North Carolina’s win over Florida State on Tuesday night wasn’t defined by a hot start or immediate rhythm — it was defined by composure.

After opening the game a frigid 1-for-11 from the field, the North Carolina Tar Heels settled themselves, absorbed the early punch, and gradually took control behind the dominance of Caleb Wilson and a much-needed shooting breakthrough from Kyan Evans.

The opening minutes were ugly. Shots rimmed out, possessions stalled, and Florida State briefly dictated tempo.

Wilson was the stabilizer. He asserted himself in the paint, punished mismatches, and consistently finished through contact, giving Carolina reliable offense when nothing else was falling.

His physicality on the glass and willingness to demand the ball provided structure during UNC’s most vulnerable stretch, turning broken possessions into productive ones.

As Wilson drew attention inside, Evans began to find daylight on the perimeter. After searching for consistency from three earlier in the season, Evans finally looked confident and decisive.

His first make seemed to loosen everything, and from there the rhythm followed. No hesitation, no second-guessing — just clean looks knocked down at critical moments that forced Florida State to stretch its defense.

Even after some of Kyan’s misses, he continued to pull the trigger with a confidence that Hubert Davis acknowledged after the game.

Luka Bogavac, however, a player capable of swinging games with his scoring, was held scoreless. Nothing to make a big deal of right now, but definitely something to keep an eye on.

Caleb Wilson finish the night with 26 points, making it his sixth straight 20+ point game. He’s the only freshman in Carolina history to do that.

The way Caleb Wilson is able to take over games and provide a potent surge of energy, is something you only see from top lottery picks.

There have been some incredibly talented freshmen to come through UNC. Tyler Hansbrough, Harrison Barnes, Marvin Williams, but we might have to start having a conversation of whether or not Caleb Wilson is the most talented freshman in UNC history at some point if this keeps up.

UNC now hits the road to face an 11–2 SMU team that is one of the sneaker teams in the ACC on Saturday.