By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — Henri Veesaar didn’t score a point in the first half Tuesday night, something that hadn’t happened all season.
The junior Estonian star had only one shot and admitted he was “playing a little bit flat.” But the turnaround started immediately. Coach Hubert Davis had UNC run a play for Veesaar on its first possession of the second half, and he converted.
“He kind of got me started with that,” Veesaar said. “So that helped a lot.”
From there, Veesaar didn’t miss another shot. He scored all 12 of his points in the second half, adding 12 rebounds and three assists in No. 12 UNC’s 79–66 win over Florida State in their ACC opener at the Smith Center.
It was his seventh double-double of the season, but what stood out most was how he responded to adversity and how his connection with Caleb Wilson fueled the turnaround. Tuesday was the seventh game the duo have each produced double-doubles, the third most in a season in program history (see list below).
More on the win
— Wilson ignites second-half surge, making more history in leading UNC to win in ACC opener
— Evans shakes shooting slump, says his confidence never wavered
— Hours of film study pay off with stat that made Wilson proudest: 6 assists
— Heels eye Quad 1 boost at SMU after FSU win drops NET ranking
“I feel like he’s a great passer,” Veesaar said of Wilson. “So I think he gave me at least a couple of passes, the high-low type throws, where I was able to dunk it. So, that helped me a lot, got me going. And we always just kind of talk to each other and try to see whatever we see and help each other out, because we’re both, I feel like, pretty smart players.”
That chemistry has become a weapon for UNC. Davis said the duo’s ability to play off each other opens up the floor.
“It’s a huge weapon,” Davis said earlier this season. “It’s not just your scoring. It’s the versatility around the rim, on the perimeter, and then you have your 6–10, quote-unquote, four man has six assists. So, you know, they’re playmakers.”
Veesaar knows defenses are adjusting. The Seminoles packed in their defense and made it tough for him to navigate inside.
“Wherever we caught the ball in the paint, they were crowding us,” Veesaar said. “So, you either had to be really strong and quick with the ball or just skip it out, pass it out.”
When the offense wasn’t flowing early, Veesaar leaned on leadership and perspective.
“It ain’t always your points and always your rebounds,” Veesaar said. “Might be your box out. It might be your seal and somebody else scores. Or you pull in somebody out of defender and they get a kick out three. It’s not always about my stats and what I do. It’s more like however the team impacts from what I do and us being able to win games.”
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That mindset matters for a team with championship aspirations. Veesaar said he tries to be another voice in Wilson’s ear, echoing what coaches teach.
“Obviously, we have the coaches to do that job, to tell him what to do,” Veesaar said, mentioning specifically Assistant Coach Sean May. “His super-high basketball activity, the way he plays and what he sees. He tells all that to Caleb, and I’m just trying to echo it.”
For Veesaar, the second half was about more than scoring. It was about setting a tone.
“We always talk about the game comes down to whoever wins the rebounding battle,” he said after UNC outrebounded Florida State 47–37. “And we won that. So, we won the game.”
UNC did more than win. It showed resilience, and Veesaar showed why his presence, whether scoring, rebounding or mentoring, makes this team dangerous.
Double-doubles by UNC duos
John Henson and Tyler Zeller, 2011–12 — 9
Rusty Clark and Larry Miller, 1966–67 — 8
Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson, 2025–26 — 7
Pete Brennan and Lennie Rosenbluth 1955–56 — 7
UNC schedule
| Date | Month/day | Opponent/event (final ranks) |
|---|---|---|
| October | Exhibitions | |
| 9 | 7 p.m. Friday | vs. USC in Greensboro |
| 18 | 5 p.m. Sunday | vs. Indiana in Indianapolis |
| 27 | Tuesday | vs. Charlotte |
| November | Regular season | |
| 2 | Monday | vs. Western Carolina |
| 6 | Friday | vs. Wofford |
| 10 | Tuesday | vs. Wyoming |
| 13 | Friday | vs. Georgia |
| 20 | Friday | vs. Marshall |
| 23 | Monday | vs. Monmouth |
| 27 | Friday | Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte |
| December | ||
| 1 | Tuesday | ACC/SEC Challenge vs. No. 13 Arkansas |
| 6 | Sunday | vs. Butler |
| 12 | Saturday | at Georgetown |
| 15 | Tuesday | Tobacco Road Classic vs. N.C. State in Greensboro |
| 19 | 2:30 Saturday, CBS | CBS Sports Classic vs. Kentucky in New York |
| 21 | Monday | vs. The Citadel |
| 30 | Wednesday | vs. California |
| January | ||
| 2 | Saturday | at Boston College |
| 5 | Tuesday | at Louisville |
| 9 | Saturday | vs. N.C. State |
| 13 | Wednesday | at Florida State |
| 16 | Saturday | vs. Stanford |
| 19 | Tuesday | vs. No. 17 Virginia |
| 23 | Saturday | at Syracuse |
| 26 | Tuesday | vs. SMU |
| 30 | Saturday | Nashville Hoops Showdown vs. No. 5 Illinois in Nashville, Tenn. |
| February | ||
| 2 | Tuesday | at Notre Dame |
| 6 | Saturday | vs. Georgia Tech |
| 8 | Monday | vs. Louisville |
| 13 | Saturday | at No. 4 Duke |
| 20 | Saturday | at Wake Forest |
| 22 | Monday | vs. No. 24 Miami |
| 27 | Saturday | at Virginia Tech |
| March | ||
| 2 | Tuesday | at Pittsburgh |
| 6 | Saturday | vs. No. 4 Duke |
| 9–13 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament in Greensboro |
Photos by Joshua Lawton
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