University of North Carolina Athletics
Tuesday, March 3
Chapel Hill
7 p.m.
North Carolina
24-6,12-5ACC
67
vs
63
Clemson
21-9,11-6ACC
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clemson | 30 | 33 | 63 |
| North Carolina | 27 | 40 | 67 |
Luka Bogavac
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Bogavac Shoots Tar Heels By Clemson, 67-63
March 3, 2026 | Men's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Luka Bogavac hit a season-high six three-pointers and scored a season-high 20 points as No. 17 North Carolina overcame a sluggish shooting night to outlast a physical Clemson team, 67-63, on Tuesday night in the Smith Center.
Bogavac had just three points in the first half, exploding for five threes and 17 points after halftime. The last time a Tar Heel hit six three-pointers in a game was RJ Davis in the 2025 NCAA Tournament win over San Diego State. Davis was in town to have his No. 4 jersey honored in the Smith Center rafters on Tuesday night.
The game was the final home appearance for UNC senior players Seth Trimble and Elijah Davis, as well as graduating team managers James Rolf Blizzard, Zach Dunn and Avery Wilkerson.
Henri Veesaar hit 6 of 9 shots for 13 points while adding six rebounds and four assists before fouling out in the final minute. Jarin Stevenson scored nine points and had a game-high and career-best 10 rebounds. Trimble had nine points and four rebounds while drawing five fouls.
"He made a bunch of shots," Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said of Bogavac's big game. "He's a good player, and that's why North Carolina is good. I mean, you're worried about Trimble, you're worried about the big fella [Veesaar], [Jarin] Stevenson can make a shot and [Derek] Dixon made a huge three at the end of the game. That was huge. And then that guy goes for six threes, I mean, that's why they're good."
RJ Godfrey led all scorers with a career-high 22 points on 10 of 13 shooting with nine rebounds for the Tigers.
The Tar Heels improved to 24-6 this season, including 12-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tigers lost for the fifth time in six contests to fall to 21-9, 11-6.
UNC broke a fourth-place tie in the ACC standings with the Tigers with one game to play and increased its chances of earning a double bye in next week's ACC Tournament in Charlotte.
Carolina improved to 18-0 at home in 2025-26, breaking the record for most wins in the Smith Center in a season (the previous mark was 17-1 in 2011-12). The Tar Heels are 71-9 in five seasons under head coach Hubert Davis in the Smith Center. It's Carolina's first undefeated season at home since going 17-0 in 2016-17 (16-0 in the Smith Center, 1-0 in the Greensboro Coliseum).
"First of all, I want to thank the fans," Davis said in his postgame press conference. "Their support all year has been remarkable. The energy that they bring to every game is a difference maker, and it helps us. And to have their support all year has meant so much to us. And you know, the success that we've had at home, these are things that we'll remember for the rest of our life."
The Tar Heels are 61-2 all-time against Clemson in Chapel Hill, including 30-2 in the Smith Center.
The Tigers finished the first half with a 7-0 burst to lead, 30-27, at the break. Carolina shot just 36 percent in the first 20 minutes and went scoreless in the final 2:34.
The Tar Heels righted the ship in the early portions of the second half, using a 12-0 run to take a 44-37 lead. The Tigers bounced right back to tie it just 1:12 later, refusing to go away. Clemson's defense compelled UNC to use most of the shot clock often and forced tough shots away from the basket.
In the final five minutes, Carolina held the Tigers scoreless for over three minutes and went on an 8-0 run to take the initiative and the lead. Still, the final minute was fraught with stressful moments.
A big Derek Dixon three as the shot clock ran down with 46 seconds left made the score 64-59 Tar Heels. After a Clemson bucket, Stevenson missed the front end of a one-and-one, leading to another Tiger score that made it 64-63 Carolina with 18 seconds on the clock.
Bogavac then hit a pair of free throws with 12.2 ticks left for a 66-63 advantage. After Clemson missed a layup, Trimble hit a free throw with 0.9 seconds to go to ice the win in his final home game.
"I wouldn't want this thing any other way," Trimble said. "I'm talking like it's over. I know there's a lot more basketball to be played, but this place, the Dean Smith Center, I mean, it's just, it's my forever home."
Carolina won despite shooting just 37.9 percent from the floor as a team. It was UNC's lowest field goal percentage in a win this season. The Tar Heels overcame their cold night by hitting 12 of 27 three-pointers (44.4 percent).
Clemson dominated points in the paint, 34-18.
"The first thing that comes to mind is just how grateful I am for all the experiences, all the failures, all the success I've had in the last four years," said Trimble. "Every single experience and every little thing has shaped me into the man I am today. And I'm so, so grateful for it and I'm very, very glad I didn't run, because this adversity has built me to be a man that I just couldn't see myself being years ago. So I'm so glad I stuck it out, and I'm so glad I got to have a senior night with North Carolina."
How It Happened
First Half
• Carolina started a senior day lineup of Trimble, Elijah Davis, Dixon, Stevenson and Veesaar.
• The Tar Heels started strong, leading, 11-5, at the first timeout and 15-9 at the second. UNC made 6 of its first 11 shots while Clemson missed 9 of 13.
• The Tigers went on a 10-2 run to take a 19-9 lead after nearly 12 minutes of action, as Carolina went without a field goal for over four-and-a-half minutes.
• Neither team shot well in the opening half, with UNC at 35.7 percent and the Tigers at 41.9. The Tar Heels' five three-pointers kept them within three at the half, 30-27, as Clemson closed the half on a 7-0 run.
• Clemson dominated points in the paint, 18-8.
• Godfrey led all players with nine points and six rebounds in the first 20 minutes.
Second Half
• Bogavac hit two early triples and UNC went on a 12-0 run to take a 44-37 lead in the first few minutes after the break.
• The Tigers roared right back to tie it at 44-all barely a minute later, beginning a span when Carolina missed 10 of 12 shots.
• The second half was a back-and-forth affair with big shots by both teams keeping it close until the Tar Heels put it away in the final minute.
Up Next
Carolina will play its final game of the regular season at Duke on Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Bogavac had just three points in the first half, exploding for five threes and 17 points after halftime. The last time a Tar Heel hit six three-pointers in a game was RJ Davis in the 2025 NCAA Tournament win over San Diego State. Davis was in town to have his No. 4 jersey honored in the Smith Center rafters on Tuesday night.
The game was the final home appearance for UNC senior players Seth Trimble and Elijah Davis, as well as graduating team managers James Rolf Blizzard, Zach Dunn and Avery Wilkerson.
Henri Veesaar hit 6 of 9 shots for 13 points while adding six rebounds and four assists before fouling out in the final minute. Jarin Stevenson scored nine points and had a game-high and career-best 10 rebounds. Trimble had nine points and four rebounds while drawing five fouls.
"He made a bunch of shots," Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said of Bogavac's big game. "He's a good player, and that's why North Carolina is good. I mean, you're worried about Trimble, you're worried about the big fella [Veesaar], [Jarin] Stevenson can make a shot and [Derek] Dixon made a huge three at the end of the game. That was huge. And then that guy goes for six threes, I mean, that's why they're good."
RJ Godfrey led all scorers with a career-high 22 points on 10 of 13 shooting with nine rebounds for the Tigers.
The Tar Heels improved to 24-6 this season, including 12-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tigers lost for the fifth time in six contests to fall to 21-9, 11-6.
UNC broke a fourth-place tie in the ACC standings with the Tigers with one game to play and increased its chances of earning a double bye in next week's ACC Tournament in Charlotte.
Carolina improved to 18-0 at home in 2025-26, breaking the record for most wins in the Smith Center in a season (the previous mark was 17-1 in 2011-12). The Tar Heels are 71-9 in five seasons under head coach Hubert Davis in the Smith Center. It's Carolina's first undefeated season at home since going 17-0 in 2016-17 (16-0 in the Smith Center, 1-0 in the Greensboro Coliseum).
"First of all, I want to thank the fans," Davis said in his postgame press conference. "Their support all year has been remarkable. The energy that they bring to every game is a difference maker, and it helps us. And to have their support all year has meant so much to us. And you know, the success that we've had at home, these are things that we'll remember for the rest of our life."
The Tar Heels are 61-2 all-time against Clemson in Chapel Hill, including 30-2 in the Smith Center.
The Tigers finished the first half with a 7-0 burst to lead, 30-27, at the break. Carolina shot just 36 percent in the first 20 minutes and went scoreless in the final 2:34.
The Tar Heels righted the ship in the early portions of the second half, using a 12-0 run to take a 44-37 lead. The Tigers bounced right back to tie it just 1:12 later, refusing to go away. Clemson's defense compelled UNC to use most of the shot clock often and forced tough shots away from the basket.
In the final five minutes, Carolina held the Tigers scoreless for over three minutes and went on an 8-0 run to take the initiative and the lead. Still, the final minute was fraught with stressful moments.
A big Derek Dixon three as the shot clock ran down with 46 seconds left made the score 64-59 Tar Heels. After a Clemson bucket, Stevenson missed the front end of a one-and-one, leading to another Tiger score that made it 64-63 Carolina with 18 seconds on the clock.
Bogavac then hit a pair of free throws with 12.2 ticks left for a 66-63 advantage. After Clemson missed a layup, Trimble hit a free throw with 0.9 seconds to go to ice the win in his final home game.
"I wouldn't want this thing any other way," Trimble said. "I'm talking like it's over. I know there's a lot more basketball to be played, but this place, the Dean Smith Center, I mean, it's just, it's my forever home."
Carolina won despite shooting just 37.9 percent from the floor as a team. It was UNC's lowest field goal percentage in a win this season. The Tar Heels overcame their cold night by hitting 12 of 27 three-pointers (44.4 percent).
Clemson dominated points in the paint, 34-18.
"The first thing that comes to mind is just how grateful I am for all the experiences, all the failures, all the success I've had in the last four years," said Trimble. "Every single experience and every little thing has shaped me into the man I am today. And I'm so, so grateful for it and I'm very, very glad I didn't run, because this adversity has built me to be a man that I just couldn't see myself being years ago. So I'm so glad I stuck it out, and I'm so glad I got to have a senior night with North Carolina."
How It Happened
First Half
• Carolina started a senior day lineup of Trimble, Elijah Davis, Dixon, Stevenson and Veesaar.
• The Tar Heels started strong, leading, 11-5, at the first timeout and 15-9 at the second. UNC made 6 of its first 11 shots while Clemson missed 9 of 13.
• The Tigers went on a 10-2 run to take a 19-9 lead after nearly 12 minutes of action, as Carolina went without a field goal for over four-and-a-half minutes.
• Neither team shot well in the opening half, with UNC at 35.7 percent and the Tigers at 41.9. The Tar Heels' five three-pointers kept them within three at the half, 30-27, as Clemson closed the half on a 7-0 run.
• Clemson dominated points in the paint, 18-8.
• Godfrey led all players with nine points and six rebounds in the first 20 minutes.
Second Half
• Bogavac hit two early triples and UNC went on a 12-0 run to take a 44-37 lead in the first few minutes after the break.
• The Tigers roared right back to tie it at 44-all barely a minute later, beginning a span when Carolina missed 10 of 12 shots.
• The second half was a back-and-forth affair with big shots by both teams keeping it close until the Tar Heels put it away in the final minute.
Up Next
Carolina will play its final game of the regular season at Duke on Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Team Stats
CU
UNC
FG%
.433
.379
3FG%
.350
.444
FT%
.667
.733
RB
36
37
TO
10
9
STL
4
6
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
6
3FGM
6
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G/F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballC
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