Now that business is handled in the classroom, business can resume on the basketball court.
Following the conclusion of finals week in Chapel Hill, the UNC basketball program will take on USC Upstate to continue non-conference play on Saturday afternoon at the Dean Smith Center.
Don't let their 6-5 record fool you: this team is a lot better than its record indicates. They have won three of their last four games, with the only loss in that span coming against undefeated Nebraska (a game they lost by single digits).
While this may look like an "easy game" for the Tar Heels, it's essential to never take any opponent lightly, as you know they will bring their "A" game to Chapel Hill in hopes of pulling off a major upset.
2025-2026 Season
No. 14 North Carolina Tar Heels
Overall record: 8-1
Conference Record: 0-0
Home Record: 6-0
Away Record: 1-0
Neutral Site Record: 1-1
Top-25 Wins: 2
USC Upstate Spartans
Overall record: 6-5
Conference Record: 0-0
Home Record: 5-1
Away Record: 1-4
Neutral Site Record: 0-0
History
This is the inaugural matchup between the two programs.
Key Players
North Carolina
Caleb Wilson (Fr. Forward)- 19.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Henri Veesaar (Jr. Center)- 16.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists
Luka Bogavac (Jr. Guard)- 12.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists
USC Upstate
Mason Bendinger (Jr. Guard)- 16.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists
Karmani Gregory (Jr. Guard)- 15.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists
Carmelo Adkins (So. Guard)- 14.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists
Keys to Victory for North Carolina
Don't play with your food
Games like these could sometimes be easy to overlook. The Tar Heels will have a large advantage on the talent side of things, especially within the front court.
USC Upstate doesn't feature much size other than 7-foot-1 big man Coen Collier. Look for North Carolina to exploit that early and often, as the three front court mates of Jarin Stevenson, Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar (all standing 6-foot-10 and above) should be a matchup nightmare for the visiting Spartans.
While it may sound simple, the Tar Heels still need to execute. The key is, don't play with your food, meaning, come out of the gate strong and keep your foot on the gas.
Something to Watch For
Can this be the game where the Tar Heels work on their front court depth?
Let's face it: Hubert Davis needs to find a solution to give Henri Veesaar a breather, as they must find the right recipe to do so.
Maybe this is a game where Zayden High or James Brown could get an extended look?
Projected Starters
No. 0- Kyan Evans
No. 44- Luka Bogavac
No. 8- Caleb Wilson
No. 15- Jarin Stevenson
No. 13- Henri Veesaar