- Matchup: East Tennessee State Buccaneers vs North Carolina Tar Heels
- Event Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2025
- Venue: Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, NC
- Broadcast: ACC Network
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The East Tennessee State Buccaneers (8-3) will visit the Dean E. Smith Center on Tuesday, aiming to take down the North Carolina Tar Heels (9-1).
In their last contest, the East Tennessee State Buccaneers faced off against Austin Peay, suffering a narrow defeat with a final score of 76-75. The Buccaneers accrued 18 personal fouls, while Austin Peay recorded 11. From beyond the arc, they hit 11 of their 33 attempts. Austin Peay excelled at the free-throw line, making 15 of 17 shots for an impressive 88.2%. The Buccaneers managed to grab 32 rebounds—8 on offense—while allowing Austin Peay to claim 34, including 9 offensive boards. East Tennessee State showcased solid defensive efforts with 17 assists and 8 steals, forcing 11 turnovers. They converted 11 of 14 free throws (78.6%) and ended with a shooting percentage of 45.9% on 28 of 61 attempts.
Brian Taylor played a key role in the game, shooting 57.1% from the field and dishing out 3 assists. He logged 33 minutes on the court, pulled down 4 rebounds, and scored a total of 19 points on 8 of 14 shooting.
Entering this matchup, East Tennessee State holds a record of 8-3. They average 11.8 turnovers and 16.0 personal fouls per game. The Buccaneers are collecting 37.3 rebounds per game and have registered 180 assists this season, ranking them 77th in Division 1 for ball movement. They are making 32.4% of their three-point attempts (90 of 278) and 70.9% from the free-throw line, averaging 80.7 points per game (121st in the nation) while shooting 49.1% overall.
Defensively, the Buccaneers force 15.4 turnovers each contest while drawing 13.5 fouls. They allow opponents a 30.4% shooting percentage from three-point range and rank 30th in points allowed per game (65.5). They have permitted a field-goal percentage of 39.0% (247 of 633) and allow 33.2 rebounds on average.
In their last game, the North Carolina Tar Heels secured a victory against USC Upstate, winning 80-62. The Tar Heels recorded 29 defensive rebounds and 7 on the offensive end for a total of 36. They turned the ball over 6 times while documenting 5 steals. USC Upstate committed 15 fouls, which led to 22 free-throw attempts for North Carolina, of which they converted 14 (63.6%). From beyond the arc, the Tar Heels made 10 of their 23 attempts (43.5%). Overall, North Carolina shot 28 for 55 from the field, achieving 50.9%, while USC Upstate shot 37.9% on 25 of 66 attempts.
Caleb Wilson was a standout performer for the Tar Heels, tallying 20 points in 32 minutes and contributing 3 assists. He shot an impressive 6 for 7 from the floor (85.7%) and grabbed 11 rebounds.
North Carolina currently boasts a 9-1 record this season. They average 14.8 fouls per game and are shooting 70.0% from the free-throw line. The team records 16.4 assists per game (88th in the nation) while averaging 10.5 turnovers. With a total of 811 points this season (81.1 points per game), they also average 42.8 rebounds. Offensively, the Tar Heels have a shooting percentage of 46.6%, ranking 138th nationally.
Defensively, the Tar Heels are ranked 22nd in the nation, permitting just 64.7 points per game. They force their opponents into 9.6 turnovers and have allowed a 36.9% shooting percentage from the floor (9th in college basketball). The Tar Heels limit opponents to 30.3% on three-point attempts (67 of 221) and allow 70.3% from the charity stripe. Furthermore, they relinquish an average of 10.5 assists and 33.6 rebounds per game, which places them 32nd and 135th in the country, respectively.
Who emerges victorious in tonight’s NCAA face-off against the spread?
Prediction: Choose North Carolina
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