It was a chilly evening in Chapel Hill, but the action inside the Dean E. Smith Center was anything but cold as the No. 12 North Carolina Tar Heels hosted the Florida State Seminoles for their ACC opener on December 30, 2025. With tip-off set for 7 p.m. ET and the game broadcast live on ESPN2, fans across the country tuned in to see if the Tar Heels could extend their dominance at home, or if the Seminoles could shake off their early-season struggles and pull off a major upset.
Coming into the matchup, North Carolina was heavily favored. The betting lines reflected the Tar Heels’ strong start to the season, with UNC favored by as much as 15.5 points and a moneyline of -1471, while Florida State entered the game as +848 underdogs. The over/under hovered around 164 points, but many experts were leaning toward the under, given both teams’ recent trends.
The Seminoles, under first-year head coach Luke Loucks, had endured a rollercoaster start to their campaign. After opening with a promising 5-1 record, Florida State stumbled through a five-game losing streak. Though they managed to rebound with victories over Mississippi Valley State and Jacksonville, their non-conference slate left much to be desired. Picked to finish 15th in the ACC preseason poll, the Seminoles were 0-6 in Quad 1-3 games and had yet to notch a signature win. Their closest brush with glory came in a nail-biter against No. 10 Florida, where they fell just short, 78-76, in Gainesville.
Florida State’s fast-paced style—ranked sixth nationally in adjusted tempo—was a marked shift from the methodical approach favored by former coach Leonard Hamilton. Point guard Robert McCray V was at the heart of this new look, averaging 13.5 points and 7.1 assists per game, which tied him for the conference lead and ranked seventh nationally. Still, the Seminoles’ frenetic pace often led to defensive lapses, as they sat 114th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 113th in adjusted defensive efficiency. Their scoring differential was a respectable +87, averaging 85.0 points per game (61st in the country), but their defense allowed 78.3 points per game, ranking a lowly 296th.
On the perimeter, Florida State proved dangerous, connecting on 11.4 three-pointers per game—good for 10th nationally—but their accuracy lagged at 31.4%. Defensively, they allowed opponents to hit 8.2 threes per game at a 32.4% clip. It was clear the Seminoles could light it up from deep, but consistency remained elusive.
Meanwhile, North Carolina entered the game with a 12-1 record and a reputation for stifling defense. The Tar Heels boasted a +232 scoring differential, outscoring opponents by an average of 17.9 points per contest. Their defense was particularly impressive, allowing just 63.5 points per game—14th best in the nation. UNC’s frontcourt was the envy of college basketball, anchored by the dynamic duo of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar. Wilson, a freshman phenom, averaged 19.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game, while Veesaar chipped in 16.8 points and 9.2 rebounds. The pair had already posted six games where both recorded double-doubles, putting them on pace to challenge historic marks set by Tar Heel legends Tyler Hansborough and Antwan Jamison.
UNC’s defensive prowess was underscored by their ranking—second in Division I for two-point field-goal percentage defense and first in effective field goal percentage defense. However, the Tar Heels did have a weakness: they struggled to force turnovers, ranking 339th in turnover percentage. Offensively, the team was solid but not spectacular from beyond the arc, hitting 33.6% of their threes (199th in the nation) and averaging 8.5 triples per game. Their perimeter defense, however, limited opponents to just 28.0% from deep.
In the backcourt, point guard Kyan Evans contributed 5.8 points and 3.9 assists per game, but his shooting percentage hovered below 40%. The return of senior Seth Trimble from a broken forearm provided a timely boost; in two games back, he averaged 14.5 points, three rebounds, and four assists, offering veteran leadership and stability.
The stage was set for a classic contrast in styles: Florida State’s up-tempo, run-and-gun offense versus North Carolina’s disciplined, defense-first approach. The Tar Heels, ranked 214th in adjusted tempo, were on pace to finish outside the top 100 in pace for the first time since 2003. Yet, their methodical style had paid dividends, as they held all 13 opponents to fewer than 75 points—their best defensive streak to start a season in four decades.
Once the ball was tipped, the Seminoles came out with energy, looking to push the pace and test UNC’s vaunted interior defense. But as the game unfolded, it became clear that North Carolina’s size and discipline would be tough to overcome. Caleb Wilson once again led the charge for the Tar Heels, dominating on both ends of the floor and recording another double-double. According to Inside Carolina, "Caleb Wilson dominated with another double-double as 12th-ranked North Carolina pulled away from Florida State for a 79-66 win in the ACC opener for both."
Florida State hung tough in the early going, but as the second half wore on, UNC’s depth and defensive intensity began to tell. The Seminoles struggled to find consistent offense against the Tar Heels’ interior, and their reliance on the three-point shot proved insufficient. North Carolina’s ability to limit second-chance points and control the glass was key, as they steadily built their lead and eventually cruised to victory.
The win improved North Carolina’s record in ACC home openers to an astonishing 65-8. Head coach Hubert Davis addressed the media after the game, expressing satisfaction with his team’s performance and the continued development of his young stars. The Tar Heels’ 79-66 victory was not just another tick in the win column—it was a statement that this team, despite preseason doubts, was a force to be reckoned with in the ACC.
For Florida State, the loss underscored the challenges facing a young team still searching for its identity under new leadership. While Robert McCray V continued to impress as a playmaker, the Seminoles’ inability to secure a marquee win left them with more questions than answers heading into the heart of conference play.
As the final buzzer sounded, North Carolina fans celebrated another successful home opener, while the Seminoles were left to regroup and refocus. For the Tar Heels, the path forward looks promising, with a blend of youthful talent and veteran savvy fueling high hopes for a deep postseason run. Florida State, on the other hand, will need to find consistency and resilience if they hope to climb the ACC ladder this season.
