Friday night proved to be a dominant one for the UNC basketball program, which controlled NC Central in a 97-53 blowout.
Friday allowed North Carolina (4-0) to continue experimenting with lineups, particularly as Seth Trimble continues missing time with a broken bone. Hubert Davis emptied his bench against the Eagles (1-4), playing all 15 dressed players.
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12 different Tar Heels scored on the night, led by a 21-piece from star freshman Caleb Wilson. Fellow freshman Derek Dixon, who’s playing increased minutes in Trimble’s absence, scored nine points of his own.
After UNC’s blowout win, Dixon spoke on the benefits of non-conference play – and why games, like Friday night’s, are beneficial to future success.
“I think games like this are a really good opportunity to test out different lineups, test out different rotations and see how guys mesh together,” Dixon said. “Obviously with Seth out, we’re going to have to try some new lineups and different lineups and see what works until he gets back. So I think tonight was a really good opportunity to test some things out.”
Dixon played 16 minutes, adding to his well-rounded skillset with three rebounds and assists apiece. West Virginia transfer Jonathan Powell, another candidate playing more minutes in Trimble’s absence, played a North Carolina-high 19 minutes off the bench.
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Luka Bogavac (13), Henri Veesaar (12) and Zayden High (11) all reached double-figures in the scoring department. Kyan Evans (7), Jarin Stevenson and Isaiah Denis (5), Evan Smith (3), James Brown and John Holbrook (1) all scored for the Tar Heels.
UNC closes out its early-season homestand on Tuesday night against Navy. Will the Tar Heels continue to showcase their depth and scoring talent?
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC’s Derek Dixon points to win over NC Central as good for depth
