The last meeting between North Carolina and Ohio State was absolutely epic. Hopefully, Saturday afternoon's matchup will bring that same energy.
For the final time in non-conference play, Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program hit the road to take on the Buckeyes as part of the CBS Sports Classic. This year's event is slated to take place at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, as this matchup will follow the first game of the event featuring No. 22-ranked St. John's and Kentucky.
Both the Tar Heels and the Buckeyes come into this game vying for a big-time non-conference win, one that could serve as a potential Quad 1 victory for whoever comes out on top.
2025-2026 Season
North Carolina Tar Heels
Overall record: 10-1
Conference Record: 0-0
Home Record: 8-0
Away Record: 1-0
Neutral Site Record: 1-1
Top-25 Wins: 2
Ohio State
Overall record: 8-2
Conference Record: 1-1
Home Record: 6-1
Away Record: 1-1
Neutral Site Record: 1-0
History
North Carolina has had some success against Ohio State in their head-to-head meetings, holding an 8-5 record over 13 games.
The last meeting occurred on December 17, 2022, a game in which the UNC basketball program secured an 89-84 victory in overtime as part of the CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Trailing by two with seconds remaining in regulation, Pete Nance drained a buzzer-beater to send the game into overtime. RJ Davis helped secure the victory in extra time by draining two key free throws.
Armando Bacot dominated throughout, scoring 28 points while recording 15 rebounds. Caleb Love added 22 points of his own, helping snap the Tar Heels' four-game losing streak at the time.
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
Ohio State
Bruce Thornton (Sr. Guard)- 21.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists
John Mobley Jr. (So. Guard)- 13.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Christoph Tilly (Sr. Center)- 13.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists
Keys to Victory for North Carolina
Slow down Bruce Thornton
One of the best pure scorers in the country, Bruce Thornton is having an incredible senior season for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The 6-foot-2 senior is shooting the basketball at an elite level, knocking down 60.2% from the floor, 50% from three and 86.3% from the line. Simple to say: when this guy gets a shot up, there's a very good chance that he's going to knock it down.
In fact, Thornton has yet to shoot under 42% from the floor through the Buckeyes first 10 games of the season. North Carolina hopes that they can be the team that finally slows down Thornton's insane shooting pace, as you could expect the Tar Heels to send various looks his way in an effort to make that happen.
Something to Watch For
Is it finally happening?
Seth Trimble's return to the court is imminent, but the actual date of when it will occur is still to be determined.
Fans are getting anxious for the senior captain's return, one that is expected to occur sooner rather than later. Having Trimble return against the Buckeyes, a team who features some talented scoring guards, would be ideal, given he's arguably the best on-ball defender in the country.
We're all on Seth Trimble watch, and can't wait for that official word that he's back.
Homecoming for Caleb Wilson
This is definitely a game that Caleb Wilson had circled on his calendar since it was revealed a few months back. An Atlanta, Georgia native, Wilson has the opportunity to play in his hometown, a moment that will certainly be special for him and his family.
Expect a big crowd of Caleb Wilson supporters and just know that Wilson will do everything he can to put together a big-time outing while helping secure a victory for his team.
Projected Starters
No. 0- Kyan Evans
No. 44- Luka Bogavac
No. 8- Caleb Wilson
No. 15- Jarin Stevenson
No. 13- Henri Veesaar