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Three takeaways from UNC’s win over Florida State in ACC opener
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- Three takeaways from UNC’s win over Florida State in ACC opener
No. 12 North Carolina defeated Florida State 79-66 at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill in the Tar Heels' ACC opener.
North Carolina improved to 13-1, its best start since 2008-09, and opened ACC play 1-0. It was UNC's 499th win in the Smith Center (499-90, including 258-71 in ACC play), meaning the game against Wake Forest on Jan. 10 could be the 500th victory at the Dean Dome.
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Florida State dropped to 7-7 overall and 0-1 in ACC play. The Seminoles remain winless against opponents outside Quad 4.
UNC has now held opponents under 75 points in all 14 games this season, its longest such streak to open a year since 1981-82. That season, the Tar Heels went all 34 games without giving up 75 points, a run that ended with a national championship.
While the outcome is what Carolina wanted, a major concern surfaced again. Here are three takeaways from Tuesday night's game.
Seth Trimble and Caleb Wilson have huge nights
Dec 30, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) on the free throw line in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
(Bob Donnan, Bob Donnan-Imagn Images)
Seth Trimble and Caleb Wilson are undoubtedly the heart and soul of North Carolina. Trimble is the clear leader of the team, while Wilson is the heartbeat, bringing energy every time he steps on the floor. The two haven't played together much because of Trimble's injury, but everyone has gotten to see their impact over the past few games, especially on Tuesday night.
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Trimble finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, four steals, two assists and a block. He went 6-for-13 (46.1%) from the field and 8-for-11 (72.7%) at the free-throw line. It was his first 20-point game of the season.
Wilson had a game-high 22 points and 16 rebounds, giving him his 10th double-double of the season. He also led UNC with six assists and two blocks. With this performance, Wilson became the first freshman in school history to score 20 or more points in six consecutive games.
A poor shooting night
Dec 30, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jonathan Powell (11) passes the ball as Florida State Seminoles guard Robert McCray V (6) and guard Thomas Bassong (3) defend in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
(Bob Donnan, Bob Donnan-Imagn Images)
While the win is sweet, Carolina shouldn't be satisfied with how it shot the ball. The Tar Heels went 29-for-68 from the field, a 42.6% clip, and managed just 39% in the first half. They were even colder from deep, hitting only 7 of 29 3-pointers for 24.1%. Even at the rim, the looks weren't automatic — UNC converted just 6 of 15 layups.
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Outside of Trimble, Wilson and Henri Veesaar , no other Tar Heel shot better than 33% from the floor. Luka Bogavac, Derek Dixon, Jonathan Powell and Jarin Stevenson combined to go 3-for-18, and Bogavac and Dixon together were 0-for-8.
Kyan Evans was the lone bright spot from beyond the arc, scoring all 15 of his points on 5-for-12 shooting from 3-point range. Remove Evans' makes, and the rest of the Tar Heels were just 2-for-17 from deep — an icy 11.7% that underscores how much work this offense still has to do.
Bullies in the paint
Dec 30, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) scores in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
(Bob Donnan, Bob Donnan-Imagn Images)
If you're going to have a dismal shooting night, you had better make up for it in the paint. Carolina did just that, outrebounding Florida State 47-37 and piling up 42 points inside. The Seminoles, on the other hand, finished with only 20 points in the paint.
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The Tar Heels threw down 11 dunks, many of them courtesy of Veesaar and Wilson. Veesaar also recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. It was the third straight game in which both players had a double-double and the seventh time they have done so this season.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Three takeaways from win over Florida State
