Despite beating the USC Upstate Spartans on Saturday, it was not the best representation of the North Carolina Tar Heels, who struggled to put away an inferior team at home. It was not the best look for North Carolina, and its performance has to improve against East Tennessee State on Tuesday night.
Although the overall performance from the Tar Heels left a lot to be desired at various points on Saturday, there were still several high-end outputs from the starting lineup and bench. With all that being said, here are predictions for who will be the top performers against East Tennessee State on Tuesday night.
Caleb Wilson
Stat line prediction: 21 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals
Wilson continues to pile up the stat sheet every game, and it appears his shot efficiency is back on track after making 13-of-19 attempts across the last two games. The 6-foot-9, 216-pound forward is an elite scorer, rebounder, and passer. Against another inferior opponent, Wilson should be able to take advantage and produce strong numbers in a win. As long as Wilson stays on track from the field and bounces back in the free throw department, he should be penciled in for 20+ points.
Henri Veesaar
Stat line prediction: 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks
The Arizona transfer has been instrumental in transforming North Carolina’s frontcourt, and that will be on full display again on Tuesday night. The 6-foot-11, 224-pound center inflicts most of his damage in the paint, but his ability to stretch the floor has also been evident during the last two games.
In that stretch, Veesaar has made three three-point shots. If he is connecting regularly on his few attempts from beyond the arc, it is virtually impossible to defend him. Veesaar should be able to produce a double-double against an underrated but outmatched East Tennessee team.
Luka Bogavac
Stat line prediction: 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists
Bogavac produced his best outing of the season on Saturday, shooting 6-of-11 from the field, including 3-of-6 from three-point range. That level of efficiency is difficult to replicate in consecutive games, but the 6-foot-5, 216-pound guard, building momentum in that regard, would be monumental for his development and confidence.
With Wilson and Veesaar occupying so much attention in the paint, Bogavac should see ample opportunities for open shots along the perimeter. Bogavac also showed the ability to create off-the-dribble shots, which also takes pressure off the Tar Heels’ frontcourt.
