Wilson Dominates As Men's Basketball Blasts Bears, 94-54

Monday, November 3

Chapel Hill

7 p.m.

North Carolina

1-0,0-0ACC

Central Arkansas

0-1,0-0ASUN

Central Ark.

North Carolina

Caleb Wilson

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

November 3, 2025 | Men's Basketball

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By: Matt Bowers

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.—Four newcomers scored in double figures as 25th-ranked North Carolina opened its 2025-26 season with a 94-54 win over Central Arkansas in the Smith Center on Monday night.

Freshman Caleb Wilson immediately flashed his prodigious potential, pouring in four first-half dunks in scoring 12 points before the break. He finished with an electric 22 points on 8 of 10 shooting (seven dunks and a three-pointer) with four rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes. The last Tar Heel to score 20+ in his UNC debut was Cole Anthony in 2019-20.

Fellow newcomers Kyan Evans, Henri Veesaar and Luka Bogavac also reached double figures. Evans hit 4 of 7 three-pointers and tallied 15 points, six rebounds and a game-high five assists. Veesaar posted his first career double-double, scoring 14 points while grabbing a career-high 10 boards.

Bogavac was cleared to play earlier on Monday after sitting out Carolina's preseason games. He entered the game at the 16:12 mark of the first half and scored 10 points despite missing six of nine shots from the floor and four of his five three-point tries. He tied Evans for the team lead with five assists.

Senior Seth Trimble also scored in double figures, recording 12 points, four assists and two steals.

"The only thing that we talk about is reaching our full potential," said head coach Hubert Davis. "Obviously, we're nowhere near that. I think we can be a really good defensive team. I think we can be a really good rebounding team. I think from an offensive standpoint, our ability to be able to score near the basket, but also be able to shoot the ball from the perimeter is something that I'm excited about."

Carolina used a 18-0 run in the first half to race out to a 39-13 lead after 14 minutes, building an advantage that eventually grew to as many as 28 points in the final minute before intermission. UNC cruised the rest of the way, leading by at least 26 points throughout the second period.

"We put in the work, so that's all that matters," Wilson said. "Your opponent never matters. It doesn't matter who you're playing against, it's how you execute and how you play. So, it doesn't really matter as long as we executed and did what our game plan was. That's what gives us the confidence to play at the best level."

Carolina shot 50.8 percent from the floor as a team, dominated points in the paint by a margin of 46-20 and raced past the Bears with a 26-3 edge in fast break points.

The Tar Heels won their 21st consecutive season opener, improving to 104-12 all-time in season-opening games. They also won their 24th straight home opener. Central Arkansas dropped to 0-1.

"He's a freak athlete," Veesaar said of Wilson. "We all know that seeing the way he runs the floor and the way he sees the open spaces, and we have really good passion, we're able to find him. He got monster dunks; he's really just been proud of himself. Just seeing the way he played today kind of gives a spark with all the highlights."

Notes
• Carolina started the same lineup as in its two preseason games: Evans and Trimble in the backcourt with a tall frontcourt composed of Jarin Stevenson, Wilson and Veesaar, all of whom stand 6-10 or taller.
• Wilson became the 40th Tar Heel to start his first collegiate game since freshmen became eligible prior to the 1972-73 season and the first since RJ Davis and Caleb Love in 2020-21.

How It Happened
First Half
• Wilson scored eight points on 4 of 4 shooting before the first media timeout, as Carolina jumped out to a quick, 14-5 lead.
• Carolina used a 15-3 run to build a 21-8 lead just over five minutes into the game.
• The Tar Heel lead grew to 20 at 33-13 at the under-8:00 media timeout. UNC held the Bears scoreless for a span of more than 7:00 of game action in an eventual 18-0 run.
• UNC dominated inside in the opening 20 minutes, piling up a 22-12 scoring edge in the paint to go with a 16-0 advantage in fast break points.

Second Half
• Carolina outscored the Bears, 43-31, in the second half, shooting 57.1 percent after intermission.
• Ten different Tar Heels scored in the game, and all 16 players on the roster saw action in the game.
• UNC hit 10 three-pointers in 29 attempts and never trailed.

Up Next
Carolina will host 19th-ranked Kansas on Friday night at 7 p.m. in the Smith Center on ESPN in the Jayhawks' first appearance in Chapel Hill.