The North Carolina Tar Heels delivered a resounding response to adversity on Saturday afternoon, dispatching the Pittsburgh Panthers 79-65 at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill. The victory came under challenging circumstances, as UNC took the floor without its two leading scorers—star freshman Caleb Wilson, sidelined indefinitely with a fractured left hand, and seven-footer Henri Veesaar, a surprise scratch due to illness and a lower extremity issue. Yet, the Tar Heels’ depth and resilience shone through, turning a potential setback into an emphatic win before a lively home crowd.
Coming into the contest, all eyes were on how North Carolina would handle the absence of Wilson, who not only leads the team in scoring but also paces the Tar Heels in rebounding. Oddsmakers had UNC as an 11.5-point favorite, but there was an air of uncertainty—would the Heels find enough offense and composure to cover the spread and keep their ACC momentum rolling? The Panthers, meanwhile, arrived in Chapel Hill struggling, ranked near the bottom of the conference in offensive efficiency and having covered the point spread just three times in their previous eleven outings.
UNC head coach Hubert Davis was forced to get creative with his rotation. The starting lineup featured Seth Trimble, Derek Dixon, Luka Bogavac, Zayden High, and Jarin Stevenson. With so many new faces in expanded roles, one might have expected a tentative start. Instead, the Tar Heels came out on fire, hitting their first eight shots and racing to an 18-8 lead within the opening six minutes. Four different players contributed to that early burst, with High scoring a pair of buckets and Bogavac pouring in ten points during the run.
“It’s remarkable how much more confident and fluid High looked in extended minutes than he has looked in his shorter outings this year. Sometimes knowing they will be able to play through mistakes allows a player to relax, and that certainly seemed to be the case for High,” wrote Adam Lucas for University of North Carolina Athletics. High, earning his first career start, finished with career highs of 15 points and seven rebounds, providing a much-needed presence in the paint with both Wilson and Veesaar unavailable.
Jarin Stevenson, the Pittsboro native, had a huge first half, tallying 14 points before the break—more than his full-game production in all but two games this season. He ultimately led the Tar Heels with a season-high 19 points, including three made three-pointers. Seth Trimble matched Stevenson’s output, also scoring 19 points and displaying poise at the free throw line by converting nine of his eleven attempts. Luka Bogavac joined the scoring party, ensuring that four Tar Heels finished with at least 15 points—an impressive feat for a team missing its two top offensive threats.
With the short-handed lineup, Davis needed to keep his key contributors on the floor as much as possible. High and Stevenson combined for just one foul in the first half, which allowed UNC to avoid dipping too far into its bench. Jonathan Powell was the first substitute, coming in and allowing Stevenson to slide to the center position. Even with limited personnel, Carolina managed an 8-5 advantage in bench points during the opening half.
The Tar Heels’ offensive explosion wasn’t limited to half-court sets. They pushed the tempo at every opportunity, dominating the fast break points category 16-4. This up-tempo approach helped compensate for the absence of Wilson and Veesaar, two of the team’s best rebounders and interior presences. Although UNC lost the overall rebounding battle, they did an admirable job keeping Pitt off the offensive glass, surrendering just six offensive boards on 29 Panther misses.
Discipline and attention to detail were hallmarks of Carolina’s performance. The Tar Heels committed only four turnovers all game, a testament to their ball security under pressure. Derek Dixon, though quiet as a scorer, dished out seven assists without a single turnover—five of those helpers coming in the second half. On defense, UNC largely played without fouling, limiting Pittsburgh to just six free throw attempts. The Tar Heels also moved the ball well, knocking down nine of 25 attempts from beyond the arc but resisting the urge to rely exclusively on three-pointers.
For all their offensive fireworks, the Tar Heels’ defense was equally impressive. They held the Panthers, one of the ACC’s least efficient offenses, in check for much of the afternoon. Pitt struggled to generate easy looks, and with UNC’s disciplined approach, the Panthers never seriously threatened to erase the early deficit. As Adam Lucas noted, “Given the circumstances, it’s hard to imagine a much better performance, even while recognizing the fact that Pitt has struggled this year.”
The atmosphere at the Smith Center was buoyed by some familiar faces in the crowd. Drake Powell, currently enjoying the NBA All-Star break, received a rousing ovation when shown on the video board during a first-half timeout. The newest Charlotte Hornet, Coby White, was also in attendance, adding to the sense of Carolina basketball tradition and continuity.
While the victory over Pittsburgh was a much-needed boost, the Tar Heels’ schedule doesn’t get any easier. They’re set for a critical road trip to face NC State in Raleigh on Tuesday, February 17, followed by a visit to Syracuse on Saturday, February 21. The status of Henri Veesaar remains a pressing question, as his presence in the frontcourt will be vital against tougher competition. “The status of Veesaar will be a big postgame question, as the Heels will need him in Raleigh,” Lucas observed.
Looking ahead, Coach Davis and his staff will be eager to see if this new-look Tar Heels squad can maintain its level of play when the stakes rise and the opposition stiffens. The contributions from role players like High, Stevenson, and Bogavac offer hope that UNC’s depth can weather the storm until their stars return. Seth Trimble’s emergence as a reliable scorer and free throw shooter could prove crucial as the season heads toward its climax.
For now, though, Carolina fans can savor a statement win—a testament to the team’s character, adaptability, and unyielding spirit. Overcoming the loss of their top two scorers, the Tar Heels didn’t just survive; they thrived, sending a clear message to the rest of the ACC that they’re far from finished.
With a pivotal week looming and questions still swirling around player availability, the Tar Heels’ resilience and depth will once again be put to the test. But if Saturday’s performance is any indication, this team has the grit and determination to rise above adversity—one game at a time.