Caleb Wilson's 21-point night carries No. 12 North Carolina past East Carolina

Field Level Media|published: Mon 22nd December, 22:57 2025

Dec 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) celebrates during the first half against the East Carolina Pirates at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Freshman phenom Caleb Wilson scored 21 points to tie a 50-year-old North Carolina record and lead the No. 12 Tar Heels to a 99-51 victory over visiting East Carolina Monday night in Chapel Hill.

The 6-foot-10 Wilson reached the 20-point plateau for the fifth straight game. He's the first freshman to score 20 or more in five straight since Phil Ford set the record from Feb. 25-March 8, 1975. The forward also pulled down 12 rebounds to register his ninth double-double of the season

Playing in their final nonconference tune-up before starting Atlantic Coast Conference competition next week, the Tar Heels (12-1) looked sharp. They scored a season high in points, thanks in large part to season highs in 12 3-pointers and 48% shooting (12 of 25) from beyond the 3-point arc.

Wilson was one of four Tar Heels to score in double figures. Henri Veesaar finished with 16 points, hitting four of his five 3-pointers, and grabbed 10 rebounds. Luka Bogavac added 15, and Seth Trimble had 12 points and five assists in his second game back after missing nine games because of a broken left arm.

East Carolina, one of the nation's poorer shooting teams in the country, struggled from the tip against a strong Tar Heels defense. The Pirates, who rank 338th in Division I in field-goal shooting (40.7%), missed 11 of their first 12 shots as the hosts built a 17-4 lead with 12:28 to go in the opening half.

They would manage to make just 28.2% (11 of 39) in the first half, as the Tar Heels took a 49-26 lead at halftime. Jordan Riley, who entered Monday tied for 10th nationally and leading the American Athletic Conference, averaging 21.7 points per game, missed 11 of his 13 shots as he scored just four points in the first half.

Giovanni Emejuru scored 21 points on 8 of 11 shooting and grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds to lead the Pirates. Riley added 11, but went 4-for-24 from the floor as East Carolina shot a season-low 26% (19 of 73).

The Pirates also entered Monday as the nation's second-worst 3-point shooting team at 25.9%. That mark will drop as East Carolina went 2-for-22 (9.1%) from the perimeter, also a season low.

--Field Level Media

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