By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — No. 25 North Carolina must embrace physicality to win the rebounding battles and neutralize the Jayhawks’ massive sophomore center.
That was UNC coach Hubert Davis’ message ahead of Friday’s 7 p.m. clash of blue bloods with No. 19 Kansas at the Smith Center (ESPN), along with being the aggressor and making the first contact.
“That guy can jump just as high as you, so you’re not going to out-jump ’em,” Davis said. “You’re going to have to be physical when the ball goes up in the air.”
He called rebounding the No. 1 determining factor in a game’s outcome, stressing that Carolina must improve after some concerning moments in the exhibition loss to No. 8 BYU.
“Our ability to get those hard, tough, physical rebounds, that’s something that we’re just going to have to do [Friday] night,” Davis said.
More on the game
— Kansas coach Bill Self relishes the chance to play at the Smith Center, but says that he didn’t want to do that when Roy Williams was the coach because it “would suck for him and it would suck for me.”
— How, when to watch, Jayhawks highlights, players to watch, game notes
He said the emphasis on toughness against Kansas extends to both ends of the court, being physical enough to dominate points around the basket and get the ball into the post.
The Tar Heels must, he said, have “the physicality to get through screens and get through bumps, to be able to get to the basket, the physicality to get to the offensive glass.”
That challenge looms large against 6–10, 235-pound sophomore center Flory Bidunga. He’s not as tall as 7–0 UNC center Henri Veesaar. But he has more girth, is a shot-blocking threat and will present the Arizona transfer with a physical challenge.
Davis wants Veesaar to leverage his versatility in that matchup.
“He’s a gifted passer,” Davis said of Veesaar. “He can score around the basket. He’s our best offensive rebounder, and he can really shoot from three.”
While Bidunga controls the post area, Kansas’ backcourt features one of the nation’s most talked-about freshmen in 6–6, 200-pound point guard Darryn Peterson, who The Athletic has projected as the top pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
Davis didn’t hold back in his praise, calling him gifted with the ability to make a significant impact on both ends of the floor.
“He’s a four-level scorer,” Davis said. “Can shoot from three, mid-range, get to the bucket, get fouled, get to the free-throw line. I’ve also been impressed from a defensive standpoint [with] his ability to get steals and deflections, rebound the basketball. He’s more than just a scorer. He’s a complete basketball player.”
Containing Peterson won’t fall just on one defender, but that primary assignment likely will go to senior guard Seth Trimble, who will give up three inches in that matchup.
“It’s never a one-on-one situation or battle,” Davis said. “We have to do a great job defensively. We’ve got to get stops. We’ve got to finish those stops with a rebound, and then [that will] allow us to get out in transition.”
Davis got a huge addition in the opener that should be helpful against Kansas in 6–6 Montenegrin wing Luka Bogavac, who was cleared about 30 minutes before the opening-game win over Central Arkansas and made an immediate impact.
Davis said that Bogavac, who contributed 10 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals, brings a unique blend of maturity and skill to the rotation.
“He’s a guy, from an offensive standpoint, who can make plays with the ball in his hands,” Davis said. “He’s a great passer. He’s a great shooter. He’s a great decision-maker.”
Bogavac’s ability to stretch the floor and create plays off the dribble could be crucial against Kansas’ perimeter length and defensive pressure. Davis praised his poise and positional size, noting that he’s already earned the trust of teammates and coaches alike.
Davis knows Kansas’ length and athleticism will test Carolina across the board, with the ability to create space, execute isolation plays and get out in transition.
Unlike last season, the Tar Heels have good positional size, bringing more versatility to the matchup.
He said that the game ultimately will come down to “the little stuff: rebounding, defending without fouling, taking care of the basketball, getting good shots.”
With a sold-out Smith Center and a marquee matchup, Davis wants his team amped up but focused.
“I want them to be both,” he said. “When you’re playing with emotion, they understand how to play within themselves and do the things that we’ve practiced.”
This isn’t just another nonconference game but a clash of college basketball royalty.
Kansas and North Carolina have combined for 10 national championships and 37 Final Four appearances, and their histories are intertwined, from Dean Smith’s Kansas roots to Roy Williams’ two decades in Lawrence before returning to Chapel Hill.
The Jayhawks lead the all-time series 7–6 and have won five straight, including the 2022 national title game and last season’s 92–89 thriller in Allen Fieldhouse.
Friday marks Kansas’ first trip to Chapel Hill, adding another layer of significance to a matchup that usually happens in March.
Beyond bragging rights, this game carries weight for UNC’s resume, which could be important for NCAA seeding. Davis acknowledged the urgency of banking résumé wins early after last season’s near-misses in nonconference play left the Tar Heels as the final team to make the NCAA tournament field.
“Obviously, winning big games is important,” he said. “But the most important thing is to focus on what is real — our preparation, our practice, and for us to play at the highest level that we can play.”
It will be an early gauge for both teams.
| Date | Month/day | Time | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV/ record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 24 | Friday | L, 78–76 | vs. No. 10 BYU in SLC | Exhib. |
| 29 | Wednesday | W, 95–53 | vs. Winston-Salem St. | Exhib. |
| November | ||||
| 3 | Monday | W, 94–54 | vs. Central Arkansas | 1–0 |
| 7 | Friday | W, 87–74 | vs. No. 17 Kansas | 2–0 |
| 11 | Tuesday | W, 89–74 | vs. Radford | 3–0 |
| 14 | Friday | W, 97–53 | vs. N.C. Central | 4–0 |
| 18 | Tuesday | W, 73–61 | vs. Navy | 5–0 |
| Fort Myers Tip-Off | ||||
| 25 | Tuesday | W, 85–70 | vs. St. Bonaventure | 6–0 |
| 27 | Thursday | L, 74–58 | vs. No. 9 Michigan State | 6–1 |
| December | ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge | |||
| 2 | Tuesday | W, 67–64 | at Kentucky | 7–1 |
| ————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 81–61 | vs. Georgetown | 8–1 |
| 13 | Saturday | W, 80–62 | vs. USC Upstate | 9–1 |
| 16 | Tuesday | W, 77–58 | vs. East Tennessee State | 10–1 |
| CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta | ||||
| 20 | Saturday | 3 p.m. | vs. Ohio State | CBS |
| ————————— | ||||
| 22 | Monday | 8 p.m. | vs. East Carolina | ACCN |
| 30 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | vs. Florida State | ESPN2 |
| January | ||||
| 3 | Saturday | 2:15 | at SMU | The CW |
| 10 | Saturday | 6 p.m. | vs. Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 14 | Wednesday | 9 p.m. | at Stanford | ACCN |
| 17 | Saturday | 4 p.m. | at California | ACCN |
| 21 | Wednesday | 7 p.m. | vs. Notre Dame | ESPN2 |
| 24 | Saturday | 2 or 2:30 | at No. 23 Virginia | ESPN or ESPNU |
| 31 | Saturday | 2 p.m. | at Georgia Tech | ACCN |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | 7 p.m. | vs. Syracuse | ESPN |
| 7 | Saturday | 6:30 | vs. No. 3 Duke | ESPN |
| 10 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | at Miami | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 14 | Saturday | 2 p.m. | vs. Pittsburgh | ESPN |
| 17 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | at N.C. State | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 21 | Saturday | 1 p.m. | at Syracuse | ABC |
| 23 | Monday | 7 p.m. | vs. No. 11 Louisville | ESPN |
| 28 | Saturday | 6:30 or 8:30 | vs. Virginia Tech | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| March | ||||
| 3 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | vs. Clemson | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 7 | Saturday | 6:30 | at No. 3 Duke | ESPN |
| 10–14 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament | Spectrum Center, Charlotte |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
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