The North Carolina Tar Heels found themselves locked in a tight duel again on Tuesday night, this time with the ETSU Buccaneers.
UNC couldn’t break ETSU’s slow pace, struggling to find a consistent rhythm while failing to box out. North Carolina still shot the basketball efficiently, but the Buccaneers responded to nearly every punch. The Tar Heels looked like a brand new team out of halftime, scoring seven straight points to open the second half, en route to a 77-58 blowout.
UNC (10-1) controlled gameplay in the final 20 minutes, getting out and running in its signature transition offense. Caleb Wilson slammed down a couple dunks, North Carolina bulled its way into the paint and trips to the free throw line paid off.
Henri Veesaar was the talk of Chapel Hill and ACC Network’s broadcast Tuesday night, finishing with a career-high 26 points. Veesaar shot an extremely efficient 10-of-11 from the field, making a pair of threes, while draining all four of his free throw attempts.
Wilson enjoyed a quiet, 20-point outing, which included a highlight-reel dunk that likely finds its way onto SportsCenter Top 10. Wilson’s aggressiveness got him to the charity stripe plenty – and he cashed in with seven makes. The Tar Heels caught flack on Saturday, allowing USC Upstate to win the offensive rebounding battle. UNC played much better in the post Tuesday night, grabbing 35 rebounds to ETSU’s (8-4) 23.
North Carolina will make a nearly 6-hour trip down I-85 this weekend, traveling to Atlanta for a Saturday afternoon matchup with Ohio State, at 3 p.m. ET in the CBS Sports Classic. For now, read our five takeaways from Tuesday night’s win against ETSU. Have a night, Henri Veesaar! The Arizona transfer scored a career-high 26 points Tuesday night, showcasing his athleticism and ability to shoot from anywhere. Veesaar was good in Tucson, but is great in Chapel Hill. UNC needed a big, productive center – and struck gold with Veesaar.
The way Kyan Evans moves the basketball is just pure beauty. Evans isn’t a consistent, 20-point scorer like RJ Davis, but he’s a solid, pass-first point guard who takes good care of the basketball.
UNC shares the ball extremely well, a main reason behind blowout wins through 11 games, plus a recipe for postseason success. Evans is the orchestrator of North Carolina’s offense – and he needs recognition for it.
Veesaar is the featured big man on UNC, but just like every player, he needs a break now and then.
North Carolina likes to rotate James Brown and Zayden High behind Veesaar. Based on Tuesday night alone, Brown should be the clear backup going forward. Sure, Brown played only seven minutes, but he was noticeable on the court. Brown’s most impactful play came when he bullied his way deep into the paint, converted a tough layup and went to the free throw line for two shots.
Tuesday’s game had shades of Saturday: a slow start, late first-half run, then a second-half breakaway. UNC looked better Tuesday night, carrying an explosive factor and decisively distancing itself.
Once North Carolina plays a complete 40 minutes, there aren’t many opponents who’ll win. You might look at the Michigan State loss and think, “No way. UNC can’t beat the big boys.” You look at wins against Kansas and Kentucky, plus the rest of North Carolina’s schedule. The Tar Heels play like a championship-caliber team.
UNC starts a tall lineup, featuring three players a minimum 6’10”, like Chapel Hill native Jarin Stevenson. North Carolina is starting to find its best bench rotations, with guys like Derek Dixon who can make spot starts.
Once the Tar Heels get rolling, watch out.
