The North Carolina Tar Heels faced arguably their toughest, late-2025 basketball test on Thanksgiving Day, facing Michigan State in a battle of Top-20 teams.
The Tar Heels and Spartans traded blows early. Caleb Wilson and Coen Carr treated fans to a series of highlight-reel dunks, leading many to believe Thursday's game would result in a high-flying, offensive explosion.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThursday's game was quite the opposite. Michigan State pulled away in the second half, UNC seemingly couldn't make a shot and the boys in Carolina Blue lost, 74-58.
The Tar Heels (6-1) shot a season-worst 38 percent (21-of-55) from the field, including an ice-cold 17 percent (4-of-23) from deep. Jarin Stevenson, Henri Veesaar, Luka Bogavac and Jonathan Powell each made a 3-pointer, but no one found a rhythm from deep.
North Carolina's defense wasn't bad at all, holding the Spartans (7-0) to 74 points. The only issue was, UNC couldn't counter stops with points of its own.
Veesaar played a solid game down low (13 points, six rebounds), but Michigan State won the battle down low The Spartans out-scored a taller Tar Heels team, 46-34, in the paint. MSU forward Jaxon Kohler recorded a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Carson Cooper scored 14 points and added six rebounds.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementVeesaar single-handedly led North Carolina back into Thursday's game, scoring his team's first nine points of the second half. UNC couldn't ward off the Spartans' hot shooting, while suffering through a half-long cold spell of its own.
Take a look at these five takeaways from Thursday's Thanksgiving loss. The Tar Heels don't need to panic, but they have issues to address.
Seth Trimble is missed
Nov 11, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) watches from the bench in the second half against the Radford Highlanders at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn ImagesLuka Bogavac is holding the fort down in Seth Trimble's absence, but Trimble's defensive presence is missed. Bogavac brings the veteran leadership Trimble has, but he's in his first season playing college basketball.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBogavac made just four shots on Thursday night, dishing out five assists. UNC will continue relying on Bogavac until Trimble returns, which will be in early winter.
Perimeter shooting hasn't improved at all
Nov 25, 2025; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kyan Evans (0) reacts after a basket against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in the first half at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn ImagesIt's hard for a team to win basketball games when it only makes four threes. UNC drained just four of its 23 attempts in Thursday's loss to Michigan State.
Veesaar was arguably UNC's best perimeter shooter, making one of his two attempts. Bogavac struggled in particular, making just one of his six attempted threes.
The Tar Heels have to find solutions from deep fast.
Michigan State knew how to slow down Caleb Wilson
Michigan State Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) drives to the basket as North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) guards him during the second half of the Fort Myers Tip-Off Beach Division game at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025.Wilson had a respectable game against the Spartans, scoring a UNC-best 18 points and grabbing seven rebounds, including a couple highlight-reel dunks.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMSU made Wilson largely a non-factor in the second half. All great players go through cold stretches, but good teams need their best players to deliver.
Wilson will be just fine, but the Tar Heels need to step up around him.
UNC was outplayed in the paint
Nov 25, 2025; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Michigan State Spartans center Carson Cooper (15) reacts after beating the East Carolina Pirates at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn ImagesVeesaar vs. Carson Cooper. Wilson vs. Jaxon Kohler. Cooper and Kohler won this battle against UNC. The Spartans 46 points in the paint, compared to 34 for the Tar Heels.
UNC struggles without its frontcourt starters
Michigan State Spartans forward Coen Carr (55) is stopped by North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) and forward Jarin Stevenson (15) while going for a lay up during the second half of the Fort Myers Tip-Off Beach Division game at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025.UNC gave Wilson and Veesaar a much-needed rest late in the first half. The Tar Heels couldn't score during this stretch, while Michigan State took advantage of Wilson and Veesaar's absence.
North Carolina needs its reserve big men to step up.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Takeaways from Thanksgiving Day loss against MSU
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