UNC Basketball Feast Week, Football 'Flip Season,' Dylan Mingo Trims List

Plus: Stuart Scott '30 for 30,' heartbreak on the soccer pitch, baseball schedule and commitment, Jenny Levy to Hall of Fame

Henri Veesaar Leads UNC Past St. Bonaventure | Photo: Maggie Hobson, UNC Athletics

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you’re enjoying some well-earned down time with friends, food, family, and Tar Heel sports. This weekend, we’ve got men’s and women’s basketball playing big games in tropical locations, Football keeps flipping recruits and now heads to Raleigh for a tough night game, and 5-star guard Dylan Mingo has trimmed his list. All that and much more. On to the updates…

🏈 Football

Carolina Football enters its toughest environment of the season, when the Tar Heels travel to Raleigh on Saturday night to face a hungry NC State team and a hostile crowd.

Sitting at 4-7 (2-5 ACC), we’ll find out a lot about what this UNC team is made of. Have the players mentally checked out now that a bowl game is no longer on the table? Are they more interested in their next transfer destination and NIL deal, or have they bought in to Bill Belichick’s program and the importance of the rivalry.

One player already looking ahead is offensive tackle William Boone, who announced his plans to transfer this week after missing the last eight games with an injury.

🏀 Basketball

On the hardwood, the No. 16 Tar Heels were tested by a scrappy St. Bonaventure team before UNC pulled away for the 85-70 win.

Henri Veesaar had career highs of 24 points and 13 rebounds, and he may be emerging as the Tar Heels’ most important player. Obviously, Caleb Wilson is the most talented player, but Veesaar’s shot-blocking, three-point ability, and high-low passing game takes a lot of pressure off Wilson and prevents defenses from constantly double-teaming him. When the Bonnies tried double-teaming Wilson, it resulted in a career night for Veesaar. Opponents can’t defend both.

Next up for Carolina is a Thanksgiving matchup against No. 11 Michigan State (4:30, FOX) in another “measuring stick” contest to see where the Tar Heels stand against top competition without Seth Trimble in the lineup.

On a related note, Seth Trimble’s forearm cast is off, and he seems to be progressing nicely toward an end-of-year return.

In other news, Michael Jordan donated $10 million to the Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C., which will name its neuroscience institute after his mother, Deloris Jordan.

And former Tar Heel forward Garrison Brooks has been selected to the November 2025 USA Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team as Team USA prepares to take on Nicaragua on Nov. 28 and Dec. 1.

🏀 Basketball Recruiting

On the basketball recruiting trail, 5-star guard Dylan Mingo has trimmed his list to four schools: Baylor, Penn State, North Carolina, and Washington, with his most recent and final visit being to UNC.