What Stood Out to Caleb Wilson in Win Over Ohio State

The North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 71-70 on Saturday at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

It was a defensive battle in the first half, as both teams struggled to string together consistent points. Both teams combined to shoot 24-of-63 from the field, including 7-of-16 from three-point range.

A player that was particularly quiet in the first half was North Carolina's star freshman Caleb Wilson, who totaled four points and seven rebounds while shooting 1-of-4 from the field during that span.

Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) and center Henri Veesaar (13) celebrate after a basket against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

However, the former five-star recruit exploded in the second half, recording 16 points and eight rebounds. Wilson finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds while shooting nine-of-16 from the field. It was Wilson's eighth 20-point outing this season, which is the most by any freshman in the country.

While speaking with the media during his postgame press conference, Wilson discussed the team's performance in the win over the Buckeyes.

Wilson's Thoughts

Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) reacts after a foul against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

"I feel great. It was definitely a huge win," Wilson said. "Of course, we all like blowouts, but having a fun close the game like that is definitely fun, especially for the crowd. Like I said, I’m just glad we got the win and I’m glad we got Seth back. I feel like we’re a much better team."

After blowing an 11-point lead in the second half, the Tar Heels looked it like they were going to miss out on a massive opportunity to establish momentum heading into conference play. Wilson was asked if the stress levels were high in the late stages of the contest.

"No, [there wasn't any] stress," Wilson said. "I was getting mad when I let the and-1 three happen, but every second we work on those things in practice. It was just about trusting our process and we can get it done."

Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) shows emotion against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Jarin Stevenson was essential in the win, playing a major role off the bench. Wilson explained how the Alabama transfer is able to impact the game.

"He gives us tremendous versatility," Wilson said. "He’s a great player, and he came up with that last steal to give us the ball back later in the game. He’s just going to do everything it takes to win. That’s why you love to have a guy like that on your team."

Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) grabs a rebound from Ohio State Buckeyes forward Amare Bynum (1) in the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Wilson came up with the game-clinching block on the final play of the game as time expired. The freshman forward discussed what the Tar Heels were looking for on that sequence.

"We kind of knew it was going to be — we either thought it was going to Bruce [Thornton] or it was just going to be a tougher shot," Wilson said. "We really knew we were going to get hand, a good contest on the shot. It was all about boxing out and making sure you finished the play. It’s no worse than we do in practice all the time and worse than getting a tip up, tip in later in the game where you play defense and then you got to get a second-chance opportunity."

Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) dunks against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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