CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Saturday night at the Dean E. Smith Center will be remembered not just as another chapter in the oldest rivalry in college hoops, but as one of its most dramatic. In a game that had the crowd on its feet from the opening tip to the final horn, the North Carolina Tar Heels stunned the No. 4–ranked Duke Blue Devils, 71–68, with a breath-stealing, last-second three-pointer that will be talked about in Chapel Hill for years to come.
“A fight to the finish, family and alumni in the stands, and a moment that will not soon be forgotten…”. If Woody Durham were behind the mic, you’d’ve heard his voice rise as Seth Trimble, with ice in his veins, buried a corner three from the right wing with 0.4 seconds left to give Carolina its first and only lead of the game. That shot ended Duke’s ten-game winning streak and sent the Smith Center into a frenzy, even if fans briefly jumped the gun and stormed the court before the play was officially over.
How It Unfolded
The Blue Devils looked in control for much of the night:
- Duke jumped out early and built a lead as large as 13 points, using strong shooting and rebounding to impose its will.
- At halftime, Duke led 41–29, and it seemed the visitors might leave Chapel Hill unscathed.
- But this was no ordinary night, this was Duke versus UNC basketball.
Caleb Wilson carried the Tar Heels early, leading UNC with 23 points, and a dormant Henri Veesaar changed the entire rhythm in the second half with a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double that swung momentum back toward Carolina.
The Heels tied it on a huge three from Veesaar, finally. But they never led until 0.4 seconds remained, but they kept chipping away, closing the gap with defensive stops and timely shots. As the minutes dwindled, the electric atmosphere only grew louder — even the legends of old were cheering.
The Shot That Sealed It
With Duke clinging to a tie after a Boozer miss and the clock winding down, Derek Dixon drove the lane to the basket and dished to Trimble deep in the corner, and Seth stepped into UNC lore with a shot that swished through the net. That three, answering every doubter and electrifying every Tar Heel fan, was the only lead UNC held all night. It was all they needed to plant smiles and a euphoric outburst in the hearts of thousands of faces.
“I knew it was good the second it left my hand,” Trimble later said, a classic line in a classic moment that rivals any in Tobacco Road history.
Remembering This One
This wasn’t just a win. It was:
- The largest comeback vs. Duke in 25 years.
- A signature moment for a team that just never quit.
- A victory that reminds everyone why this rivalry is so much more than any other game — it’s the heartbeat of Blue Blood basketball lore. There’s nothing like it!
Close your eyes with me and imagine:
“Dixon gives up the shot. He kicks it out. And Trimble rises… HE HITS IT! UNC has done it! The Dean E. Smith Center has erupted! The Tar Heels have taken it from the Devils in the final second! Oh my, what a ballgame!”
We miss you Woody! And what a Happy heavenly Birthday salute it was to Dean E. Smith.
And like all great Carolina nights… it ended with Franklin Street memories that will never fade.