UNC basketball couldn’t connect from long distance and couldn’t keep Michigan State out of the paint in a 74-58 loss at the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida.
Ranked No. 17 in the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll and No. 16 in the AP Top 25 poll, the Tar Heels (6-1) suffered their first defeat of the season in a top-25 showdown on Thanksgiving Day against the 11th-ranked Spartans (7-0), who were the tougher team from start to finish.
UNC had its worst shooting performance of the season, missing 19 of its 23 shots from 3-point range against a Michigan State squad that pounded the interior for 46 points. The Spartans used a pair of monster runs at the end of each half to earn their third signature win of the season, putting UNC on a list that includes Arkansas and Kentucky.
The Spartans closed the first half with an 18-6 run and closed the game with a 19-6 run to knock out the Tar Heels.
“Defensively, heading into this game, we were pretty good in protecting the paint. They were able to get there through post and penetration, and that’s what they want,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said in a radio interview with the Tar Heel Sports Network.
“… Forty-six points in the paint, that just can’t happen. We talked about, going into the game, we were fifth in the country in field-goal percentage defense and they shot 51% for the game. In games like that, we just gotta be better defensively.”
Here are the four areas of concern from the Tar Heels’ loss to the Spartans on Thanksgiving Day in Florida.
Kyan Evans, Luka Bogavac, UNC 3-point shooting vs Michigan State
In its loss to Michigan State, UNC had its worst 3-point shooting performance since making a trio of treys in the 2024 ACC Tournament loss to Duke in Charlotte. A minute-and-a-half into the second half against the Spartans, the Tar Heels knocked down a 3-pointer. But they didn’t make another one, missing their final 10 attempts from long range.
“It’s difficult to get into the paint when we struggle from three,” Davis said. “Everyone talks about spacing. Spacing is your ability to make some shots. We just didn’t make ‘em pay. I thought we had some open looks from three that we normally make, and we just didn’t make ‘em (against Michigan State).”
The struggles started with UNC’s top shooters. Starting point guard Kyan Evans didn’t score his first points until nearly seven minutes into the second half, missing each of his five attempts from 3-point range. Luka Bogavac had 11 points but missed five of his six attempts from 3-point range. No UNC player made more than one 3-pointer as the Tar Heels finished at a frozen 17% clip from distance.
Michigan State rebounding, paint points vs Tar Heels
UNC has allowed double-digit offensive rebounds in six of its first seven games, including a season-worst 13 against Navy. The Tar Heels struggled to finish defensive possessions against Michigan State, which had 12 offensive boards and 12 second-chance points. That mark ties the most second-chance points UNC has allowed this season.
In last season’s loss to the Spartans, UNC watched Michigan State put together an overpowering performance with a 50-30 advantage in paint points, an 11-3 edge in second-chance points and a plus-8 rebounding margin. This season, the Tar Heels were outscored 46-34 in the paint, 12-6 in second-chance points and lost the rebounding battle by seven. Michigan State shot 52% on Thanksgiving Day against the Heels, including 62% in the second half.
Henri Veesaar foul trouble, Caleb Wilson inefficiency vs Spartans
UNC freshman Caleb Wilson had a team-best 18 points and seven rebounds, but was just 6 of 13 from the floor in an inefficient game against the physical Spartans. Wilson had eight points in the first 5½ minutes but was limited to 10 across his final 28 minutes, enduring a 20-minute scoreless stretch. UNC center Henri Veesaar had 13 points and six rebounds, but first-half fouls allowed Michigan State to snatch momentum before halftime. When Veesaar went to the bench with two fouls, the Spartans took advantage of the absence in the middle with a 13-0 run to flip the game, closing with an 18-6 stretch in the final seven minutes of the first half to take a 33-28 halftime lead.
Jonathan Powell had good moments, but UNC bench struggled vs Michigan State
Jonathan Powell was the lone bright spot off the bench for UNC, snagging seven rebounds to match Wilson for top honors. Powell’s energy and an early 3-pointer allowed the Tar Heels to take the lead in the first half, but UNC was outscored 20-5 in bench points. The biggest issue continues to be UNC’s backup bigs: Zayden High and James Brown combined for two points, three rebounds and three fouls in 11 minutes, struggling to provide resistance against a tough Michigan State frontcourt. Spartan reserves Cam Ward (11 points) and Kur Teng (6 points) each outscored UNC’s bench players.
