Tar Heels ride Veesaar, Trimble to 89-82 win over Hokies

Carolina rallied to an 89-82 win over Virginia Tech after a sluggish first half, led by Henri Veesaar’s 26 points (12 in the second half) and Seth Trimble’s 20. The Heels tightened transition defense, shot better from the line (23 of 30) and received a strong bench contribution (21 in the first half, 32-13 edge overall). UNC improved to 17-0 at home, tying the program record for home wins and keeping pace for another undefeated Smith Center season. Caleb Wilson was unavailable, VT’s Tobi Lawal scored 16, and UNC’s 14 turnovers were a concern. Tuesday’s game vs. Clemson is senior night, with the ACC Tournament outlook favorable amid a tightened home-dominance streak.