ACC Basketball Five on Five: Comparing Virginia and North Carolina's Starting Lineups

Battles against North Carolina are always fun, even if the quality of teams pales in comparison to those of the mid-2010s. Like Virginia, the Tar Heels reloaded in the portal and will roll out a new-look roster led by a five-star freshman, an Arizona transfer, and a lone starting returner — senior guard Seth Trimble.

Coach Hubert Davis should be feeling the pressure after narrowly making the NCAA Tournament in 2024-25 and missing the Big Dance two years prior. Although Davis’ 2023-24 roster secured a No. 1 seed and bowed out in the Sweet Sixteen, Carolina fans expect consistency. Coaching at Chapel Hill doesn’t come with excuses.

Point Guard: Dallin Hall (Gr.) vs. Kyan Evans (Jr.)

Hall’s 2024-25 at BYU: 10 GS, 24.6 MPG, 6.8 PPG, 4.2 APG, 40.2% FG, 35.3% 3PT

Evans’ 2024-25 at Colorado State: 36 GS, 28.2 MPG, 10.6 PPG, 3.1 APG, 47.1% FG, 44.6% 3PT

Dallin Hall Virgini — Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) shoots the ball against Alabama Crimson Tide center Clifford Omoruyi (11) during the first half during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Summary: Another preview, another split for Dallin Hall (although Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. holds the lone advantage). Virginia’s graduate guard should hold court as the team’s starting distributor before freshman Chance Mallory gets his sea legs under him. Hall, not likely bound for a double-digit scoring season, will nonetheless be an asset as a battle-tested, athletic guard who has played at a level akin to that of the ACC. In all likelihood, we see him return to the level of minutes he received at BYU two years ago, a season in which he averaged 9.0 PPG and started 30 games for the Cougars. The importation of a future NBA lottery pick in Provo contributed to his decline in playing time this season.

Evans shot the leather off of the ball for Colorado State last year, pacing them to a 26-10 record and an appearance in the Big Dance’s Round of 32. Following a year in which he averaged only 1.6 PPG, the junior saw a massive uptick in minutes after the departure of first-team All-Mountain West guard Isaiah Stevens — a mainstay at point guard for the Rams. Evans provides elite three-point shooting and an experienced presence in front of the young guards waiting in the wings. He shouldn’t be a prolific scorer for the Tar Heels, however.

Advantage: Even

Shooting Guard: Jacari White (Gr.) vs. Seth Trimble (Sr.)

White’s 2024-25 at North Dakota State: 29 GS, 30.9 MPG, 17.1 PPG, 45.2% FG, 39.8% 3PT

Trimble’s 2024-25 at North Carolina: 18 GS, 28.7 MPG, 11.6 PPG, 42.8% FG, 26.6% 3PT

Jacari White Virgini — Dec 10, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; North Dakota State Bison guard Jacari White (11) celebrates after making a three-point basket during the first half against the Butler Bulldogs at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Summary: White has met his match with Trimble. The latter is primed for a breakout candidacy after sharing backcourt touches with first-team All-American RJ Davis over the past two seasons, and he showed marked improvement from year two to year three. He burst onto the scene with a massive 27-point performance against Dayton in the Maui Invitational and notched six 16-point-plus outings the rest of the way for the Heels. Trimble packs plenty of athleticism into a 6’3 frame and was a party starter for a team that scratched the Round of 32 last season. With his spot firmly entrenched in the starting lineup, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to predict a first-team All-ACC season from the junior guard. He’ll have to up his three-point volume from behind the arc, though, slightly worrisome considering his 26.6% clip from last season.

We’ve talked extensively about White, another athletic, dynamic shooting guard who, unlike Trimble, excelled from behind the three-point line. They are both defensive assets on the perimeter who can push it in transition. However, I could feasibly see Odom bumping San Francisco’s Malik Thomas at the two and rolling out Toledo’s Sam Lewis (6’6) to provide size at the wing position. We’ll stick with White for now, as his game should translate quickly from the mid-major level. He just isn’t quite on Trimble’s level. Few shooting guards in the ACC will match his production.

Advantage: North Carolina

Wing: Malik Thomas (Gr.) vs. Luka Bogovac (Fr.)

Thomas’ 2024-25 at San Francisco: 34 GS, 31.8 MPG, 19.9 PPG, 44.4% FG, 39.4% 3PT

Bogovac’s 2024-25 at SC Derby (ABA): 29 GP, 29.7 MPG, 14.9 PPG, 45.1% FG, 39.9% 3PT

Malik Thomas Virgini — March 10, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; San Francisco Dons guard Malik Thomas (1) is defended by Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Emmanuel Innocenti (5) and guard Michael Ajayi (1) during the second half in the semifinal of the West Coast Conference tournament at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Summary: Unless Coach Hubert Davis opts for West Virginia transfer Jonathan Powell at the three, international recruit Luka Bogovac should find his way into the starting five. A native of Montenegro, Bogovac has played three full seasons of professional basketball and most recently starred for SC Derby in the Adriatic League. The 6’5 combo guard put together his best campaign to date, having made waves as a three-point shooter and pick-and-roll player in a competitive overseas league. North Carolina’s roster “filled out” with the late addition of Bogovac as a 21-year-old freshman who should be a shooting threat from the jump. He’ll play less of a ballhandling role than with SC Derby, but he should approach 30 minutes a game once he’s settled in. It’ll be interesting to see whether he can tread water on defense, though.

While many have raved about Bogovac’s potential with the Heels, I like Virginia’s Malik Thomas as a higher-level scorer in the ACC. It’s harder to project international prospects even with their years of professional experience, and I’m more convinced by Thomas’ domination of the West Coast Conference and massive outings against the likes of Gonzaga, Memphis, Washington State and Loyola-Chicago. It remains to be seen whether Bogovac or Trimble emerges as the Tar Heels’ top offensive weapon. There’s newfound uncertainty after the departure of Davis.

Advantage: Virginia

Power Forward: Thijs de Ridder (Fr.) vs. Caleb Wilson (Fr.)

De Ridder’s 2024-25 at Bilbao Basket (Liga ACB): 33 GP, 20.7 MPG, 9.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 50.2% FG, 39.1% 3PT

Wilson’s 2024-25 at Holy Innocents (HS): Gatorade Player of the Year (GA), MCDAAG

Summary: This one could arguably be closer due to de Ridder’s age and Wilson’s relative inexperience. The former has played five seasons abroad as a professional hooper, while the latter just finished up his last year of high school. However, Wilson carries lofty expectations into Chapel Hill as a five-star, consensus top-ten recruit in the Class of 2025. He’s an inch taller (6’9) and more capable defensively, able to guard multiple positions and disrupt with his length. I don’t foresee de Ridder having as much of an impact for the ‘Hoos on that side of the ball. Wilson’s bane, however, might be his offensive polish, especially if he plays only one season in Chapel Hill. Nonetheless, he’s already one of the more athletic and versatile bigs in the ACC.

De Ridder should have the offensive edge over Wilson, and he could be more of an interior threat even despite his relative shortcomings in length. I believe that he’ll end up a more dangerous threat as a stretch big; on the flip side, the Tar Heel has untapped potential and will blossom on the offensive end as the season progresses. He’ll flaunt his defensive skills immediately. Two freshmen — Duke’s Boozer and Wilson — should be among the best in a conference that is stacked with power forward talent.

Advantage: North Carolina

Center: Ugonna Onyenso (Sr.) vs. Henri Veesaar (Jr.)

Onyenso’s 2024-25 at Kansas State: 2 GS, 11.1 MPG, 2.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 70.0% FG

Veesaar’s 2024-25 at Arizona: 5 GS, 20.8 MPG, 9.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 59.2% FG, 32.7% 3PT

Summary: A prediction in Virginia’s starting five has changed! I have inserted Kansas State’s Ugonna Onyenso into the lineup over freshman Johann Grünloh. Buzz has surrounded the senior center despite an unconvincing statsheet from his last two stops — Manhattan and Lexington (with Kentucky). Onyenso epitomizes a rim protector who plays a limited role offensively; however, Odom will hope to unlock his offensive chops, and a small sample size of practice clips showed off a three-pointer from the seven-foot center. I doubt that Grünloh will be physically ready to start from day one, and Onyenso will be ready to answer the call after starting only two games last season. He could be a major breakout candidate for the ‘Hoos.

North Carolina’s Henri Veesaar made a surprising decision to depart Tucson for Chapel Hill after three years, including one redshirt season. The junior from Estonia played his best basketball in 2024-25, averaging 9.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 59.2% FG. Even in a crowded frontcourt, Veesaar emerged as the top center option and played 30+ minutes six times for a roster that received a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. On the other hand, he could improve on the boards and may struggle against physical bigs despite his height. Carolina faithful are hopeful that he can build upon a promising campaign and thrive alongside Wilson. I’m not totally sold on Veesaar’s hype train heading into 2025-26, but he’ll be a surefire starter for North Carolina.

Advantage: North Carolina

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