No. 16 North Carolina won’t have top scorers Wilson and Veesaar against NC State

No. 16 North Carolina won't have top scorers Wilson and Veesaar against NC State | iNFOnews.ca
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, with his left arm in a medical brace due to an injury in the previous game, watches the team play during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Pittsburgh, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — No. 16 North Carolina will again be down its top two scorers and rebounders for Tuesday’s trip to rival N.C. State.

The school announced junior 7-footer Henri Veesaar would miss his second straight game due to a lower-body injury, while star freshman Caleb Wilson was already out indefinitely due to a hand fracture suffered last week.

The 6-foot-10 Wilson is a high-end NBA prospect averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds, while Veesaar is averaging 16.4 points and 9.0 rebounds.

Both players missed Saturday’s win against Pittsburgh. UNC said this will mark only the third game the program has played without its top two scorers in its Atlantic Coast Conference history.

The other came in February 1978, a 72-67 loss at N.C. State when eventual pros Phil Ford and Mike O’Koren were sidelined.

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No. 16 North Carolina won't have top scorers Wilson and Veesaar against NC State | iNFOnews.ca
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar, left, forward James Brown, center, and center Ivan Matlekovic, right, watch as their teammates warm up before an NCAA college basketball game against Pittsburgh, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Chapel Hill, N.C. All three were unable to play due to illness or injury. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

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