Henri Veesaar’s career-highs of 24 points and 13 rebounds led No. 16 North Carolina to an 85-70 victory over St. Bonaventure Tuesday night in Fort Myers, Fla. Tipoff.
Caleb Wilson scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Kyan Evans, who made three 3-pointers, added 11 points and Luka Bogavac scored 10 points for the Tar Heels (6-0), who played away for the first time this season. North Carolina won its first six games of a season for the first time since 2016-17.
Darryl Simmons II scored 22 points and Frank Mitchell had 18 points and six rebounds to lead St. Bonaventure (5-1).
Veesaar and Wilson were too much in the lane for the smaller Bonnies to handle. Wilson had nine points by halftime and he finished 10 of 10 on free throws to continue one of the best career starts in North Carolina team history.
Veesaar, a transfer from Arizona, and Wilson powered North Carolina’s 40-31 rebounding advantage. Wilson has double-digit rebounds in four straight games.
The Tar Heels shot 50.9 percent from the floor, compared to St. Bonaventure’s 41.4 percent. North Carolina took better care of the ball with two turnovers in the second half after rough stretches in the first half.
North Carolina rode a 7-0 spurt, with Wilson providing the first five points, early in the second half to take a 47-38 lead. Evans hit a triple that sparked another 9-0 run, and the Tar Heels were in complete control at 58-43 with 12:40 left.
North Carolina took an 11-point lead and then allowed the Bonnies to tie the game at 28-28. They briefly led 30-28 on Andrew Osasuyi’s dunk before the Tar Heels took a 35-33 advantage into halftime.
The Tar Heels made three of their first four 3-pointers, then went cold. But the biggest problems were 11 turnovers in the first half, including giveaways on four straight possessions. Mitchell and Simmons each had 10 points at the break for St. Bonaventure.
The event involves predetermined confrontations. Thursday’s games include North Carolina vs. Michigan State and St. Bonaventure vs. East Carolina.
–Field level media
