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North Carolina defeated Virginia Tech 89-82 on Saturday night, but one of its star big men needed a jolt at halftime.
The Tar Heels went into the break tied 44-44 with Virginia Tech, a struggling but well-coached team desperate for a win as it lingered on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
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North Carolina had appeared to seize control early, building a 30-22 lead with under seven minutes left in the first half. But the Tar Heels allowed Virginia Tech to storm back with a 22-12 run to close the period and even the score. The Hokies took the lead several times in the final minutes and never trailed over the last 2:51, hitting seven of their final nine field-goal attempts.
“We had some spirited conversations at halftime,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “I want to dominate points in the paint. I felt like in the first half we were settling, not persistent in trying to get to the basket.”
That message was aimed, indirectly but unmistakably, at center Henri Veesaar.
Veesaar’s Second Half Explosion
Feb 28, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) scores in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Veesaar had eight points and three rebounds at halftime but went just 3-for-9 from the field, and at times, he wasn’t attacking the paint with authority. In the second half, that changed. He scored 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting after the break and added four rebounds.
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In all, the 7-foot Estonian finished with 26 points on 11-for-20 shooting and 2-for-7 from 3-point range, along with seven rebounds — his best outing on the glass since pulling down six against Miami.
Veesaar, who had recently dealt with a lower-body injury and the flu that caused him to miss two games, said he finally felt like himself.
“I felt great today because I finally felt in shape,” Veesaar said. “I didn’t get as tired as the last two games. Being able to go longer periods helped.”
Davis noticed the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/uncs-star-big-man-responds-012442395.html
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Publish date : 2026-03-02 01:24:00
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