Wilson's double-double helps No. 12 North Carolina beat Florida State 79-66 in ACC opener
AP
Dec 30, 2025
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) Caleb Wilson had 22 points, 16 rebounds and six assists to help No. 12 North Carolina Tar Heels beat Florida State Seminoles 79-66 on Tuesday night to open Atlantic Coast Conference play.
The 6-foot-10 freshman set a season high on the boards and matched his high in assists as clearly the best player on the floor, from his energy in chasing down rebounds to high-flying athleticism that showed in throwing down four dunks.
Senior Seth Trimble had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Tar Heels (13-1, 1-0), while Kyan Evans had 15 points on five 3-pointers and big man Henri Veesaar added a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds.
They helped UNC extend its best start in more than 15 years, though the Seminoles (7-7, 0-1) proved stubborn to put away in this one.
FSU has leaned into the 3-point shot in its first season under Luke Loucks, the former Seminoles player who took over after longtime coach Leonard Hamilton stepped down.
The Seminoles entered Tuesday night ranked 11th nationally in made 3s per game (11.4) and third in attempts (36.2). They finished right on those numbers (12 of 40), though FSU had seven 3s by halftime and was just 5 of 21 (23.8%) after the break.
UNC used an 18-3 run to take a 16-point lead midway through the second half. But it wasn't until Trimble threw down a transition dunk, then Veesaar dunked home an offensive rebound that the Tar Heels were finally wrestling free, leading 75-61 with 1:10 left.
Chauncey Wiggins had 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Seminoles, who shot 34.8%.
The game featured the rare sight of UNC wearing blue road uniforms at home, the fifth such occasion in the nearly 40-year history of the Smith Center.
FSU: The Seminoles host No. 6 Duke on Saturday.
UNC: The Tar Heels visit SMU on Saturday.
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1st Half
FSU
Seminoles
34
UNC
Tar Heels
40
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Alex Steen vs. Henri Veesaar (Robert McCray V gains possession)
19:42
+2
Robert McCray V makes two point jump shot
2-0
19:17
Alex Steen blocks Luka Bogavac's two point layup
19:15
Henri Veesaar offensive rebound
19:01
Henri Veesaar turnover (bad pass) (Chauncey Wiggins steals)
18:53
Chauncey Wiggins misses three point jump shot
18:51
Caleb Wilson defensive rebound
18:41
Luka Bogavac misses three point jump shot
18:39
Robert McCray V defensive rebound
18:24
Chauncey Wiggins misses three point jump shot
18:22
Seth Trimble defensive rebound
18:03
Luka Bogavac misses three point jump shot
18:01
Alex Steen defensive rebound
17:56
Martin Somerville misses three point jump shot
17:54
Caleb Wilson defensive rebound
17:32
Seth Trimble misses three point jump shot
17:30
Alex Steen defensive rebound
17:26
Seth Trimble personal foul
17:19
Robert McCray V turnover (lost ball) (Seth Trimble steals)
17:04
+3
Kyan Evans makes three point jump shot (Seth Trimble assists)
2-3
16:57
Robert McCray V turnover (bad pass)
16:32
Caleb Wilson misses three point jump shot
16:30
Lajae Jones defensive rebound
16:17
Martin Somerville misses two point layup
16:15
Caleb Wilson defensive rebound
16:09
Martin Somerville personal foul
16:01
Chauncey Wiggins blocks Seth Trimble's two point layup
15:59
Chauncey Wiggins defensive rebound
15:51
Lajae Jones misses three point jump shot
15:49
Robert McCray V offensive rebound
15:37
+3
Lajae Jones makes three point jump shot
5-3
15:15
Caleb Wilson misses two point jump shot
15:13
Tar Heels offensive rebound
15:12
TV timeout
14:58
Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot
14:56
Henri Veesaar offensive rebound
14:55
Seth Trimble misses two point layup
14:53
Tar Heels offensive rebound
14:33
Derek Dixon misses three point jump shot
14:31
Seminoles defensive rebound
14:20
+2
Robert McCray V makes two point dunk
7-3
13:50
Kobe MaGee shooting foul (Seth Trimble draws the foul)
13:50
+1
Seth Trimble makes regular free throw 1 of 2
7-4
13:50
+1
Seth Trimble makes regular free throw 2 of 2
7-5
13:31
Robert McCray V misses three point jump shot
13:29
Thomas Bassong offensive rebound
13:23
Robert McCray V turnover (bad pass)
13:11
Jonathan Powell misses three point jump shot
13:09
Caleb Wilson offensive rebound
13:06
+2
Caleb Wilson makes two point layup
7-7
13:06
Thomas Bassong shooting foul (Caleb Wilson draws the foul)
13:06
+1
Caleb Wilson makes regular free throw 1 of 1
7-8
12:42
Chauncey Wiggins misses two point jump shot
12:40
Caleb Wilson defensive rebound
12:34
+3
Jonathan Powell makes three point jump shot (Caleb Wilson assists)
7-11
12:24
Cam Miles turnover (double dribble)
12:10
Thomas Bassong shooting foul (Caleb Wilson draws the foul)
12:10
+1
Caleb Wilson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
7-12
12:10
+1
Caleb Wilson makes regular free throw 2 of 2
7-13
12:03
+3
Kobe MaGee makes three point jump shot (Cam Miles assists)
10-13
11:40
Derek Dixon misses three point jump shot
11:38
Chauncey Wiggins defensive rebound
11:27
+2
Chauncey Wiggins makes two point layup (Martin Somerville assists)
12-13
11:17
Henri Veesaar misses two point layup
11:15
Caleb Wilson offensive rebound
11:08
+2
Caleb Wilson makes two point layup
12-15
11:02
Cam Miles misses three point jump shot
11:00
Seth Trimble defensive rebound
10:56
+2
Seth Trimble makes two point jump shot
12-17
10:56
Cam Miles shooting foul (Seth Trimble draws the foul)
10:56
TV timeout
10:56
+1
Seth Trimble makes regular free throw 1 of 1
12-18
10:39
+3
Kobe MaGee makes three point jump shot (Robert McCray V assists)
15-18
10:18
Kyan Evans misses three point jump shot
10:16
Kobe MaGee defensive rebound
10:03
Jarin Stevenson shooting foul (Alex Steen draws the foul)
10:03
+1
Alex Steen makes regular free throw 1 of 2
16-18
10:03
+1
Alex Steen makes regular free throw 2 of 2
17-18
9:34
+2
Caleb Wilson makes two point jump shot (Jonathan Powell assists)
17-20
9:26
Martin Somerville misses three point jump shot
9:24
Caleb Wilson defensive rebound
9:18
Luka Bogavac misses two point layup
9:16
Caleb Wilson offensive rebound
9:08
+2
Caleb Wilson makes two point dunk
17-22
9:04
Kobe MaGee turnover (bad pass)
8:39
Caleb Wilson misses two point jump shot
8:37
Seminoles defensive rebound
8:37
Luka Bogavac personal foul
8:23
+3
Martin Somerville makes three point jump shot (Robert McCray V assists)
20-22
8:08
Luka Bogavac turnover (lost ball) (Martin Somerville steals)
8:01
Seth Trimble blocks Alex Steen's two point layup
7:59
Kyan Evans defensive rebound
7:51
Martin Somerville personal foul
7:51
TV timeout
7:37
+3
Kyan Evans makes three point jump shot
20-25
7:15
Chauncey Wiggins misses three point jump shot
7:13
Henri Veesaar defensive rebound
7:09
Robert McCray V shooting foul (Seth Trimble draws the foul)
7:09
+1
Seth Trimble makes regular free throw 1 of 2
20-26
7:09
Seth Trimble misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:09
Lajae Jones defensive rebound
6:52
+2
Alex Steen makes two point layup
22-26
6:52
Henri Veesaar shooting foul (Alex Steen draws the foul)
6:52
Alex Steen misses regular free throw 1 of 1
6:52
Henri Veesaar defensive rebound
6:34
+3
Kyan Evans makes three point jump shot (Seth Trimble assists)
22-29
6:12
Chauncey Wiggins misses three point jump shot
6:10
Jaydon Young defensive rebound
5:58
Kyan Evans misses three point jump shot
5:56
Chauncey Wiggins defensive rebound
5:28
Jarin Stevenson shooting foul (Chauncey Wiggins draws the foul)
5:27
Chauncey Wiggins misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:27
+1
Chauncey Wiggins makes regular free throw 2 of 2
23-29
5:06
Kyan Evans misses two point jump shot
5:04
Seminoles defensive rebound
5:03
Caleb Wilson personal foul
4:40
Chauncey Wiggins misses two point layup
4:38
Caleb Wilson defensive rebound
4:29
+2
Seth Trimble makes two point layup (Caleb Wilson assists)
23-31
4:19
Jaydon Young personal foul (Chauncey Wiggins draws the foul)
4:19
+1
Chauncey Wiggins makes regular free throw 1 of 2
24-31
4:19
+1
Chauncey Wiggins makes regular free throw 2 of 2
25-31
4:07
+2
Jarin Stevenson makes two point dunk (Henri Veesaar assists)
25-33
3:53
Robert McCray V misses three point jump shot
3:51
Seth Trimble defensive rebound
3:36
Seth Trimble misses two point jump shot
3:35
Tar Heels offensive rebound
3:35
Kobe MaGee personal foul (Jarin Stevenson draws the foul)
3:35
TV timeout
3:35
+1
Jarin Stevenson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
25-34
3:35
+1
Jarin Stevenson makes regular free throw 2 of 2
25-35
3:16
Cam Miles misses two point layup
3:14
Henri Veesaar defensive rebound
2:47
+2
Caleb Wilson makes two point dunk (Derek Dixon assists)
25-37
2:31
+3
Martin Somerville makes three point jump shot
28-37
2:11
+2
Seth Trimble makes two point jump shot
28-39
2:00
Seminoles 30 second timeout
1:49
Robert McCray V turnover (bad pass) (Seth Trimble steals)
1:29
Jonathan Powell misses three point jump shot
1:27
Chauncey Wiggins defensive rebound
1:06
+3
Robert McCray V makes three point jump shot (Kobe MaGee assists)
31-39
0:50
Lajae Jones shooting foul (Caleb Wilson draws the foul)
0:50
+1
Caleb Wilson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
31-40
0:50
Caleb Wilson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:50
Chauncey Wiggins defensive rebound
0:34
Martin Somerville misses three point jump shot
0:32
Chauncey Wiggins offensive rebound
0:27
+3
Kobe MaGee makes three point jump shot (Robert McCray V assists)
34-40
0:19
Tar Heels 30 second timeout
0:04
Seth Trimble turnover (traveling)
0:01
Robert McCray V misses three point jump shot
0:00
Seminoles offensive rebound
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
FSU
Seminoles
32
UNC
Tar Heels
39
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:51
+2
Henri Veesaar makes two point dunk (Caleb Wilson assists)
34-42
19:34
Henri Veesaar shooting foul (Alex Steen draws the foul)
19:34
+1
Alex Steen makes regular free throw 1 of 2
35-42
19:34
+1
Alex Steen makes regular free throw 2 of 2
36-42
19:15
Caleb Wilson turnover (bad pass) (Alex Steen steals)
19:12
Caleb Wilson blocks Lajae Jones's two point layup
19:10
Caleb Wilson defensive rebound
19:06
+2
Seth Trimble makes two point layup
36-44
18:57
+2
Chauncey Wiggins makes two point jump shot (Lajae Jones assists)
