Instant Analysis: Mistakes Trip UNC in Narrow Exhibition Loss to BYU

SALT LAKE CITY — Caleb Wilson outdueled AJ Dybantsa in a preseason collision of star freshmen. But collectively for North Carolina, it was a first look undone by too many mistakes.

>>> Welcome to the new home of Inside Carolina! Reactivate your account for $1 <<<

The Tar Heels fell short in a 78-76 loss to BYU on Friday night at the Delta Center, as 19 turnovers and 22 fouls proved problematic here in this high-profile exhibition game.

Wilson supplied 22 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots, while UNC teammates Seth Trimble (17 points, seven rebounds) and Henri Veesaar (14 points, eight rebounds) added productive contributions.

At the end, the Tar Heels trailed by two with 5.5 seconds remaining. Wilson’s inbounds pass in the frontcourt went to Veesaar at the top of the key. Veesaar bounced a feed to the cutting Trimble, streaking in with a head of steam on a straight line from midcourt. And BYU’s 6-foot-9 Keba Keita denied the 6-3 Trimble in the paint during the game’s dying seconds.

Dybantsa’s 18 points topped four Cougars in double-digit scoring. UNC (No. 25) and BYU (No. 8) are ranked in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, and both teams are 10 days away from their respective Nov. 3 season openers.

Thirty-four NBA scouts from 21 organizations showed up on this night in Utah, drawn no doubt by the matchup between the 6-10 Wilson and 6-9 Dybantsa, the freshman sensations who are among the elite recruits entering college basketball this season.

Carolina led 68-64 with about five minutes left on Wilson’s attacking drive. Later, the 7-footer Veesaar’s bucket off the glass gave the Tar Heels their last lead at 70-69. BYU’s Kennard Davis Jr. buried a corner 3-pointer off an assist from Robert Wright III to break a 71-71 tie with 2:01 to go, lifting the Cougars ahead to stay.

UNC trailed 78-73 in the final 15 seconds, when Trimble sank three free throws after being fouled by Dybantsa on a 3-point attempt. Then, BYU’s Richie Saunders missed a pair of free throws with 9.5 seconds remaining,, leaving the door open for the Tar Heels to force overtime or perhaps win on their last possession with 5.5 seconds left.

The Cougars got 16 points and 10 rebounds from the strongman Keita, 14 points from Saunders, and 12 points and five assists from Wright. Dybantsa, who pumped in 30 points last week in BYU’s exhibition opener at Nebraska, chipped in eight rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots here on Friday night against UNC.

The new-look Tar Heels opened with a starting lineup of Colorado State transfer Kyan Evans and Alabama transfer Jarin Stevenson alongside Wilson, Trimble and the Arizona transfer Veesaar. Carolina’s waiting game for Luka Bogavac continued Friday night. He has gained clearance from the NCAA to play this season, but his playing eligibility status hasn’t been fully resolved by UNC. Bogavac traveled to Salt Lake City with the Tar Heels, but wasn’t in uniform for this exhibition game.

Tar Heels Trail After Sloppy First Half

UNC trailed 39-35 by halftime, after a first half bothered by sloppiness and disjointedness. During the final 90 seconds prior to the half, reserve big man James Brown picked up two offensive fouls while setting ball screens on back-to-back possessions. Those mistakes left the Tar Heels with 11 turnovers and 11 fouls as a team.

Wilson (10 points) and Derek Dixon (seven points) topped Carolina in scoring in the first half. Kyan Evans’ two fouls during the game’s opening 3½ minutes parked him on the Carolina bench for most of the first half. The freshman Dixon took over the lead guard duties, and Trimble filled in at the point some, too, with Evans in first-half foul trouble.

The Tar Heels started 0-for-5 from 3-point range, before Jarin Stevenson drilled a catch-and-shoot from the wing and Dixon dribbled off a screen for a swish from straight on. Those 3s fueled an 8-0 run, tying the score at 18-18.

Dybantsa had 11 points on 3-for-8 shooting from the field by halftime. UNC’s Stevenson and Trimble came up with sturdy individual defensive plays on drives by the highly regarded BYU freshman to force first-half turnovers. Later, Wilson’s blocked shot on Dybantsa helped the Tar Heels force the Cougars into a shot clock violation — and Wilson was fired up about the stop on defense.

Next on the Schedule

Carolina has its final preseason tune-up in five days, with an Oct. 29 exhibition game against Division II program Winston-Salem State. That matchup at the Smith Center continues Hubert Davis’ pledge of having the Tar Heels play in-state historically Black colleges for home exhibition games, as UNC has done now in all of his five seasons as head coach.

Then, the regular season gets underway on Nov. 3 against Central Arkansas, followed four nights later by a blue-blooded showdown with No. 19 Kansas and highly touted freshman Darryn Peterson. UNC opens the regular-season schedule with five straight games at home (visits from Central Arkansas, Kansas, Radford, NC Central and Navy).