North Carolina defeats Florida St 79-66

North Carolina Takes Down Florida St at Home, 79-66

The Tar Heels proved too much for the visiting Seminoles on New Year's Eve, emerging with a convincing 13-point victory in Chapel Hill.

North Carolina, playing in front of its home crowd, utilized its depth and balance to outlast Florida St. Caleb Wilson led the way for UNC, scoring 22 points while grabbing 16 rebounds and dishing out six assists. This well-rounded effort propelled him to double-doubles, as he also chipped in with 6 assists.

Florida St struggled to keep up with North Carolina's pace, particularly on offense. Despite putting up 34 first-half points, the Seminoles were only able to manage 32 after halftime. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels capitalized on their home-court advantage, dominating in terms of field goal percentage (43.0% vs. 35.0%) and free throw shooting (70.0% vs. 57.0%).

The game's turning point came midway through the second half, when North Carolina's size and depth began to tell. With the Tar Heels up by just four points, they managed to build a lead as large as 16 at one point in the fourth quarter.

Chauncey Wiggins led Florida St with 16 points, but his shooting percentages were underwhelming (35.7% FG). His counterpart on the other end of the court was Robert McCray V, who put up an impressive performance for the Seminoles with eight assists and six rebounds.

Overall, this matchup showcased North Carolina's home-court advantage, as well as its ability to adapt and overcome challenges. The Tar Heels' balanced attack allowed them to stay ahead throughout most of the contest, ultimately securing a 79-66 victory over Florida St.