm back and make it a six-point game as the Tar Heels held on to a 29-23 lead.

However, the Tar Heels would end the half on a 10-1 run to go up by 15 at the half.

Second Half

Nov 14, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Derek Dixon (3) grabs the inbound pass against North Carolina Central Eagles guard Tekao Carpenter (5) during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Carolina opened the second half with a 10-2 scoring run, sparked by a three-pointer from Bogavac. Wilson added a three-pointer of his own, followed by two free throws from Evans and a dunk by Veesaar.

Carolina then went on another 10-2 scoring tear that lasted a little under three minutes.

Later in the half, Derek Dixon made a couple of nice plays, nailing a three-point shot and dishing out two assists to Jarin Stevenson—one that resulted in a three-point shot and another on a lob pass during a fast break in transition that put the Tar Heels in the lead with a 67-35 lead with just under 11 minutes to go in the game.

Dixon finished with nine points, all coming on three-pointers. North Carolina shot 7-for-14 beyond the arc.

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