University of North Carolina Athletics
Saturday, February 7
Chapel Hill
6:30 p.m.
North Carolina
19-4,7-3ACC
71
vs
68
Duke
21-2,10-1ACC
1
2
F
Duke
41
27
68
North Carolina
29
42
71
Seth Trimble
Photo by: Jack Morton
Trimble's Three-Pointer Beats Duke, 71-68
February 7, 2026 | Men's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Seth Trimble hit a three-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining to give No. 14 North Carolina a 71-68, come-from-behind win over No. 4 Duke on Saturday night in the Smith Center. Trimble's three from the corner gave the Tar Heels their only lead of the day after trailing by as many 13 points in the first half and 11 in the second.
It was the latest three-pointer by a Tar Heel to win a game since Luke Maye's buzzer-beater with 0.3 seconds to go to beat Kentucky in the 2017 NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
Carolina shot 60.7 percent in the second half while holding Duke to 37.5 percent after halftime. The Tar Heels outscored Duke, 9-0, in the final 2:25.
Henri Veesaar hit a three-pointer with 1:40 left to tie the score at 68-all, the game's first tie since the score was 2-2 in the opening 30 seconds. The teams traded scoreless possessions before Trimble grabbed the rebound with 15 seconds to go.
After Carolina called timeout, Derek Dixon dished the ball to Trimble for his triple from the corner in front of the Tar Heel bench.
Caleb Wilson scored 17 first-half points and finished with 23, posting his fifth consecutive 20-point game and his 17th this season. He hit 8 of 12 shots.
Trimble scored 16 with three steals, and Dixon had eight points and four assists, drilling a three-pointer with 2:25 left to cut the Duke lead to 68-65.
Veesaar scored 13 points, all in the second half, and grabbed 11 rebounds to post his ACC-leading 13th double-double. His three-pointer with 1:23 left tied the score at 68-all.
Cameron Boozer led Duke with 24 points and 11 boards, but the Tar Heel defense limited him to 10 of 21 shooting. Dame Sarr had 13 and Isaiah Evans scored 11 for the Blue Devils.
Duke outrebounded the Tar Heels, 38-26, and dominated points in the paint (36-22) and second-chance points (17-4).
The Devils jumped out early and led by as many as 13 points in the first half before Wilson led a comeback by scoring 17 points in the opening 20 minutes. The Tar Heels clawed back within a point at 23-22 with 7:27 left before Duke closed the half on an 18-7 run.
Carolina played better in the second half, outscoring Duke, 42-27, after halftime.
How It Happened
First Half
• Duke hit six of its first eight shots and led, 14-5, after 5:06 of action, forcing an early Tar Heel timeout.
• Four minutes later, Duke had connected on 9 of its first 11 shots and led, 20-9. Fourteen of the Blue Devils' first 20 points came in the paint on layups and off offensive rebounds.
• Wilson led a 9-0 Tar Heel run, scoring 11 of the team's first 20 points to pull within two at 22-20 with 7:47 left before intermission.
• Duke used an 11-2 run in the final four minutes to go back up by double figures, 41-29, at halftime.
• The Blue Devils shot 53.3 percent from the floor in the half while Carolina was 33.3 percent. Tar Heels other than Wilson shot 4 for 20 in the first 20 minutes.
• Duke outscored UNC in the paint, 18-4, and 13-4 on second-chance opportunities. Veesaar was scoreless with two rebounds in the half.
Second Half
• Carolina heated up after halftime, hitting 10 of its first 14 shots to pull within single digits.
• The Tar Heels then went over 3:30 without a point to allow Duke to rebuild its advantage.
• UNC cut the Blue Devil lead to four at 62-58 with under six minutes to play before a turnover at midcourt gave Cameron Boozer a layup.
• Veesaar played better in the second half, scoring all 13 of his points. His layup cut the Duke lead to 64-60 with 4:36 to go.
Notes
• Former Tar Heel players in the crowd included Tyler Hansbrough, Antawn Jamison, Tyler Zeller, Raymond Felton, Theo Pinson, Justin Jackson, Mike Copeland, Bobby Frasor, Brian Reese, Donald Williams, Phil Ford, Marcus Ginyard, Terrence Newby, Reyshawn Terry, Kenny Williams, Michael Brooker and Garrison Brooks.
Up Next
Carolina will visit Miami on Tuesday February 10 in Coral Gables, Fla. The game will begin at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
It was the latest three-pointer by a Tar Heel to win a game since Luke Maye's buzzer-beater with 0.3 seconds to go to beat Kentucky in the 2017 NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
Carolina shot 60.7 percent in the second half while holding Duke to 37.5 percent after halftime. The Tar Heels outscored Duke, 9-0, in the final 2:25.
Henri Veesaar hit a three-pointer with 1:40 left to tie the score at 68-all, the game's first tie since the score was 2-2 in the opening 30 seconds. The teams traded scoreless possessions before Trimble grabbed the rebound with 15 seconds to go.
After Carolina called timeout, Derek Dixon dished the ball to Trimble for his triple from the corner in front of the Tar Heel bench.
Caleb Wilson scored 17 first-half points and finished with 23, posting his fifth consecutive 20-point game and his 17th this season. He hit 8 of 12 shots.
Trimble scored 16 with three steals, and Dixon had eight points and four assists, drilling a three-pointer with 2:25 left to cut the Duke lead to 68-65.
Veesaar scored 13 points, all in the second half, and grabbed 11 rebounds to post his ACC-leading 13th double-double. His three-pointer with 1:23 left tied the score at 68-all.
Cameron Boozer led Duke with 24 points and 11 boards, but the Tar Heel defense limited him to 10 of 21 shooting. Dame Sarr had 13 and Isaiah Evans scored 11 for the Blue Devils.
Duke outrebounded the Tar Heels, 38-26, and dominated points in the paint (36-22) and second-chance points (17-4).
The Devils jumped out early and led by as many as 13 points in the first half before Wilson led a comeback by scoring 17 points in the opening 20 minutes. The Tar Heels clawed back within a point at 23-22 with 7:27 left before Duke closed the half on an 18-7 run.
Carolina played better in the second half, outscoring Duke, 42-27, after halftime.
How It Happened
First Half
• Duke hit six of its first eight shots and led, 14-5, after 5:06 of action, forcing an early Tar Heel timeout.
• Four minutes later, Duke had connected on 9 of its first 11 shots and led, 20-9. Fourteen of the Blue Devils' first 20 points came in the paint on layups and off offensive rebounds.
• Wilson led a 9-0 Tar Heel run, scoring 11 of the team's first 20 points to pull within two at 22-20 with 7:47 left before intermission.
• Duke used an 11-2 run in the final four minutes to go back up by double figures, 41-29, at halftime.
• The Blue Devils shot 53.3 percent from the floor in the half while Carolina was 33.3 percent. Tar Heels other than Wilson shot 4 for 20 in the first 20 minutes.
• Duke outscored UNC in the paint, 18-4, and 13-4 on second-chance opportunities. Veesaar was scoreless with two rebounds in the half.
Second Half
• Carolina heated up after halftime, hitting 10 of its first 14 shots to pull within single digits.
• The Tar Heels then went over 3:30 without a point to allow Duke to rebuild its advantage.
• UNC cut the Blue Devil lead to four at 62-58 with under six minutes to play before a turnover at midcourt gave Cameron Boozer a layup.
• Veesaar played better in the second half, scoring all 13 of his points. His layup cut the Duke lead to 64-60 with 4:36 to go.
Notes
• Former Tar Heel players in the crowd included Tyler Hansbrough, Antawn Jamison, Tyler Zeller, Raymond Felton, Theo Pinson, Justin Jackson, Mike Copeland, Bobby Frasor, Brian Reese, Donald Williams, Phil Ford, Marcus Ginyard, Terrence Newby, Reyshawn Terry, Kenny Williams, Michael Brooker and Garrison Brooks.
Up Next
Carolina will visit Miami on Tuesday February 10 in Coral Gables, Fla. The game will begin at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
Team Stats
DU
UNC
FG%
.452
.473
3FG%
.368
.421
FT%
.833
.786
RB
38
26
TO
8
7
STL
6
5
Game Leaders
Pts
23
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
6
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballUNC Men's Lacrosse: Tar Heels Defeat Jacksonville in Season Opener, 11-10
Saturday, February 07
MBB: Trimble's Three-Pointer Beats Duke, 71-68
Saturday, February 07
UNC Wrestling: Tar Heels Top Blue Devils, 25-13
Saturday, February 07
Rivalry Rewind pres. by Facebook - March 9, 2019
Friday, February 06