Wilson pushes No. 18 North Carolina past Navy, 73-61

By AP | Nov 19, 2025

North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) dunks during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Navy, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

By MITCHELL NORTHAM Associated Press

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Caleb Wilson had 23 points and 12 rebounds, leading No. 18 North Carolina to a 73-61 win over Navy on Tuesday night.

A true freshman, Wilson also had four steals and three blocks for the Tar Heels (5-0). Luka Bogavac added 16 points, Jarin Stevenson scored 11 and Henri Veesaar had 10.

Austin Benigni scored 19 points for Navy (2-3) and Jinwoo Kim added 14 in the Midshipmen’s first trip to Chapel Hill since 1936.

UNC led wire-to-wire, but Navy trimmed the deficit to three points midway through the first half on a layup from Donovan Draper. The Tar Heels responded with a 14-5 run — capped off by free throws from Bogavac — to retake a comfortable double-digit advantage.

Navy cut the Tar Heels’ lead to four points early in the second half, but UNC answered with a 24-7 run, highlighted by three spectacular transition dunks from Wilson.

Despite returning 86.6 percent of its scoring from last season — the most of any roster in the nation this year — Navy had trouble finding the basket consistently against UNC, shooting just 30.4 percent from the floor. The Tar Heels have held four opponents to under 40-percent shooting this season and are now 49-4 under fifth-year coach Hubert Davis when doing so.

North Carolina became the third program in Division I men’s basketball to reach 2,400 victories, joining Kentucky and Kansas.

This victory marked the final of five consecutive home games to start the season for the Tar Heels, the longest season-opening home stretch they’ve had since 1918. UNC won’t return to the Dean Smith Center until Dec. 7.

Up next

North Carolina: Plays St. Bonaventure in the Fort Myers Tip-Off next Tuesday.

Navy: Hosts NJIT on Saturday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball