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University of North Carolina Athletics
Wednesday, October 29
Chapel Hill
7:30 p.m.
North Carolina
95
vs
53
Winston-Salem State (preseason)
Caleb Wilson
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Tar Heels Blast Rams, 95-53
October 29, 2025 | Men's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.—Freshman Caleb Wilson led the way with a double-double as North Carolina rolled past Winston-Salem State, 95-53, in a preseason game in the Smith Center on Wednesday night.
Wilson impressed once again for Carolina, scoring 17 first-half points and finishing with 23 points on 9 of 13 shooting with 10 rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
"Twenty and 10 is my goal every game," Wilson said afterward. "As long as I get that, I feel like I did something. I work really hard, so confidence is going to come with it. I feel like I'm one of the best players in the country, so I'm not going to shy away from the light."
Coming off a 78-76 loss to BYU in Salt Lake City last Friday night, 12 Tar Heels scored with four in double figures as Carolina led from start to finish and concluded its preseason tuneups prior to next Monday's season opener.
Chapel Hill native Jarin Stevenson had 11 points and six rebounds, hitting 4 of 5 shots including 2 of 3 from behind the arc. Henri Veesaar and Seth Trimble scored 10 apiece, while Jaydon Young scored nine points with a quick flurry of three consecutive second-half three-pointers.
Carolina jumped out to a double-digit lead in the opening minutes and played strong defense initially, holding the Rams to 28.6 percent shooting in the first half. Winston-Salem State gathered their footing and cut its deficit to as few as seven points at 31-24 before a Kyan Evans three-pointer and five straight points from Wilson pushed the lead back to 15.
UNC ripped off a 21-2 run in the second half to increase its lead to 60-32 with 13:38 remaining.
"I don't know if we were nervous or it's the first time this group has been at home and played on our own floor," said head coach Hubert Davis. "But just the lack of energy, effort, attention to detail wasn't there in the first half, and that was the exact opposite in the second half. And I think that's why we played so well in the second half — the energy picked up, effort, specifically on the defensive end, finishing. I thought we were more disciplined defensively in the second half — we finished possessions with a rebound — and that allowed us to get out in transition."
The Tar Heels hit 9 of 20 second-half three-pointers (45.0 percent) as they pulled away and cruised to the victory.
"We got out in transition a little more," Young said. "That definitely helped us make the right plays for our teammates. And everybody was playing very unselfishly."
Notes
• Carolina started the same lineup as in last Friday's game versus BYU: Evans and Trimble in the backcourt with a tall frontcourt of Stevenson, Wilson and Veesaar.
• Tar Heel junior Luka Bogavac was not in uniform and watched the game from the UNC bench.
How It Happened
First Half
• The Rams had trouble getting shots off against the taller Tar Heel defenders in the opening minutes, running the shot clock down repeatedly and missing their first seven shots from the field.
• It took WSSU nearly six minutes to score its first points, and UNC raced out to an 18-5 lead in the first 7:48.
• Carolina went on an 8-0 run in the final minute and led, 39-26, at the break despite missing nine of 12 three-point tries and six of 14 free throws while shooting 43.8 percent.
• Wilson dominated the first half, tallying 17 points, six rebounds, two blocked shots, an assist & a steal in 13 minutes.
Second Half
• The Tar Heels built a 20-point lead less than four minutes into the second half.
• Carolina hit 7 of its first 9 shots from the floor in the second half, including 4 of 5 three-pointers.
• Young hit three consecutive three-pointers midway through a second-half barrage that saw the Tar Heels shoot 9 for 20 from long range (after going 3 for 12 in first half)
• UNC shot 55.9 percent in the second half and 50.0 percent overall.
Up Next
Carolina will begin regular season play on Monday November 3 against Central Arkansas in the Smith Center.
Wilson impressed once again for Carolina, scoring 17 first-half points and finishing with 23 points on 9 of 13 shooting with 10 rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
"Twenty and 10 is my goal every game," Wilson said afterward. "As long as I get that, I feel like I did something. I work really hard, so confidence is going to come with it. I feel like I'm one of the best players in the country, so I'm not going to shy away from the light."
Coming off a 78-76 loss to BYU in Salt Lake City last Friday night, 12 Tar Heels scored with four in double figures as Carolina led from start to finish and concluded its preseason tuneups prior to next Monday's season opener.
Chapel Hill native Jarin Stevenson had 11 points and six rebounds, hitting 4 of 5 shots including 2 of 3 from behind the arc. Henri Veesaar and Seth Trimble scored 10 apiece, while Jaydon Young scored nine points with a quick flurry of three consecutive second-half three-pointers.
Carolina jumped out to a double-digit lead in the opening minutes and played strong defense initially, holding the Rams to 28.6 percent shooting in the first half. Winston-Salem State gathered their footing and cut its deficit to as few as seven points at 31-24 before a Kyan Evans three-pointer and five straight points from Wilson pushed the lead back to 15.
UNC ripped off a 21-2 run in the second half to increase its lead to 60-32 with 13:38 remaining.
"I don't know if we were nervous or it's the first time this group has been at home and played on our own floor," said head coach Hubert Davis. "But just the lack of energy, effort, attention to detail wasn't there in the first half, and that was the exact opposite in the second half. And I think that's why we played so well in the second half — the energy picked up, effort, specifically on the defensive end, finishing. I thought we were more disciplined defensively in the second half — we finished possessions with a rebound — and that allowed us to get out in transition."
The Tar Heels hit 9 of 20 second-half three-pointers (45.0 percent) as they pulled away and cruised to the victory.
"We got out in transition a little more," Young said. "That definitely helped us make the right plays for our teammates. And everybody was playing very unselfishly."
Notes
• Carolina started the same lineup as in last Friday's game versus BYU: Evans and Trimble in the backcourt with a tall frontcourt of Stevenson, Wilson and Veesaar.
• Tar Heel junior Luka Bogavac was not in uniform and watched the game from the UNC bench.
How It Happened
First Half
• The Rams had trouble getting shots off against the taller Tar Heel defenders in the opening minutes, running the shot clock down repeatedly and missing their first seven shots from the field.
• It took WSSU nearly six minutes to score its first points, and UNC raced out to an 18-5 lead in the first 7:48.
• Carolina went on an 8-0 run in the final minute and led, 39-26, at the break despite missing nine of 12 three-point tries and six of 14 free throws while shooting 43.8 percent.
• Wilson dominated the first half, tallying 17 points, six rebounds, two blocked shots, an assist & a steal in 13 minutes.
Second Half
• The Tar Heels built a 20-point lead less than four minutes into the second half.
• Carolina hit 7 of its first 9 shots from the floor in the second half, including 4 of 5 three-pointers.
• Young hit three consecutive three-pointers midway through a second-half barrage that saw the Tar Heels shoot 9 for 20 from long range (after going 3 for 12 in first half)
• UNC shot 55.9 percent in the second half and 50.0 percent overall.
Up Next
Carolina will begin regular season play on Monday November 3 against Central Arkansas in the Smith Center.
Players Mentioned
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