In the blink of an eye, we've reached the end of non-conference play for the UNC basketball program.
Following a nail-biting victory over Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic on Saturday afternoon, Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels return home for a quick turnaround game against the visiting East Carolina Pirates. This game will be the final time the Tar Heels take the court before the Christmas break and will serve as the final tune-up before ACC play gets fully underway just before the start of the new year.
Already off to their best start in recent memory, the UNC basketball program aims to take care of business on Monday night to close out non-conference play in style.
2025-2026 Season
North Carolina Tar Heels
Overall record: 11-1
Conference Record: 0-0
Home Record: 8-0
Away Record: 1-0
Neutral Site Record: 2-1
Top-25 Wins: 2
East Carolina Pirates
Overall record: 5-7
Conference Record: 0-0
Home Record: 5-3
Away Record: 0-2
History
The two programs have met on three separate occasions, all of which were won by the Tar Heels.
The last meeting between the two teams was on December 7, 2014. North Carolina rolled to a 108-64 victory over East Carolina, as J.P. Tokoto and Brice Johnson scored 19 points apiece to lead the way.
Key Players
North Carolina
Caleb Wilson (Fr. Forward)- 19.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Henri Veesaar (Jr. Center)- 16.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists
Luka Bogavac (Jr. Guard)- 11.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists
East Carolina
Jordan Riley (Sr. Guard)- 21.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Giovanni Emejuru (Sr. Center)- 13.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists
Tybo Bailey (So. Guard)- 9.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.8 assists
Keys to Victory for North Carolina
Don't let them get hot from beyond-the-arc
It seems like every team who visits the Smith Center finds that one guy who catches fire from beyond-the-arc.
However, in this game, North Carolina must avoid that, given that East Carolina is a horrible shooting team from three-point range.
Overall, the Pirates have knocked down only 25.9% of their attempts from three, but you know that playing on Roy Williams Court brings out that fire to knock down shots for opponents. It will be key to preventing open looks, continuing to build on the early-season success on the defensive side of the floor.
Something to Watch For
After returning to the lineup on Saturday, Seth Trimble will get to play in front of the home crowd for the first time since November 7.
After shadowing Bruce Thornton for the entire CBS Sports Classic, let's take a look at Trimble's next assignment:
Jordan Riley.
Riley, a 6-foot-5 senior from Brentwood, New York, is averaging 21.7 points for an East Carolina team that hasn't been great offensively. While his 42.9% clip from the floor is strong, his three-point shooting (20%) and free throw shooting (54.5%) leave room for desire, as it will be important for the Tar Heels to limit his opportunities to score around the basket.
Safe to say, Trimble is ready for his next challenge.
Projected Starters
No. 0- Kyan Evans
No. 7- Seth Trimble
No. 44- Luka Bogavac
No. 8- Caleb Wilson
No. 13- Henri Veesaar