Caleb Wilson doesn't need any extra motivation, but playing in his home state will certainly have him hyped up for Saturday afternoon's game.
For the second time this season, North Carolina will play a game in Atlanta, Georgia, this time against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
The first trip to Georgia this season was successful for the Tar Heels, as they secured a nail-biting victory over Ohio State in the annual CBS Sports Classic. While North Carolina will not complain about how they captured that win, the goal for this game is to string together a performance that provides a more comfortable victory.
Georgia Tech has struggled mightily in conference play, losing five of its last six ACC contests. After defeating NC State on January 17, it appeared to be a sign of positive momentum for Damon Stoudamire's squad; however, back-to-back losses against Clemson and Virginia Tech have quickly squashed that hope.
Of course, Georgia Tech still has a lot to play for, as they'd love to pull off an upset that can potentially help them get back on track toward making a late-season surge during the month of February.
2025-2026 Season
North Carolina Tar Heels
Overall record: 16-4
Conference Record: 4-3
Home Record: 12-0
Away Record: 2-3
Neutral Site Record: 2-1
Top-25 Wins: 3
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Overall record: 11-10
Conference Record: 2-6
Home Record: 10-4
Away Record: 1-4
Neutral Site Record: 0-2
Key Players
North Carolina
Caleb Wilson (Fr. Forward)- 19.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists
Henri Veesaar (Jr. Center)- 16.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists
Seth Trimble (Sr. Guard)- 14.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists
Georgia Tech
Kowacie Reeves Jr. (Sr. Forward)- 15.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Lamar Washington (Sr. Guard)- 11.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.0 assists
Baye Ndongo (Jr. Forward)- 11.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Keys to Victory for North Carolina
Capitalize on Georgia Tech's sloppiness
Georgia Tech has been one of the sloppiest offensive teams in the country, and its recent five-game stretch has made it even worse. Opponents are averaging 8.0 steals a game against the Yellow Jackets and an insane four blocks per-game, as North Carolina has the potential to force turnovers and use them to get out in transition.
Music to the Tar Heels ears!
However, the Tar Heels need to be smart defensively, as Georgia Tech can shoot the ball from deep. They have connected on at least eight triples over their previous three games, and we all know how teams capitalize on shooting the basketball against North Carolina.
If the Tar Heels don't close out on open shooters, it will not be pretty.
Something to Watch For
Henri Veesaar is coming off his worst performance as a Tar Heel. The junior big man, who has been excellent all season long, couldn't get things going against Virginia, scoring just seven points on 3-8 shooting, recording just one total rebound.
The Tar Heels need their big man to be his typical self, and it will be very interesting to see how he responds following his previous performance. Based on what we've seen from Veesaar this year, don't be surprised if he comes out and strings together a Henri Veesaar-typical performance that we've grown so accustomed to seeing.
Projected Starters
No. 3- Derek Dixon
No. 4- Jaydon Young
No. 7- Seth Trimble
No. 8- Caleb Wilson
No. 13- Henri Veesaar