Derek Dixon Steps Up, UNC Football Signs Nation's No. 12 Class, Big Test For Women's Basketball

Plus: Transfer portal declarations, Tar Heels earn postseason honors, Drake Maye hears MVP chants, Dyami Brown honors Tylee Craft, Throwback Thursday

Derek Dixon Sinks Kentucky | Photo: Maggie Hobson, UNC Athletics

Derek Dixon stepped up in a big way in UNC’s win over Kentucky, the Tar Heels signed the nation’s No. 12 football recruiting class, Women’s Basketball faces a huge challenge in Texas, several Tar Heels earn postseason honors as others hit the transfer portal, Drake Maye is hearing NFL MVP chants, and Luke Maye is the star of this week’s Throwback Thursday. On to the updates…

🏀 Basketball

Have we seen a changing of the (point) guard for UNC Basketball? Tuesday night against No. 18 Kentucky, freshman Derek Dixon got the call in crunch time over starter Kyan Evans and delivered 5 clutch points with the game on the line.

Looking at the box score, Dixon played 24 minutes to Evans’ 16. We’ll find out Sunday against Georgetown if it was a case of Hubert Davis riding the hot hand or if a change to the starting lineup is imminent.

Beyond Dixon’s outstanding play, it continues to be the Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar show. Both big men continued their impressive seasons with double-doubles: Veesaar with 17 points and 10 rebounds and Wilson with 15 and 12.

Caleb Wilson scores 2 of his 15 points against Kentucky | Photo: Maggie Hobson, UNC Athletics

Frontcourt mate Jarin Stevenson, not to be overshadowed, led the Tar Heels in plus/minus for the third game this season at +8.

And as UNC alum and longtime ESPN producer Bryan Ives pointed out, it was a “notable” win for Carolina, now having knocked off both Kansas and Kentucky in the same season for the first time since 1981-82:

The ‘82 reunion tour continues Sunday against Georgetown in Chapel Hill.