- Matchup: East Carolina Pirates vs North Carolina Tar Heels
- Date: Monday, December 22, 2025
- Venue: Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, NC
- Broadcast: ACC Network
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The North Carolina Tar Heels (10-1) are set to collide with the East Carolina Pirates (5-7) at the Dean E. Smith Center this coming Monday.
In their previous game, the East Carolina Pirates triumphed over Presbyterian, securing a win with a score of 74-53. The Pirates recorded 14 personal fouls, while Presbyterian faced 22. From beyond the arc, East Carolina struggled, making just 1 of their 11 attempts from three-point range. Presbyterian managed a free throw conversion rate of 71.4%, successfully hitting 10 out of 14 attempts. They grabbed 22 rebounds, split between 8 offensive and 14 defensive boards, but did not register any blocks. Presbyterian also accounted for 8 assists and 8 steals. On the defensive end, East Carolina held Presbyterian to 39.6% shooting, allowing 21 of 53 shots to fly in. The Pirates dished out 13 assists, created 18 turnovers, and recorded 8 steals, while collecting a total of 24 rebounds, with 3 of them being offensive. At the charity stripe, East Carolina made 22 of 26 attempts, earning an impressive 84.6%. Overall, they concluded the game with a field goal shooting percentage of 54.5% (24 of 44) and were 4 for 12 from three-point territory.
Jordan Riley stood out during this game, scoring 24 points on 8-for-14 shooting, playing for 39 minutes, and securing 4 rebounds along with 3 assists while achieving a shooting percentage of 57.1%.
East Carolina enters this matchup with a season record of 5-7. They average 13.7 turnovers per game and commit 16.3 personal fouls on average. As a team, they secure 35.8 rebounds per contest and have accumulated 130 assists this season, ranking 334th nationally for assists. The Pirates have a three-point shooting percentage of 25.9% (57 of 220) and convert 71.2% of free throw attempts. They score an average of 68.4 points per game, placing them 330th in the nation, while shooting 40.7% from the field.
Defensively, the Pirates force an average of 12.8 turnovers per game and commit 20.6 personal fouls. They rank 256th in D-1 for assists allowed, with 165 given up this season. Opponents shoot at a clip of 45.1% (314 of 696) against them, while East Carolina allows an average of 33.8 rebounds per game. Opponents convert 34.3% of their three-point attempts, ranking the Pirates 212th for points allowed (74.3 per game).
In their last outing, the North Carolina Tar Heels achieved a convincing victory over East Tennessee State, ending with a score of 77-58. The Tar Heels secured 28 defensive rebounds, along with 7 offensive rebounds for a total of 35 in this matchup. They turned the ball over 7 times while recording 3 steals. East Tennessee State committed 19 personal fouls, sending the Tar Heels to the free throw line 23 times, where they converted 15 for a shooting percentage of 65.2%. North Carolina hit 8 of 25 attempts from beyond the arc (32.0%) and ended the game with a 54.0% shooting rate (27 of 50). They held East Tennessee State to just 20 of 52 shots from the field, resulting in a 38.5% success rate. The Tar Heels also allowed East Tennessee State 21 total rebounds, including 5 offensive boards.
Henri Veesaar was a key performer for North Carolina in this game, scoring 26 points in 28 minutes and contributing 2 assists. He had an exceptional shooting performance, making 10 of 11 attempts, yielding a remarkable field goal percentage of 90.9%, along with 8 rebounds.
The North Carolina Tar Heels currently boast a record of 10-1 for the season. They commit 14.8 fouls each game, shooting 69.6% from the free throw line. The Tar Heels average 16.5 assists (80th in D-1) and average 10.2 turnovers per game. With 888 points scored this season (averaging 80.7 per game), they also record an impressive 42.1 rebounds per game. Offensively, North Carolina achieves a shooting percentage of 47.2%, ranking them 101st among college teams.
The Tar Heels’ defense allows 30.3% shooting from distance (74 of 244) and their opponents convert 70.2% of their free throw attempts. North Carolina concedes an average of 10.5 assists and 32.6 rebounds per game, ranking them 30th and 97th in D-1 respectively. Their defensive stats show they rank 18th in points allowed per game at 64.1. They force opponents into 9.4 turnovers every game and restrict teams to a shooting percentage of 37.0% (10th in college basketball).
Who will claim victory in tonight’s NCAA action against the spread?
Recommendation: Back North Carolina
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