North Carolina turned a tight contest into a statement win on Tuesday night, using a dominant second-half surge to pull away from East Tennessee State, 77-58. The Tar Heels outscored ETSU 28-9 in the first 12 and a half minutes after halftime, flipping a close game into a comfortable cruise.
At the heart of UNC’s offensive explosion was Henri Veesaar, who delivered a career-best performance with 26 points and eight rebounds. The big man was locked in from the jump, finishing efficiently and asserting himself in the paint.
And he wasn’t alone-freshman phenom Caleb Wilson continued his impressive run, pouring in 20 points to keep his double-digit scoring streak alive. Wilson has now hit the 20-point mark in three straight games, and together with Veesaar, the duo has scored in double figures in all 11 of UNC’s contests this season.
The Tar Heels' offense was humming as a unit, shooting a blistering 54 percent from the field (27-of-50). That’s the second straight game-and sixth time this year-they’ve cracked the 50 percent mark, a testament to their shot selection, ball movement, and growing chemistry.
The passing game was sharp too, with 18 assists on the night. Jarin Stevenson chipped in with a career-high four dimes, showing continued growth in his role.
With the win, UNC improves to 10-1, matching their best start since the 2017-18 campaign. This team is finding its rhythm, and the pieces are starting to click in a way that should have fans in Chapel Hill feeling optimistic.
Next up, the Tar Heels will take the stage in Atlanta for the CBS Sports Classic, squaring off against Ohio State on Saturday at 3 p.m. It’s another chance for this group to show just how far they’ve come-and how high their ceiling might be.