Chapel Hill, N.C. — Caleb Wilson delivered a dominant all-around performance as No. 12 North Carolina opened Atlantic Coast Conference play with a 79–66 victory over Florida State on Tuesday night at the Smith Center.
The 6-foot-10 freshman was the most impactful player on the floor, finishing with 22 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists. Wilson set a season high on the glass and matched his assist best, showcasing his athleticism and motor with four emphatic dunks while consistently creating second-chance opportunities for the Tar Heels.
Senior guard Seth Trimble added 20 points and seven rebounds, while Kyan Evans provided perimeter punch with 15 points on five three-pointers. Center Henri Veesaar rounded out the balanced effort with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds as North Carolina improved to 13–1 overall and 1–0 in league play, its strongest start in more than 15 years.
Florida State (7–7, 0–1) remained competitive for much of the night, leaning heavily on the 3-point shot in the debut of its ACC schedule under first-year head coach Luke Loucks. The Seminoles entered the game among the national leaders in 3-point attempts and makes, and stayed true to that identity by firing 40 shots from deep. While FSU hit seven triples before halftime, its efficiency dipped sharply in the second half, connecting on just five of 21 attempts after the break.
North Carolina created separation midway through the second half with an 18–3 run that built a 16-point cushion. Florida State continued to battle, but the Tar Heels sealed the outcome late with back-to-back dunks in transition and off the offensive glass by Trimble and Veesaar, stretching the lead to 75–61 with just over a minute remaining.
Chauncey Wiggins led the Seminoles with 16 points and 10 rebounds, but Florida State struggled to find consistent offense, shooting 34.8 percent from the floor.
The night also featured an unusual visual, as North Carolina wore its blue road uniforms at home — just the fifth time that has occurred in the nearly 40-year history of the Smith Center.
Up Next:
Florida State returns home to host No. 6 Duke on Saturday, while North Carolina hits the road to face SMU later that day.
