For the first time since 2002 — before many players of its roster were born — UNC men’s basketball earned a victory over No. 19 Kansas on Friday night, 87-74.

The No. 25 Tar Heels rode a strong second half performance to earn the win and move to 2-0, driven by efficient shooting, strong defense and stand-out performances from the frontcourt tandem of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar. The game was a historic one in the series between Carolina and Kansas, as it was the Jayhawks program’s first trip to Chapel Hill and the Dean E. Smith Center.

As the second half unfolded, UNC fans and college basketball media members took to social media to praise the team’s performance.

Only got to see about 8 minutes of the first half of the UNC game tonight and was not impressed, I watched them shoot like 5 3's in the span of a few minutes and missed all 5. *BUT* I got to watch almost all of the second half and that was the team I wanna see. Everyone seriously stepped up.

— BearCracker (Zoey) (@bearcracker.bsky.social) 2025-11-08T02:09:18.261Z

After the win, both fans and media pointed out the significance for UNC to win on Friday — not only as an important non-conference victory, but to break a losing streak of five games to the Jayhawks dating back to 2002.

Not surprised UNC won, a little surprised how UNC won. That’s a big one.Roy never beat Kansas. Now Hubert has.

— Luke DeCock (@lukedecock.bsky.social) 2025-11-08T02:08:13.190Z

Here are some of the other highlights from UNC social media celebrating, joking and posting about Friday’s victory:

 

The 2-0 Tar Heels return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 11 as they host Radford at 7 p.m.

Featured photo by Todd Melet/Chapel Hill Media Group.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC and Football Communities Share Tributes in Tylee Craft's Memory After His Death
Hundreds of UNC and football community members shared posts on social media honoring Tylee Craft after his death was announced on Saturday.
Social Media, Franklin Street Erupt for UNC Men's Basketball's Regular Season Sweep of Duke
UNC men’s basketball closed its regular season in the best possible way on Saturday: beating Duke and claiming the outright ACC regular season title. The Tar Heels earned the 84-79 victory and eventually made the trip in the team bus to Franklin Street, where UNC students and community members greeted them after rushing the downtown […]
UNC Social Media Shares Reactions to Caleb Love's Transfer News
The sixth transfer from the UNC men’s basketball program this offseason is certainly its biggest, as Caleb Love announced his plans to leave Chapel Hill and sent Tar Heel social media circles into a tizzy. After using more than a week after the team played its final game, the St. Louis native shared he would […]
Social Media Reacts, Jokes About Armando Bacot's Return to UNC
Similar to his announced return to UNC men’s basketball last offseason, Armando Bacot’s decision to stay with the Carolina program led to plenty of social media buzz. Bacot shared in an interview with Stadium on Wednesday that he will exhaust his college eligibility in 2023-24, having been granted an fifth season due to the COVID-19 pandemic […]
Social Media Reacts to Leaky Black Returning to UNC
Senior wing Leaky Black became the second UNC player in three days to announce his intention to return to school next season, after teammate Armando Bacot did so on Wednesday. The 2022-23 season will be Black’s final year of collegiate eligibility. Black’s announcement on Twitter kicked off a wave of social media celebration from fans, […]
Social Media Reacts to Armando Bacot's Decision to Return to UNC
UNC junior forward Armando Bacot dropped a bombshell on Twitter Wednesday morning, announcing in a video he would be returning to school for his senior year next season. Tar Heel forever ❤️ pic.twitter.com/lBbbrb0hTT — Armando Bacot Jr. (@iget_buckets35) April 13, 2022 Bacot’s announcement kicked off a flurry of celebrations from Carolina fans, teammates and local […]
Social Media Reacts to UNC Hiring Hubert Davis as Head Coach
Just days after Roy Williams’ retirement, UNC hired longtime assistant Hubert Davis to replace the Hall of Famer as head coach. Davis takes over as head coach after spending the past nine season as an assistant coach on Williams’ staff. He played for the Tar Heels from 1988-92, during which time UNC won the 1989 and […]
Social Media Erupts Following UNC's Buzzer Beater to Beat Duke, Court Storming
No. 14 UNC earned the 71-68 win over Duke off a buzzer-beating three-pointer, sending the Dean Smith Center and social media into a frenzy.
Social Media Reacts to UNC Men's Basketball's Gritty Win vs. Kentucky
As UNC men's basketball snapped a two-game skid to the Kentucky Wildcats, Tar Heel fans and dignitaries quickly took to social media to celebrate.
Tar Heel Social Media Reacts to UNC Men's Basketball's Comeback Win vs. Kansas
Fans and college basketball media members took to social media after No. 25 UNC earned an 87-74 victory over No. 19 Kansas on Friday night.
›