The UNC basketball program started the 2025-2026 season on a strong note, defeating Central Arkansas in blow-out fashion in front of the home crowd at the Dean Smith Center.
Just 30 minutes before game time, international transfer Luka Bogavac was deemed eligible to play, hyping up an already excited fan base. Once the game began, it didn't take long for the Tar Heels to pull away, as true freshman Caleb Wilson had his own slam dunk fest early and often in this one.
Heavily favored, the UNC basketball program proved that the spread (-39.5) was one they could cover. Behind a collection of five double-digit scorers, the Tar Heels kept the Bears at bay all night long, cruising to a comfortable victory.
Wilson stole the show in his UNC basketball debut, scoring 22 points while connecting on 8–10 shots from the floor. His front court mate, Henri Veesaar, recorded a double-double outing in his official Tar Heel debut (14 points, 10 rebounds), while Kyan Evans (also making his UNC debut) chimed in 15 points while draining four three-pointers.
As a team, the ball movement was fantastic. They combined for 23 assists, which ties the amount of times last year's squad had 23+ assists in a single game. Not throwing shade towards last year's squad, but you can already tell the ball movement will be much better this season.
Bogavac, the major story before the game, came off the bench and scored 10 points. He was excellent as a facilitator, dropping five dimes to set his teammates up nicely for open looks.
Was it perfect? Not by any means. The second half left a lot of room for desire. However, you have to take in all the factors when evaluating this game.
Opening night. Home opener. The return of Luka (which is big considering he wasn't able to play in either scrimmage). All those areas, plus having a brand-new looking squad, take time to gel.
While the win is a nice one, it's quickly time to turn the page to Friday night's top-25 showdown against the Kansas Jayhawks.