Caleb Wilson scored 22 points – the most by a UNC freshman in his first regular-season game since Cole Anthony in 2019 – and four other Tar Heels reached double figures in a 94-54 win against Central Arkansas in the regular season opener at the Dean Smith Center Monday night.
Arizona transfer Henri Veesaar joined Wilson in double figures, scoring 14 points and adding 10 rebounds to post his first career double-double. Colorado State transfer Kyan Evans (15 points) and Seth Trimble (12) also had solid scoring nights, as did Montenegrin national Luka Bogavac, who scored 10. The UNC program announced Bogavac was cleared to play just minutes before tip-off at the Smith Center, ending a long eligibility saga which had kept Bogavac out for both of Carolina’s exhibition games.
Bogavac’s eligibility was still up in the air as the Tar Heels took the court for their initial pregame warmups, roughly 90 minutes before tip-off. At that point, Bogavac was not dressed out and hung back in the locker room. At some point during the warmups, UNC received the all-clear to play Bogavac, and the program moved quickly.
“At the time I found out, I told him to get his uniform on, you’re playing,” head coach Hubert Davis said afterward. “I didn’t think it was time to sit down and have some coffee and tea and talk. I wanted him to get dressed. I wanted him to get taped. I wanted him to get warmed up and ready to go.”
“I had no idea. I thought he wasn’t suiting up,” said Trimble. “But then we went back in, and he was suited up. We all celebrated with him… we could see his excitement, and rightfully so.”
According to Davis, Bogavac’s mother was in the arena to see her son play. Davis told reporters after the game Bogavac’s mother has been in Chapel Hill for the past week and plans to stay for two more weeks before returning t0 Montenegro. Her son played 20 minutes off the bench as one of UNC’s top reserves and stuffed the stat sheet with five assists, three rebounds and two steals in addition to his 10 points.
Buoyed by Bogavac, the Tar Heels blew past the Bears early, leading 51-23 at halftime and extending that lead to the final margin of 40 points late in the second half. As a team, Carolina shot 33-65 from the floor (50.8 percent), while holding Central Arkansas to 20-64 (31.3 percent). UNC held decisive advantages in rebounds (45-30), points in the paint (46-20) and fast break points (26-3).
“I always have felt this from Coach [Roy] Williams,” said Davis. “The number one determining factor in the outcome of a game is rebounding and dominating points in the paint. That’s rubbed off on me, and that’s who I am as a head coach.”
Carolina has not lost a season opener since the 2001-02 season. Now 1-0, the Tar Heels will be back in action Friday night at 7 p.m. when they host No. 19 Kansas at the Smith Center.
Featured image via Todd Melet. For a full photo gallery of the game, click here.
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