Instant Analysis: UNC Works Through Bumps, Dispatches Radford

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina avoided getting caught in a post-Kansas hangover on Tuesday night, while working through a number of hiccups along the way.

The 18th-ranked Tar Heels subdued Radford 89-74 at the Smith Center, in their first game without injured senior leader Seth Trimble.

Luka Bogavac’s 19 points led four scorers in double digits for UNC, which navigated an injury scare when Jarin Stevenson went down in pain less that 90 seconds into the game. Meanwhile, first-half foul issues delayed Caleb Wilson’s impact. And the Tar Heels’ misses piled up from 3-point range (8-for-31) and the free throw line (31-for-49).

Still, Carolina (3-0) was able to build a lead as wide as 26 points in the second half. Trimble looked on with a cast on his left arm, the result of surgery to repair a broken bone in his forearm suffered during a team workout on Sunday.

Henri Veesaar (18 points, seven rebounds), Stevenson (15 points, seven rebounds through a sprained ankle) and Wilson (13 points, 14 rebounds for his first career double-double) added productive contributions for the Tar Heels. Bogavac chipped in five assists. He took Trimble’s place in the UNC lineup, made his first start and went on to finish 7-for-18 from the field, including 3-for-11 from 3-point range, after missing his first six shots.

Wilson’s follow dunk on Bogavac’s missed 3-pointer put UNC ahead 54-36 about four minutes into the second half, prompting a timeout from Radford coach Zach Chu. Later, the Tar Heels stretched their lead to 82-56 with 6:16 remaining, when Bogavac buried a 3 from the wing and celebrated with a big air punch.

As a league, ACC teams opened the night a combined 39-1 in non-conference matchups on the new college basketball season. Dennis Parker Jr. and Del Jones, Radford’s pair of ACC transfer portal acquisitions from NC State and Clemson, respectively, paced the Highlanders (2-1) here. Parker pumped in 23 points and Jones scored 22 points.

Tar Heels Deal with Eventful First Half

UNC led 44-31 by halftime, after Radford’s Parker scored underneath just prior to the first-half horn. That capped a rather eventful first half for the Tar Heels that included an injury scare for Stevenson, foul trouble for Wilson, and 10 straight misses from 3-point range.

Veesaar’s 11 first-half points topped Carolina. Radford held a couple of leads across the course of the first half, and this game was tied 22-22 with six minutes remaining before halftime. Jonathan Powell, Bogavac and Derek Dixon knocked down three 3-point makes during the last 4½ minutes to help UNC gain some separation.

But the Tar Heels were just 14-for-24 on free throws by halftime. And Wilson (four points, four rebounds) hadn’t been able to get his array of high-flying skills going due to the fouls. The freshman phenom picked up his third foul at the 5:39 mark of the first half, and had to park himself on the UNC bench again.

Parker’s 13 first-half points fueled the Highlanders. Just 85 seconds into Tuesday night’s game, Stevenson landed awkwardly in pain, grabbing at his right ankle as UNC guard Kyan Evans pulled down Parker on a Radford fast break. Stevenson headed down the tunnel for further evaluation in the UNC locker room. Then, he came back at the 9:16 mark of the first half, telling assistant coach Brad Frederick as he returned from the locker room. Frederick informed coach Hubert Davis, and Stevenson re-entered the game.

Next on the Schedule

Carolina plays the fourth of its five straight home games to begin the new season on Friday night, when NC Central visits the Smith Center. The Eagles (0-3) of the MEAC meet Bluefield State, a Division II program, on Wednesday night.

This season marks the first time UNC has opened with five consecutive home assignments since 1918-19. Back then, that stretch included two games against the Durham YMCA, and one game apiece against Guilford, Wake Forest and Elon.

UNC leads NC Central 3-0 in the all-time series. Next week, the Tar Heels’ matchup against Navy (on Nov. 18) marks their final home date, before squaring off against St. Bonaventure (on Nov. 25) and Michigan State (on Thanksgiving Day) in the Fort Myers Tip-Off.