A Henri Veesaar dunk gave UNC the lead with seven seconds left and Ohio State missed a potential game-winning three-pointer as the Tar Heels beat the Buckeyes 71-70 at the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta Saturday.

Seth Trimble provided the assist to Veesaar in his first game back from injury, spinning into the lane and slipping before bouncing the ball to Veesaar. The dunk helped Veesaar end the game with 17 points and 10 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season. Caleb Wilson, playing in his hometown, led all scorers with 20 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds for his eighth double-double. Trimble scored 17 points and tied a career high with three made three-pointers.

The Tar Heels led for much of the game, turning a 16-14 Buckeye advantage early on into a 29-20 lead in the final minutes of the first half. Ohio State closed that deficit to three points at halftime, but UNC appeared ready to break the game open midway through the second when it took a 58-47 lead with 10:38 remaining.

That was as large as the Carolina lead would get, as the Buckeyes got critical baskets from leading scorer Bruce Thornton and took advantage of a flagrant foul against Veesaar to trim the lead down to 62-57 by the 6:00 mark, then 64-62 with 3:50 to go. UNC managed to keep its nose in front until the final minute, when Ohio State’s John Mobley made a three – the Buckeyes’ first of the second half – while drawing a foul on Wilson. Mobley made the ensuing free throw to give Ohio State a 70-67 edge.

Trimble answered with a layup on UNC’s next possession and head coach Hubert Davis called a timeout. Carolina then forced a Buckeye turnover with a full-court press, giving the ball back to the Tar Heels. After another UNC timeout, Trimble cut into the lane and stumbled before miraculously finding Veesaar for the game-winning dunk.

Ohio State called its final timeout with four seconds remaining. The Buckeyes gave the ball to Mobley, whose long three missed off the back rim. Ohio State’s Devin Royal corralled the rebound and attempted a game-winning putback, but saw it blocked by both Veesaar and Wilson as time expired.

UNC finished the game shooting 28-63 (44.4 percent) as a team and just 7-13 (53.8 percent) from the free throw line. Thornton, the Buckeyes’ leading scorer averaging more than 21 points per game, finished with 16 points, though he needed 16 shot attempts while working through defense by Trimble to do so. Notably, UNC held a 15-0 advantage in bench points. Jarin Stevenson, who went to the bench with Trimble’s return to the starting lineup, led all Tar Heel reserves with six points and made the critical steal which led to Veesaar’s dunk in the final seconds.

Saturday’s win improves UNC to 11-1 this season, which is the program’s best start through 12 games since the 2008-09 season. The Tar Heels will be back in action when they host East Carolina at the Smith Center Monday night at 8 p.m.

 

Featured image via Associated Press/Mike Stewart

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
‹
Here's the Complete Bracket for the 2026 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2026 ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament begins Tuesday at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. UNC is the No. 4 seed in the field and is seeking its first tournament title since 2016. Here’s the complete tournament bracket, which will be updated throughout the week: For ACC Tournament ticket information, click here. Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription […]
'This is a Horrendous Feeling': UNC Men's Basketball Faces Harsh Reality After ACC Tournament Exit
A locker room inside Charlotte’s Spectrum Center might seem like an odd place to see a fork in the road, but that’s exactly what the Tar Heels found when they trudged back inside following their 80-79 defeat to Clemson in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals Thursday night. Because now, Carolina can’t afford to play flat-footed basketball […]
Clemson Outlasts UNC Men's Basketball in ACC Tournament Quarterfinals
No. 5 seed Clemson made No. 4 UNC’s stay in Charlotte a short one, beating the Tar Heels 80-79 in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals Thursday night. The Tigers were playing their second game in two days, while the game was Carolina’s first at the tournament. UNC led by six points early at 14-8, but Clemson […]
UNC Men's Basketball in the 2026 ACC Tournament: How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Times
The 2026 ACC Tournament will take place in Charlotte this week. UNC received a double bye into Thursday’s quarterfinal round as the No. 4 seed in the field. The Tar Heels are seeking their first tournament title since 2016. If you aren’t following the team to Charlotte, here’s how you can follow along at home: […]
Chansky's Notebook: The X-Factor
With no Caleb Wilson for the remainder of the season, it’s up to UNC’s supporting cast to carry the water for the Tar Heels.
Chansky's Notebook: The State of Basketball
As usual, the state of North Carolina will be punching well above its weight in this year's NCAA Tournament.
UNC's Caleb Wilson Named First Team All-ACC, Henri Veesaar Named to Second Team
UNC’s Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar each earned All-ACC honors Monday afternoon. Wilson was named first team All-ACC, while Veesaar received a spot on the second team. Despite playing in just 24 games due to injuries, Wilson still finished as the UNC leader in steals (36), finished second in blocks (33, two behind Veesaar’s 35) […]
UNC Basketball in the AP Poll: Women Up to No. 15, Men Down to No. 19
Both the UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams made moves in the most recent AP Polls, which were released Monday. The women’s team moved up one spot to No. 15, while the men’s team slipped two spots to No. 19. On the men’s side, the Tar Heels dropped after splitting their final two games of […]
Caleb Wilson's Injury Stings for UNC Men's Basketball. Its Lack of Effort vs. Duke Stings Even More.
Whether UNC likes it or not, it will have to navigate the postseason without the services of injured freshman star Caleb Wilson.
No. 1 Duke Pulls Away in 2nd Half, Smothers UNC Men's Basketball in Regular-Season Finale
No. 1 Duke broke open what had been a five-point game at halftime with a smothering defensive performance in the second half, pulling away from UNC for a 76-61 win in the regular-season finale in Durham Saturday night. With Caleb Wilson sidelined after breaking his right thumb in practice during the week, the Carolina offense […]
›