Henri Veesaar’s profession highs of 24 factors and 13 rebounds led No. 16 North Carolina to an 85-70 victory in opposition to St. Bonaventure on Tuesday evening within the Fort Myers (Fla.) Tip-off.
Caleb Wilson scored 20 factors and snared 12 rebounds. Kyan Evans, who made three 3-point photographs, added 11 factors and Luka Bogavac posted 10 factors for the Tar Heels (6-0), who performed away from dwelling for the primary time this season. North Carolina has gained its first six video games in a season for the primary time since 2016-17.
Darryl Simmons II scored 22 factors and Frank Mitchell put up 18 factors and 6 rebounds to guide St. Bonaventure (5-1).
Veesaar and Wilson had been an excessive amount of within the lane for the smaller Bonnies to deal with. Wilson had 9 factors on the half, and he completed 10-for-10 on free throws to proceed the most effective begins to a profession in North Carolina workforce historical past.
Veesaar, a switch from Arizona, and Wilson powered North Carolina’s 40-31 rebounding edge. Wilson has double-digit rebounds in 4 consecutive video games.
The Tar Heels shot 50.9% from the ground in comparison with St. Bonaventure’s 41.4%. North Carolina took higher care of the ball with two second-half turnovers following tough stretches within the first half.
North Carolina used a 7-0 spurt, with Wilson offering the primary 5 factors, early within the second half to construct a 47-38 lead. Evans hit a triple that prompted one other 9-0 run, and the Tar Heels had been in full management at 58-43 with 12:40 left.
North Carolina broke out to an 11-point lead solely to have the Bonnies pull even at 28-28. They briefly led at 30-28 on Andrew Osasuyi’s dunk earlier than the Tar Heels took a 35-33 edge into halftime.
The Tar Heels made three of their first 4 3-point photographs after which went chilly. However the larger points had been 11 first-half turnovers, together with giveaways on 4 consecutive possessions. Mitchell and Simmons every had 10 factors on the break for St. Bonaventure.
The occasion entails predetermined matchups. Thursday’s video games embrace North Carolina vs. Michigan State and St. Bonaventure vs. East Carolina.
–Subject Stage Media
