CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Dec. 16, 2025) - A valiant first half gave way to one of the nation's top teams flexing its might in the frontcourt.

The ETSU men's basketball team fell 77-58 to #12 North Carolina at the Dean Smith Center on Tuesday night in their penultimate nonconference game of 2025-26.

Proceedings started auspiciously for the Tar Heels (10-1) when forward Caleb Wilson opened the night with a three on the opening possession and Henri Veesaar followed with a jumper and a layup. The Buccaneers (8-4) answered each time with a three from Jordan McCullum, then a jumper from McCullum in close and a layup from Blake Barkley. Barkley answered a Wilson layup to tie the game at 9-9 with 4:28 gone in the first half.

After UNC got a three from Derek Dixon 6:21 into the game - their first points not scored by Wilson or Veesaar - Jaylen Smith scored the first points for an ETSU guard with a three with 12:05 to go, and ETSU took the lead at 17-16 on a triple by Brian Taylor II as part of a 9-3 run that saw ETSU leading 21-19 with 7:18 remaining in the first half. The Tar Heels outscored the Bucs 19-9 over the remainder of the half including nine points from Veesaar to take a 38-30 lead into the half which they added to with a 7-0 run to start the second half that put UNC in firm control of the game with a 15 point lead.

Taylor led the Bucs with 14 points and three assists. Barkley had 11 points and McCullum had nine points and a team-leading seven rebounds. Veesaar scored a career-high 26 for the Tar Heels complemented by 20 points from Wilson, his sixth 20-point game of his freshman year.

ETSU returns to friendlier, freshly upgraded confines on Saturday with a visit from Jacksonville State. Saturday is Military Appreciation Day, with active and retired military admitted for $5 at the box office with the presentation of a military ID. Tipoff is set for 4:00pm, and tickets are available at ETSUTickets.com.

For more information on ETSU men's basketball, go to ETSUBucs.com.