Chapel Hill, NC – On the surface, North Carolina’s 77–58 home win over East Tennessee State on Tuesday looked like exactly what you’d expect from a top-15 program in December: a double-digit victory, a comfortable margin, and a star big man with a career-high 26 points for good measure.
But inside the Dean E. Smith Center – and inside the film room that will follow – the game told a more complicated story. UNC’s frontcourt, led by center Henri Veesaar and freshman phenom Caleb Wilson, overwhelmed ETSU in stretches. At the same time, long lulls in effort and tempo extended a contest that could have been over much earlier, raising familiar questions about the Tar Heels’ energy, focus, and readiness as the schedule toughens.
A 19-Point Win That Didn’t Feel Like a Rout
UNC improved to 10–1 with the victory and remained unbeaten at home. ETSU, which entered at 8–4 and No. 100 in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET), was hardly a pushover by mid-major standards.
For much of the first half, however, the Buccaneers looked comfortable. The teams traded baskets, and UNC even trailed briefly, with the Tar Heels struggling to generate stops or extend possessions on the offensive glass.
That spark came from a sequence emblematic of the night: a trap and turnover that led to a transition bucket by guard Jonathan Powell, injecting energy into a lethargic building and igniting a run that would carry into the second half.
The halftime margin – 38–30 – was comfortable but hardly dominant. Only in the final 20 minutes did the score begin to resemble what many fans expected from a roster that has spent the early season climbing national rankings and talking openly about March ambitions.
Slow Starts
If the final score looked routine, the first-half numbers did not:
- Just one offensive rebound in the first half.
- Only 22 field-goal attempts before the break, despite shooting a scorching 63.6 percent.
For a program built on pace, attacking the glass, and forcing opponents to defend in transition, those figures suggested a team too willing to walk the ball up, let defenses get set, and play at the opponent’s preferred tempo.
The 15–0 Run: A Glimpse of the Ceiling
If UNC’s first half symbolized its floor, a 15–0 run spanning late in the first half and early in the second showcased the team’s ceiling.
ETSU went 0-for-7 from the field during that stretch, while Carolina repeatedly turned stops into quick scores, often through Veesaar sealing deep in the lane or Wilson slashing to the basket.
The burst turned a competitive game into a 20-plus-point margin and briefly made the Tar Heels look like the fully locked-in version of themselves that fans saw in marquee wins earlier this season.
That dichotomy – long stretches of listless play punctuated by a few minutes of overwhelming dominance – is quickly becoming this team’s calling card.
Veesaar’s Versatility and Emerging “Rock” Status
The night belonged to Henri Veesaar.
The 7-footer finished with 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting, a perfect 4-for-4 at the free-throw line, and eight rebounds, all in just 28 minutes.
What was impressive wasn’t just the volume, but the variety of baskets:
- A pick-and-pop three-pointer.
- A soft push shot in the lane.
- A left-hand jump hook on the block.
- A reverse layup on a baseline cut.
- A powerful dunk off a roll to the rim.
- A smooth give-and-go finish with Wilson.
Wilson’s Fireworks and the Cost of Double Teams
While Veesaar provided the steady drumbeat, Caleb Wilson again supplied the highlights.
The freshman forward scored 20 points, matched Veesaar with eight rebounds, and punctuated UNC’s second-half surge with above-the-rim plays that sent the crowd into roars and ETSU scrambling for answers.
For all the theatrics, though, Wilson’s night also showcased the growing attention he faces. Opponents are sending aggressive double teams at him in the post and on drives, daring UNC’s other scorers and playmakers to beat them. Wilson is sure to face rougher patches as the season progresses, especially once ACC staffs have a full scouting library.
For now, Wilson and Veesaar give UNC one of the most productive frontcourts in the country, combining for 46 points and 16 rebounds against ETSU.
UNC’s next major test comes Saturday in Atlanta against Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic – a Big Ten opponent with size, athleticism, and NCAA tournament expectations of its own.