- Matchup: Ohio State Buckeyes vs North Carolina Tar Heels
- Scheduled Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025
- Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
- Broadcast: ESPN+
This page may include affiliate links at no extra cost to you, thanks for your support.
On Saturday, State Farm Arena will host the North Carolina Tar Heels (10-1) as they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes (8-2).
In their latest matchup, the Ohio State Buckeyes faced off against West Virginia and secured a narrow victory, winning 89-88. Both teams committed personal fouls, with the Buckeyes totaling 22 and West Virginia 21. Ohio State managed to sink 12 of their 26 attempts from beyond the arc, while West Virginia shot 76.5% from the free-throw line, converting 26 of 34 attempts. The Buckeyes collected 40 rebounds, including 12 on offense, while allowing West Virginia to grab 35 boards (11 offensive). Ohio State also recorded 19 assists, forced 17 turnovers, and logged 6 steals, holding their opponents to a field goal percentage of 39.7% on 25 of 63 shooting. The team finished with a field goal percentage of 44.4% (32 of 72) and came through at the stripe with 21 successful free throws out of 25 attempts for an impressive 84.0% conversion rate.
Bruce Thornton stood out in this contest, shooting 47.1% from the field, dishing out 4 assists, and contributing significantly with 23 points on 8 of 17 shooting, while also grabbing 3 rebounds.
Ohio State enters this game boasting an 8-2 record. They average 11.2 turnovers per game while committing 17.9 fouls. The Buckeyes average 37.3 rebounds and have accumulated 171 assists this season, ranking 126th nationally. From three-point range, Ohio State shoots 34.8% (86 of 247) and maintains a free-throw percentage of 77.9%. They score an average of 87.6 points per game, positioning them 40th in the nation, and shoot 51.2% from the field.
Defensively, Ohio State forces 12.2 turnovers per game and draws 21.4 fouls. They limit opponents to 30.4% shooting from downtown and allow an average of 72.9 points per game, ranking 176th in Division I. Their defense permits a field goal percentage of 41.8% (255 of 610) while hauling in 31.3 rebounds per game. They rank 76th in assist defense, allowing 124 assists throughout the season.
In their last match, the North Carolina Tar Heels triumphed over East Tennessee State with a score of 77-58. The Tar Heels secured 35 rebounds (28 defensive and 7 offensive) and committed only 7 turnovers while recording 3 steals. East Tennessee State committed 19 fouls, sending North Carolina to the free-throw line 23 times, where they converted 15 for a 65.2% success rate. From beyond the arc, North Carolina made 8 of their 25 attempts (32.0%) and finished the game shooting 54.0% (27 of 50). They limited East Tennessee State to 38.5% shooting (20 of 52) and allowed 21 total rebounds (5 offensive).
Henri Veesaar was a key contributor for the Tar Heels in this game, making 10 of 11 attempts for an impressive 90.9% shooting accuracy, along with 8 rebounds and 26 points in just 28 minutes.
North Carolina enters this contest with a solid record of 10-1. Offensively, the Tar Heels are shooting 47.2% from the field, which ranks 106th in the nation. They have scored 888 points this season, averaging 80.7 points per game, while averaging 42.1 rebounds and dishing out 16.5 assists per game, ranking 79th nationally. They also average 10.2 turnovers per game and commit 14.8 fouls, converting 69.6% at the charity stripe.
On the defensive side, the Tar Heels rank 19th in points per game allowed with 64.1. They force their opponents into an average of 9.4 turnovers per game and restrict teams to a shooting percentage of 37.0% (10th in the country). North Carolina limits opponents to 30.3% from three-point range and they allow 70.2% shooting from the free-throw line. Typically, they surrender 10.5 assists and 32.6 rebounds per game, ranking 29th and 95th nationally, respectively.
Which team will emerge victorious in tonight’s NCAA showdown?
Prediction: Opt for North Carolina
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up or make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission always at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping us keep this site running.
