After a week off, the UNC basketball program is set to do something it hasn't done yet this season:
Play a game on the road.
The first road test will be part of a neutral-site event, as the Tar Heels will clash with the unbeaten St. Bonaventure Bonnies in the annual Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida.
While in Fort Myers, the UNC basketball program will face the Bonnies and Michigan State, the latter on Thanksgiving Day. With a victory over Kansas already on their resume, can the Tar Heels find a way to add two more quality wins before heading to Kentucky for the big-time ACC/SEC Challenge battle?
2025-2026 Season
North Carolina Tar Heels
Overall record: 5-0
Conference Record: 0-0
Home Record: 5-0
Away Record: 0-0
Neutral Site Record: 0-0
Top-25 Wins: 1
St. Bonaventure Bonnies
Overall record: 5-0
Conference Record: 0-0
Home Record: 4-0
Away Record: 1-0
Neutral Site Record: 0-0
History
There's not much history between the two teams, as this is just the second time the Tar Heels and Bonnies have met.
On March 15, 1968, North Carolina, ranked No. 4, defeated St. Bonaventure (the No. 3 seed) in the NCAA East Regional Semifinals by a score of 91-72 at the Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, North Carolina.
All-America and ACC Player of the Year Larry Miller scored 27 points and had 16 rebounds, Charlie Scott scored 21, and Rusty Clark had 18. Bob Lanier, a future Naismith Hall of Famer, and Bill Butler led the Bonnies with 23 points apiece.
Key Players
North Carolina
Caleb Wilson (Fr. Forward)- 20.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Henri Veesaar (Jr. Center)- 14.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Luka Bogavac (Jr. Guard)- 12.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists
St. Bonaventure
Darryl Simmons II (Jr. Guard)- 18.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists
Frank Mitchell (Sr. Forward)- 16.0 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Cayden Charles (Sr. Guard)- 14.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Keys to Victory for North Carolina
Get off to a strong start
Sluggish first-half performances have been a significant concern for this team through five games this season.
With a week off to prepare and refresh a bit, the hope is that the Tar Heels will find a way to get going early in their first road challenges of the 2025-2026 season.
Against weaker competition, the Tar Heels have been able to get by with slow starts. However, the competition ramps up starting this week, and North Carolina must be ready to go from the opening jump.
It's safe to say that Hubert Davis and his staff preached this a lot during the short break before this two-game event.
Something to Watch for
Kyan Evans has struggled shooting the basketball as of late.
The junior guard has connected on just three of his last 14 shots from the field, including just two of his 11 attempts from three-point range.
Of course, Evans has impacted the game in a variety of ways, even when his scoring hasn't been there. However, the Tar Heels will need him to get comfortable shooting the basketball as the season rolls along, as he will be a critical part of the team's offensive attack.
Could the week off be a recharge for Evans as he looks to get back on track offensively?
Projected Starters
No. 0- Kyan Evans
No. 44- Luka Bogavac
No. 8- Caleb Wilson
No. 15- Jarin Stevenson
No. 13- Henri Veesaar