North Carolina demolished East Carolina 99-51 on Monday night in its final nonconference game of the season before starting ACC play.
The Tar Heels improved to 12-1 after beating the Pirates, who fell to 5-8. It’s UNC’s best 13-game start since opening the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons 13-0. The Tar Heels also started 12-1 in 2006-07. The 48-point margin was their largest since a 107-55 win over American on Nov. 15, 2024.
Advertisement
Here are five takeaways from Monday night.
The Tar Heels dominated from start to finish
Dec 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jonathan Powell (11), forward Caleb Wilson (8), and guard Derek Dixon (3) react during the second half against the East Carolina Pirates at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
The Tar Heels dominated in every fashion. Beyond the enormous margin of victory, Carolina outshot ECU 59% to 26% from the field, outrebounded the Pirates 48–42, and got 32 bench points to ECU’s 15.
Pace was also a key factor. Carolina had 17 fast-break points to ECU’s 0 and finished with 20 assists on 36 made baskets. ECU, meanwhile, had only eight assists as a team.
Suffocation
Dec 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) and center Henri Veesaar (13) double team East Carolina Pirates guard Tybo Bailey (4) during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
North Carolina suffocated ECU like an anaconda, holding the Pirates to just 51 points, the fewest the Tar Heels have allowed all season.
Advertisement
Carolina held the Pirates to 26.0% shooting, the second-lowest percentage by a Tar Heel opponent this year. It was the second time an opponent shot under 30% for a game and the ninth time under 40% this season.
Carolina limited the Pirates to 28.2% shooting from the floor in the first half and 23.5% in the second. Those were the fifth and sixth halves this season in which Carolina held an opponent under 30% from the floor. ECU also went 2 for 22 from 3-point range, which matched the third-lowest percentage ever against the Tar Heels by a team with 20 or more attempts.
It was also the 13th game in a row UNC has allowed fewer than 75 points. The last time that happened was exactly 30 years ago, when the 1985-86 squad led by Brad Daugherty and Kenny Smith held its first 13 opponents under 75.
Three is the Magic Number
Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) celebrates after a victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Carolina made a season-high 12 3-pointers (the previous high was 11 vs. N.C. Central) on 25 attempts, shooting 48% from beyond the arc. That’s the best performance from the perimeter since Carolina hit 14 3-pointers against San Diego State in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Advertisement
Eight different players made a 3-pointer. Henri Veesaar hit a career-high four, Jonathan Powell made two, and Kyan Evans, Seth Trimble, Luka Bogavac, Jaydon Young, Isaiah Denis and Elijah Davis each made one.
Veesaar’s four 3-pointers were a new career high. His previous best was two, which he had done eight times, including in each of the previous two games and three of the last four. He has made eight 3-pointers in the last three games and 11 in the last five.
The Twin Towers
Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) and center Henri Veesaar (13) celebrate during a timeout against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson were dominant in the paint once again. Both players recorded double-doubles: Veesaar posted his seventh, while Wilson notched his ninth.
Advertisement
Veesaar finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, plus an assist. He shot 6-for-9 from the field and 4-for-5 from beyond the arc. All of his points came from the field.
Wilson scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Defensively, he added four blocks and three steals. Wilson tied a UNC freshman record by scoring 20 or more points in his fifth consecutive game. Phil Ford also scored 20 or more in five straight games as a freshman in 1974-75. This was Wilson’s ninth 20-point game, tying the fourth-most in a season by a UNC freshman.
Free Throw Problems Continue
Dec 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) at the free throw line in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
As successful as the night was for UNC, the Tar Heels still struggled from the free-throw line. Carolina shot 19-for-30 (63.3%) from the stripe. It was an improvement from the 53.8% it shot in the previous game against Ohio State on Dec. 20, but still far from ideal.
Advertisement
To underscore how rough it has been at the line, the Tar Heels haven’t made 70% of their free throws in a game since their loss to Michigan State on Nov. 27. With Carolina not playing again until Dec. 30, it will be a full month since the last time the Tar Heels hit the 70% mark from the free-throw line.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Five observations from win over East Carolina
