No. 17 North Carolina edges Wake Forest 87-84 for its 500th win at the Dean E. Smith Center

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) Henri Veesaar had 25 points and nine rebounds, and No. 17 North Carolina edged Wake Forest 87-84 on Saturday night for its 500th win at the Dean E. Smith Center.

Caleb Wilson added 22 points and 12 rebounds for his 11th double-double, while Jaydon Young contributed a season-high 12 points off the bench for the Tar Heels (14-2, 2-1 ACC), who bounced back from their first ACC loss last Saturday at SMU.

The Tar Heels are now 500-90 at the Smith Center, which opened in 1986.

Nate Calmese hit seven 3-pointers and finished with 28 points and nine assists for Wake Forest (10-7, 1-3), which fell to 1-4 in its last five games. Juke Harris added 28 points on five 3-pointers.

Wake Forest trailed by 15 points, but Calmese's step-back 3-pointer cut it to 75-74 with 4:03 left. The Tar Heels, however, got key dunks down the stretch from Seth Trimble and Veesaar.

Another 3 by Calmese with 7 seconds remaining cut UNC’s lead to 85-84. But Jarin Stevenson answered with two free throws, and Calmese misfired on an off-balance shot at the buzzer to end it.

Wilson had 17 points and nine rebounds in the first half. He made all seven shots, including a few thunderous dunks, as the Tar Heels took a 49-38 lead into the intermission.

Wake Forest: Visits Florida State next Saturday.

North Carolina: Visits Stanford on Wednesday.

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