Top Performances in North Carolina's Win Over East Tennessee State

The North Carolina Tar Heels defeated East Tennessee State 77-58 on Tuesday night at the Dean E. Smith Center.

It was basically the same game script when the Tar Heels beat USC Upstate over the weekend. North Carolina lagged through the first half, which was a surprise after Hubert Davis' emphasis on focus and rebounding following the Tar Heels' victory against the Spartans on Saturday.

Dec 16, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis looks on during the second half against the ETSU Buccaneers at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

However, that transpired again, which raised the level of concern about North Carolina's ability to start games fast. Unlike Saturday, the Tar Heels did put this game to bed about halfway through the second half. Against USC Upstate, North Carolina led by eight points with four minutes remaining.

All that being said, here are a few players who stepped up for the Tar Heels in their 19-point win on Tuesday night.

Henri Veesaar

Stat line: 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists

It was a flawless outing for Veesaar, who went 10-of-11 from the field, including 2-of-3 from three-point range. The Arizona transfer only needed 28 minutes to produce those elite statistics, checking out of the game with nearly nine minutes left in the game.

Veesaar has scored at least 14 points in each of the last four games, and his statistical output in the previous two games could have been even more elite if the games had stayed competitive.

Caleb Wilson

Stat line: 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists

At this point, Wilson has to be viewed as a top-three pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, which is still months away. The 6-foot-9, 216-pound forward has now scored 20 points in three straight games, while shooting 61.2 percent from the field during that span.

Despite being double teamed on a possession-by-possession basis, the freshman phenom is still capable of dictating terms against defenders. Wilson has attempted 23 free throws across the last two games, knocking down 14 of those opportunities.

Wilson's ability to shoot the mid-range keeps defenders honest, which then allows him to attack them vertically, leading to drawn fouls. The former five-star recruit is an unstoppable force and can be penciled in for at least 15 points every game.

Kyan Evans

Stat line: 6 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds

The stat line is not going to stick out, especially when juxtaposed to the previous two players' statistical outputs.

However, Evans was decisive and aggressive, which is what North Carolina needs to hit their ceiling this season, which is competing for a national championship.

Evans' three-point shooting needs to improve, as he is shooting 31.1 percent, which is astronomically lower than his 43.1 three-point percentage last season for Colorado State.

Nevertheless, the guard's performance on Tuesday night against East Tennessee State was encouraging.

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