Dixon delivers late as No. 16 North Carolina wins 67-64 at No. 18 Kentucky
AP
Dec 03, 2025
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Derek Dixon made a tiebreaking layup with 16 seconds remaining and scored five of North Carolina Tar Heels’s last six points to lift the No. 16 Tar Heels to a 67-64 win over No. 18 Kentucky Wildcats on Tuesday night in the ACC/SEC Challenge.
Dixon finished with nine points off the bench, and his 3-pointer with 53 seconds left helped give the Tar Heels (7-1) their first road win of the season.
Henri Veesaar led North Carolina with 17 points, followed by Caleb Wilson with 15 and Luka Bogavac with 12. Wilson shot 5 for 19 but added 12 rebounds and six assists.
The Tar Heels made six 3s and limited the Wildcats to one on 13 attempts in handing Kentucky its first home loss of the season.
Neither team led by more than six in a game that featured nine ties and 14 lead changes.
Otega Oweh led the Wildcats (5-3) with 16 points, followed by Collin Chandler with 12 and Denzel Aberdeen with 10. Chandler made a layup that tied the score at 64 but misfired on a layup with four seconds to go. Wilson made one of two free throws at the other end and stole the inbounds pass to seal the win for North Carolina.
Kentucky missed its first eight 3-pointers before Brandon Garrison connected with 13:08 remaining. The Wildcats then missed 13 straight field goal attempts in a drought that lasted more than 10 minutes.
Kentucky welcomed new football coach Will Stein, who was introduced to the crowd and received a standing ovation during the first media timeout in the second half. Stein, formerly the offensive coordinator at Oregon, replaced Mark Stoops, who was fired Sunday after 13 seasons with the Wildcats.
North Carolina hosts Georgetown on Sunday.
Kentucky plays No. 11 Gonzaga on Friday night.
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1st Half
UNC
Tar Heels
31
UK
Wildcats
31
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
(Wildcats gains possession)
19:33
Otega Oweh misses two point jump shot
19:31
Henri Veesaar defensive rebound
19:20
+2
Kyan Evans makes two point layup (Caleb Wilson assists)
2-0
19:00
+2
Collin Chandler makes two point layup
2-2
18:44
Luka Bogavac misses three point jump shot
18:42
Kam Williams defensive rebound
18:35
Kyan Evans personal foul
18:28
+2
Otega Oweh makes two point layup
2-4
18:14
Kam Williams personal foul (Caleb Wilson draws the foul)
18:07
Otega Oweh blocks Henri Veesaar's two point layup
18:05
Caleb Wilson offensive rebound
18:03
+2
Caleb Wilson makes two point layup
4-4
17:36
Collin Chandler misses two point jump shot
17:34
Malachi Moreno offensive rebound
17:32
Wildcats turnover (shot clock violation)
17:21
Malachi Moreno personal foul (Tar Heels draws the foul)
17:13
Luka Bogavac turnover (out of bounds)
16:56
+2
Otega Oweh makes two point jump shot
4-6
16:45
Caleb Wilson misses two point layup
16:43
Jarin Stevenson offensive rebound
16:38
Tar Heels 30 second timeout
16:20
Henri Veesaar misses two point jump shot
16:18
Malachi Moreno defensive rebound
15:56
+2
Collin Chandler makes two point layup (Denzel Aberdeen assists)
4-8
15:48
Luka Bogavac misses two point layup
15:46
Caleb Wilson offensive rebound
15:45
Caleb Wilson misses two point layup
15:43
Malachi Moreno defensive rebound
15:42
Kam Williams misses three point jump shot
15:40
Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound
15:27
Luka Bogavac turnover (lost ball) (Kam Williams steals)
15:22
+2
Kam Williams makes two point dunk
4-10
15:09
Denzel Aberdeen blocks Luka Bogavac's two point jump shot
15:07
Luka Bogavac offensive rebound
15:02
Luka Bogavac misses two point layup
15:00
Denzel Aberdeen defensive rebound
14:52
Kam Williams misses two point layup
14:50
Henri Veesaar defensive rebound
14:38
Kam Williams personal foul (Tar Heels draws the foul)
14:38
TV timeout
14:32
Denzel Aberdeen personal foul (Tar Heels draws the foul)
14:21
+2
Henri Veesaar makes two point layup (Caleb Wilson assists)
6-10
14:03
Jasper Johnson misses two point layup
14:01
Caleb Wilson defensive rebound
13:48
+3
Jonathan Powell makes three point jump shot (Caleb Wilson assists)
9-10
13:26
Caleb Wilson shooting foul (Brandon Garrison draws the foul)
13:26
Brandon Garrison misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:26
+1
Brandon Garrison makes regular free throw 2 of 2
9-11
13:04
Jasper Johnson shooting foul (Derek Dixon draws the foul)
13:04
+1
Derek Dixon makes regular free throw 1 of 2
10-11
13:04
+1
Derek Dixon makes regular free throw 2 of 2
11-11
12:50
Jasper Johnson turnover (bad pass) (Jonathan Powell steals)
12:27
+2
Derek Dixon makes two point layup
13-11
11:58
Jasper Johnson misses two point jump shot
11:56
Brandon Garrison offensive rebound
11:52
+2
Brandon Garrison makes two point layup
13-13
11:47
+3
Jonathan Powell makes three point jump shot
16-13
11:23
+2
Andrija JelaviÄ makes two point layup
16-15
10:54
+2
Caleb Wilson makes two point layup (Derek Dixon assists)
18-15
10:38
+2
Jasper Johnson makes two point layup
18-17
10:25
Henri Veesaar turnover (bad pass) (Collin Chandler steals)
10:20
TV timeout
10:13
Denzel Aberdeen misses two point layup
10:11
Caleb Wilson defensive rebound
10:02
Jasper Johnson personal foul (Tar Heels draws the foul)
9:51
Caleb Wilson misses three point jump shot
9:49
Malachi Moreno defensive rebound
9:49
Jarin Stevenson personal foul (Malachi Moreno draws the foul)
9:37
Zayden High personal foul (Wildcats draws the foul)
9:23
Andrija JelaviÄ misses three point jump shot
9:21
Zayden High defensive rebound
8:52
Caleb Wilson misses three point jump shot
8:50
Jonathan Powell offensive rebound
8:33
Derek Dixon misses three point jump shot
8:31
Tar Heels offensive rebound
8:24
+2
Caleb Wilson makes two point jump shot
20-17
8:09
+2
Malachi Moreno makes two point layup (Otega Oweh assists)
20-19
8:00
Zayden High turnover (bad pass) (Otega Oweh steals)
7:57
+2
Otega Oweh makes two point dunk
20-21
7:34
Caleb Wilson turnover (lost ball) (Malachi Moreno steals)
7:29
+2
Denzel Aberdeen makes two point dunk (Trent Noah assists)
20-23
7:18
Otega Oweh shooting foul (Luka Bogavac draws the foul)
7:18
TV timeout
7:18
+1
Luka Bogavac makes regular free throw 1 of 2
21-23
7:18
Luka Bogavac misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:18
Malachi Moreno defensive rebound
7:18
Henri Veesaar personal foul (Malachi Moreno draws the foul)
6:57
Otega Oweh misses three point jump shot
6:55
Luka Bogavac defensive rebound
6:49
Caleb Wilson misses two point jump shot
6:47
Caleb Wilson offensive rebound
6:44
Caleb Wilson misses two point layup
6:42
Malachi Moreno defensive rebound
6:12
Wildcats turnover (shot clock violation)
5:55
+2
Henri Veesaar makes two point layup (Jarin Stevenson assists)
23-23
5:34
Collin Chandler misses three point jump shot
5:32
Derek Dixon defensive rebound
5:22
Jarin Stevenson misses two point layup
5:20
Henri Veesaar offensive rebound
5:04
+3
Luka Bogavac makes three point jump shot (Jarin Stevenson assists)
