Wilson and Veesaar Ignite No. 22 North Carolina’s Dominant 91-69 Victory Over Notre Dame—Can Anyone Stop Their Momentum?

In a captivating display of grit and skill, No. 22 North Carolina shook off a shaky defensive spell to decisively topple Notre Dame 91-69 on Wednesday night in Chapel Hill. Caleb Wilson dazzled with 22 points, while towering teammate Henri Veesaar powered his way to a double-double, sparking the Tar Heels to a much-needed win after a rough patch marked by struggles on the perimeter. The Fighting Irish, hampered by the absence of their star Markus Burton due to surgery, couldn’t keep pace as North Carolina drained a season-high 13 three-pointers, lighting up the arena with a 50.8% shooting night that left their ACC rivals grasping at straws. A game that swung early and never looked back, fueled by quick strikes and unrelenting pressure, showcased the Tar Heels’ resilience and potential as they eye their next challenge on the road. LEARN MORE

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Caleb Wilson had 22 points while frontcourt mate Henri Veesaar added a double-double to help No. 22 North Carolina beat Notre Dame 91-69 on Wednesday night.

The 7-foot Veesaar had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Tar Heels (15-4, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who had lost three of four amid an abrupt defensive downturn — notably against shots from behind the arc.

The Tar Heels didn’t have any trouble this time, with the Fighting Irish (10-9, 1-5) struggling since losing leading scorer Markus Burton to left-ankle surgery in early December. North Carolina got off to a fast start from outside and kept firing, making a season-high 13 3-pointers while shooting 50.8% overall to send the Irish to a fifth straight loss.

The Tar Heels led 42-33 at halftime, then rolled out of the break with 10 unanswered points to blow the game open — powered by Veesaar’s immediate jumper, a 3-pointer and a layup during the spurt.

Wilson was strong out of the gate while working more in the post, with the star freshman finishing 8 for 11 from the field to go with seven rebounds and five assists.

Sir Mohammed scored 14 points, while Jalen Haralson added 13 to lead Notre Dame, which shot 36%. The Fighting Irish did manage to shoot well from outside early, but Notre Dame went just 2 of 13 on 3s after halftime and finished the game at 8 for 25 (32%).

That was notable considering UNC’s struggles stopping the 3 since the start of ACC play. Entering Wednesday’s game, the Tar Heels had allowed five ACC opponents to make 70 of 156 3-pointers (44.9%) for an average of 14 made 3s per game.

Up next

Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish host Boston College on Saturday.

UNC: The Tar Heels visit No. 14 Virginia on Saturday.

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