Reviewing how UNC's backcourt performed during the nonconference slate

While the frontcourt duo of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar has drawn much of the attention for North Carolina’s hot start, the backcourt has been instrumental, too.

Time after time, the guards have been the ones getting them the ball, doing an excellent job of finding their bigs in the paint while also making plays on the perimeter on both ends of the floor.

Here is a look at how the backcourt has performed so far.

Seth Trimble

Despite playing in only four nonconference games because of injury, Trimble has been averaging 14.5 points and 3.7 assists. He looks like a veteran — and he should. He’s in his fourth year of college basketball at the same school, a rarity in today’s transfer-heavy era.

Since Trimble’s return, UNC has looked faster and freer in transition. That’s not just a coincidence; it’s exactly what head coach Hubert Davis emphasized after the Tar Heels beat Ohio State on Dec. 20.

Kyan Evans

Colorado State transfer Kyan Evans has handled most of the point guard duties. On paper, he looked like a plug-and-play answer. He averaged more than 10 points per game last season and shot better than 44 percent from 3, one of the top perimeter marks in the country.

This year, though, he hasn’t looked like that player.

Evans is averaging just 5.8 points and 3.9 assists while shooting 37.5 percent from the field, 30 percent from 3 and 75 percent from the free-throw line. December has only magnified the slump: 3.3 points per game on 30.7 percent shooting overall and 25 percent from beyond the arc. He hasn’t attempted a free throw this month, a glaring sign of his lack of aggression. His minutes have trended down with his confidence.

Luka Bogavac

Considering the hype around Luka Bogavac coming in, he’s been solid.

He’s averaging 11.1 points per game while shooting 41 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from 3. Bogavac is also adding 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

In December, he’s actually been more efficient — 45 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc — but his scoring has dipped slightly to 10.0 points per game. That has more to do with the return of Trimble, along with Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar shouldering a large share of UNC’s offensive production.

Still, as good as the numbers look, Bogavac hasn’t quite tapped into his ceiling. Part of that is the adjustment to the pace of the American game, which leans into more transition and early offense compared with the European style, which is more deliberate and half-court oriented.

If there’s one area Bogavac has to clean up, it’s his free-throw shooting. He has made just 71.1 percent of his attempts overall. In December, that mark has slid to 66.7 percent — the lowest free-throw percentage of any player in the starting lineup over that span.

Derek Dixon

Derek Dixon is another player to watch, as he has quietly made his own case. Dixon, who has mostly come off the bench for the Tar Heels this season, has averaged 5.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 42 percent from the field, 45.5 percent from 3 and 75 percent from the free-throw line.

In December, those numbers have ticked up. He’s averaging 6.3 points, 2.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 42.3 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from 3, and his minutes have increased accordingly. He’s also lived at the free-throw line compared with Evans, hitting 7 of 8 attempts (87.5 percent) over that span

Jonathan Powell 

Often utilized on the wing, Jonathan Powell has put up solid numbers off the bench, averaging 5.4 points per game. He has shot just 35.9 percent from the field this season and 46.7 percent from the free-throw line, but he has been an effective spot-up threat, hitting 34 percent of his 3-point attempts.

His production has ticked up in December. Powell is averaging 7.1 points per game while shooting 42.8 percent from the field and 37.0 percent from beyond the arc. For a North Carolina team that needs reliable perimeter options, his growth should bode well — Powell has been a quietly valuable piece of the second unit.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Breaking down the backcourt ahead of ACC play