By R.L. Bynum
ATLANTA — Caleb Wilson didn’t score for the first 12 minutes Saturday. He didn’t force it either.
Then everything clicked, and he put on a show in his hometown.
Wilson erupted for 14 points in the final 7:46 of the first half and finished with 22 points, six rebounds and five assists to lead No. 16 North Carolina to a polished, efficient 91–75 win over Georgia Tech at McCamish Pavilion.
“Just being patient with the right ones around the rim,” Wilson said of the slow start. “Recognizing you can’t just go athletic every time. When I make the right play, it just makes everything look better.”
Wilson punctuated his hometown performance with two emphatic dunks — including a one-handed slam after skying to catch a high Kyan Evans pass from outside the arc — pushing his nation-leading dunk total to 65.
“I didn’t even think I was gonna get it,” Wilson said. “That’s why I went up one hand. I just jumped as high as I could and tried to grab it. Maybe I could’ve jumped higher. “I’ll do it better next Saturday.”
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UNC (17–4, 5–3 ACC) paired highlight plays with surgical execution, with hot shooting ( 45.6%) on a frigid Atlanta day, tying the program record low with just two turnovers (none in the second half), matching marks set against Fairfield in the 1997 NCAA tournament and Duke in 2018.
“If you take care of the basketball, you’re never in transition defense,” Coach Hubert Davis said. “That dictated the game.”
The big three of Wilson, Henri Veesaar (14 of his 20 points and 9 of his 12 rebounds in the first half) and the cornrows-styling Seth Trimble (18 points, 4 rebounds) were on their game, bolstered by Luka Bogavac (16 points, season-high-tying three 3-pointers, 3 assists). Jarin Stevenson (7 points) tied Wilson for the rebounding lead with six.
Davis credited Wilson for setting the tone offensively after he went from one shot in the first 12 minutes to 14 points in the final 7:46 of the first half.
“We thought they’d have to double the post if we threw it into Caleb. “And just instinctively, as soon as the ball touched his hands, he got it to an open teammate. That ignited everybody else — the point-five mentality,” Davis said of his desire for players to make split-second decisions.
Wilson said the difference after a quiet start was simply settling in.
“Sometimes you just got to see what’s going on,” he said. “Once I figured it out, I was good.”
Veesaar followed a season-low seven points against Virginia by reverting to his typically efficient game.
“One of the things was rebounding,” Davis said after UNC narrowly won the rebounding battle 39–38. “That’s something we need him to consistently do, and I thought he mixed up his game really well tonight.”
Trimble continued a recent stretch of aggressive finishing around the rim.
“When he actually finishes, gets and-ones, that takes us to another level,” Davis said. “He’s our most powerful driver.”
North Carolina knocked down eight 3-pointers, but Davis made clear afterward that volume alone wasn’t the goal.
The Tar Heels attempted 31 shots from beyond the arc. That was tied for the second-most this season, a number Davis said he didn’t love as much. UNC made only 25.8% of its 3-point shots, the third-lowest percentage this season.
“At times we settled and rushed for threes,” Davis said. “That’s an area we’ve got to get better at.”
Davis emphasized that UNC’s identity remains an inside-out offense, noting the Tar Heels entered the game shooting 71% at the rim, best in the ACC, and were dominant there again, making 58.3% of their two-point attempts.
When UNC consistently attacked the inside through post entries, penetration and offensive rebounding, the perimeter shots came naturally.
“We’re an inside-outside team,” Davis said. “We’ve got to be stubborn and persistent about shooting the right threes.”
When UNC did generate those shots, with kickouts off drives, post touches that drew help, and quick decisions in rhythm, Davis liked the results.
“And when we did shoot the right ones,” Davis said, “I think we mostly made those.”
UNC opened with seven straight points, five from Trimble, before Georgia Tech (11–11, 2–7) briefly took an 8–7 lead behind Baye Ndongo. The Tar Heels responded with an 18–6 run, fueled by ball movement and 3-point shooting, to seize control.
UNC pushed the lead to 14 midway through the half, saw it trimmed to eight, then closed on a 10–3 run highlighted by Wilson’s pair of dunks to take a 52–37 halftime advantage.
A Bogavac 3-pointer capped a 10–2 run early in the second half to balloon the lead to 20, and the Yellow Jackets never seriously threatened again. Georgia Tech got no closer than 15 the rest of the way.
“Luka’s a very confident player,” Davis said. “Sometimes you feel like you’re in a rhythm, sometimes you don’t. But I like the way he’s playing.”
Davis pointed to Bogavac’s defensive growth as a key reason for his increased minutes and impact, noting that his understanding of team concepts has improved significantly since the start of the season.
The junior’s communication and positioning allowed UNC to stay out of rotation against a Georgia Tech team that relies heavily on ball screens.
“He’s getting better and better defensively,” Davis said. “Talking and understanding the concepts so much better now than at the beginning of the year.”
That comfort has translated offensively, where Bogavac’s poise has made him a reliable option in road environments. His ability to knock down open shots without pressing has helped stabilize UNC during key stretches away from home.
“He’s a timely shot-maker,” Davis said. “Having him on the court, you’ve got someone who can hit an open shot and really space the floor.”
Ndongo led the Jackets with 27 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Notes
— It’s a quick turnaround for UNC, which plays host to Syracuse at 7 p.m. Monday. The Orange (13–9, 4–5) beat Notre Dame at home on Saturday night 86–72.
— As expected, ESPN’s “GameDay” will broadcast next Saturday at the Smith Center ahead of the Duke game.
— The two turnovers were the fewest by UNC on the road in program history. The Tar Heels set a school record for fewest turnovers in consecutive games with six (four at Virginia and two at Georgia Tech). The previous low was 11 (1982 ACC Tournament vs. N.C. State and Virginia and 2023–-24 vs. Duke and Clemson).
— The Tar Heels had an 18–0 edge in points off turnovers, marking the first time an opponent did not score any points off UNC turnovers since Fairfield on Nov. 15, 2015 (UNC committed 10 turnovers in that game vs. the Stags).
— UNC also attempted 31 3-pointers against Radford and attempted a season-high 34 against Notre Dame.
— The only worse 3-point-shooting games for UNC this season were 24.1% against Florida State and 17.45 against Michigan State.
— Jaydon Young was in Carolina’s starting lineup for the third consecutive game, with Stevenson (22 minutes) and Bogavac (16) the first players off the bench and getting more playing time than Young (10).
— Wilson scored in double figures for the 21st consecutive game, breaking Rashad McCants’ record for longest streak to start a season by a UNC freshman. Wilson has the most 20-point games by a freshman in program history at 15.
— Veesaar battled foul trouble for the second consecutive game, picking up his third foul with 13:34 left and fourth with 5:22 remaining.
— Georgia Tech went from committing two first-half fouls to eight in the second half.
— Carolina finished January 4–3, playing only two home games.
— UNC has shot at least 40% from the floor in all 14 games since the Michigan State loss.
— Carolina leads the all-time series with Georgia Tech 74–28, including 24–16 on the Jackets’ home court and 18–15 in McCamish Pavilion/Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
No. 16 UNC 91, Ga. Tech 75
| Team | League | Overall | NET* |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 4 Duke | 9–0 | 20–1 | 2 |
| No. 22 Clemson | 8–1 | 18–4 | 29 |
| No. 17 Virginia | 7–2 | 18–3 | 16 |
| N.C. State | 7–2 | 16–6 | 27 |
| Miami | 6–3 | 17–5 | 36 |
| No. 16 North Carolina | 5–3 | 17–4 | 26 |
| No. 20 Louisville | 5–4 | 15–6 | 19 |
| Virginia Tech | 5–5 | 16–7 | 54 |
| SMU | 4–4 | 15–6 | 31 |
| California | 4–5 | 16–6 | 56 |
| Syracuse | 4–5 | 13–9 | 80 |
| Stanford | 3–6 | 14–8 | 77 |
| Florida State | 3–6 | 10–12 | 107 |
| Boston College | 2–6 | 9–12 | 157 |
| Georgia Tech | 2–7 | 11–11 | 140 |
| Notre Dame | 2–7 | 11–11 | 82 |
| Wake Forest | 2–7 | 11–11 | 6 |
| Pittsburgh | 2–7 | 9–13 | 118 |
* — Through Friday games
Saturday’s games
No. 16 North Carolina 91, Georgia Tech 75
No. 4 Duke 72, Virginia Tech 58
N.C. State 96, Wake Forest 78
No. 22 Clemson 63, Pittsburgh 52
No. 17 Virginia 73, Boston College 66
No. 23 Louisville 88, SMU 74
California 86, Miami 81
Florida State 88, Stanford 80
Syracuse 86, Notre Dame 72
Monday’s game
Syracuse at No. 16 North Carolina, 7 p.m., ESPN
Tuesday’s games
Boston College at No. 4 Duke, 7 p.m., ACC Network
Pittsburgh at No. 17 Virginia, 9 p.m., ACC Network
N.C. State at SMU, 9 p.m, ESPN2
Wednesday’s games
Notre Dame at No. 20 Louisville, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Georgia Tech at California, 8 p.m., ACC Network
No. 22 Clemson at Stanford, 10 p.m., ACC Network
Saturday’s games
Syracuse at No. 17 Virginia, noon
No. 20 Louisville at Wake Forest, noon, ACC Network
Virginia Tech at N.C. State, 1:30, The CW
Miami at Boston College, 2 p.m., ACC Network
SMU at Pittsburgh, 3:45, The CW
Florida State at Notre Dame, 4 p.m., ACC Network
No. 4 Duke at No. 16 North Carolina, 6:30, ESPN
No. 22 Clemson at California, 8 p.m., ACC Network
Georgia Tech at Stanford, 8 p.m., ESPNU
| Date | Month/day | Time | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV/ record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 24 | Friday | L, 78–76 | vs. No. 13 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. 14 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. 7 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. ETSU | 10–1 |
| CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta | ||||
| 20 | Saturday | W, 71–70 | vs. Ohio State | 11–1 |
| ————————— | ||||
| 22 | Monday | W, 99–51 | vs. East Carolina | 12–1 |
| 30 | Tuesday | W, 79–66 | vs. Florida State | 13–1, 1–0 ACC |
| January | ||||
| 3 | Saturday | L, 97–83 | at SMU | 13–2, 1–1 |
| 10 | Saturday | W, 87–84 | vs. Wake Forest | 14–2, 2–1 |
| 14 | Wednesday | L, 95–90 | at Stanford | 14–3, 2–2 |
| 17 | Saturday | L, 84–78 | at California | 14–4, 2–3 |
| 21 | Wednesday | W, 91–69 | vs. Notre Dame | 15–4, 3–3 |
| 24 | Saturday | W, 85–80 | at No. 17 Virginia | 16–4, 4–3 |
| 31 | Saturday | W, 91–75 | at Georgia Tech | 17–4, 5–3 |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | 7 p.m. | vs. Syracuse | ESPN |
| 7 | Saturday | 6:30 | vs. No. 4 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. 20 Louisville | ESPN |
| 28 | Saturday | 6:30 or 8:30 | vs. Virginia Tech | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| March | ||||
| 3 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | vs. No. 22 Clemson | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 7 | Saturday | 6:30 | at No. 4 Duke | ESPN |
| 10–14 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament | Spectrum Center, Charlotte |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
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