MBB Postgame Notes Vs. Virginia

POSTGAME NOTES
UNC 85, VIRGINIA 80
JAN. 24, 2026
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA.

UNC Scoring Leader: Caleb Wilson 20
UNC Rebound Leader: Jonathan Powell 7
UNC Assist Leader: Derek Dixon 7
Team Records: UNC 16-4, 4-3 ACC; Virginia 16-3, 5-2 ACC

• UNC rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat 14th-ranked Virginia, its largest deficit in a victory since trailing UCLA by 16 in the second half in a 76-74 win in New York City on 12/21/2024.
• Carolina became the first team to beat Virginia in Charlottesville this season (UVA was 10-0 at home).
• Today's comeback was the largest of the season (previous was 10 points in the win over Kansas).
• Carolina trailed, 43-27, with 1:33 to play in the first half but scored the final seven points of the half to cut the deficit to nine at the break. The previous largest halftime deficit this season in a win was eight against Kansas.
• Virginia led by as many as 11 in the second half. It was the first time UNC has trailed by double digits in the second half and rallied to win since the UCLA game.
• Carolina's 85 points are the most by UNC against Virginia since a 93-81 win in Chapel Hill in 2013.
• The 85 points are the most by UNC in Charlottesville since a 110-76 win in 2005 (in University Hall).
• Carolina has won three in a row over the Cavaliers, including two straight in John Paul Jones Arena.
• The Tar Heels are 6-8 in John Paul Jones Arena and 46-38 in Charlottesville.
• It was Carolina's first ACC road win this season (1-3) and the second road win this season against a ranked team (beat No. 16 Kentucky in Lexington on December 2).
• Hubert Davis is 60-27 in ACC regular-season play, including 25-19 on the road.
• Virginia came into the game averaging 84.0 points, 10.6 three-pointers and 47.4% shooting from the floor. The Tar Heels allowed 80 points, the Cavaliers made eight 3FGs (two in the second half) and shot 45.3% from the floor.
• UNC made 10 three-pointers and allowed eight. The Tar Heels have won 19 straight when they make more threes than it allows.
• Five Tar Heels, led by Caleb Wilson (20), scored in double figures. It was the second time this season five Tar Heels scored in double figures (also against Central Arkansas in the season opener.
• Wilson tied Rashad McCants' UNC freshman record (set in 2002-03) by scoring in double figures for the 20th consecutive time to begin his college career.
• It was Wilson's 14th 20-point game, which equals Tyler Hansbrough's UNC freshman record, which Hansbrough set in 2005-06.
• Wilson also had two blocks and two steals. It was the third game he scored 20 points and had multiple blocks and steals.
• Jarin Stevenson scored all of his season-high 17 points in the second half, including a dunk with 11:57 to play that gave UNC its first lead since first two minutes in the game. After UVA regained a four-point lead, Stevenson hit a three with 5:09 to play then converted a three-point play with 2:09 remaining for a 75-74 Tar Heel lead, which they held the rest of the game.
• Stevenson's six field goals (6 for 9) were a season high (five at SMU).
• Stevenson's 17 points were the fourth time he scored in double digits as a Tar Heel (had 16 in the loss at SMU).
• Stevenson's 17 points tied the most off the bench by a Tar Heel this season (Jonathan Powell had 17 vs. USC Upstate).
• Luka Bogavac tied his season high with three 3FGs and scored 14 points, his most in an ACC game.
• Derek Dixon hit two 3FGs, scored 11 points and had a game-high seven assists, which tied the most by a Tar Heel this season.
• It was Dixon's third start and third straight game making multiple threes and scoring in double figures.
• Dixon was a game-high plus 22 (Stevenson was second at plus 19). No other player on either team was better than plus 9. It was the first time Dixon has led UNC in plus minus. His previous best was +20 vs. NC Central.
• Jonathan Powell led UNC with a season-high seven rebounds. It was the first time someone other than Wilson or Henri Veesaar led UNC in rebounding since Powell co-led with Wilson against Michigan State. Today was the first time a Tar Heel other than Wilson or Veesaar outright led the team in rebounding since Seth Trimble against Kansas on November 7.
• Trimble scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half and did not have a turnover (had 11 in the previous four games).
• Veesaar's double-figure scoring streak ended at 19. He had a season-low seven points and one rebound.
• The Cavaliers beat the Tar Heels on the boards by 16 (44-28). It was only the second time this season UNC was outrebounded (also in the loss to Michigan State).
• It was the largest rebound margin in favor of the opponents since Duke outrebounded the Tar Heels by 16 in a 20-point Duke win on 2/5/2022.
• Virginia grabbed 16 offensive rebounds that led to 17 second-chance points, one point shy of the season high by an opponent (18 by Cal last Saturday).
• Carolina was charged with only four turnovers, officially the fewest in the Hubert Davis era. The four turnovers equal the sixth-fewest in UNC history and were the fewest since the Tar Heels set the single-game school record with two against Duke on 2/8/2018.
• The Tar Heels scored 19 points off 11 Virginia turnovers. The 19 points are the most by UNC in an ACC game this season and equaled the second-most in any game this season.

Next Game: Saturday, January 31, at Georgia Tech (2 p.m., ACC Network)

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Players Mentioned

Luka Bogavac

Derek Dixon

Jonathan Powell

Jarin Stevenson

Seth Trimble

Henri Veesaar

Caleb Wilson

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