Predicting North Carolina's Top Performances Against Duke

The Tar Heels will require one of their best outings of the season to defeat the Blue Devils on Saturday night.

Feb 14, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis reacts in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The North Carolina Tar Heels end their regular season in a heavyweight battle against the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Unfortunately, the Tar Heels will be without Caleb Wilson, as the freshman forward suffered a season-ending injury in practice Thursday, according to ESPN's Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania.

• "North Carolina's Caleb Wilson broke his right thumb in a non-contact drill in practice Thursday and has undergone season-ending surgery," Charania reported. "Wilson is expected to be cleared during the NBA predraft process, where he'll compete to be the No. 1 pick in June."

With all that being said, here are predictions for which players will play at their best against the Blue Devils on Saturday.

Henri Veesaar

Stat line prediction: 17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block

Mar 3, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) drives to the basket during the second half against the Clemson Tigers at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Now that it is known that Wilson will not be returning to the lineup this season, Veesaar will continue to carry the frontcourt production. Duke could deploy additional coverage on the Arizona transfer and force the Tar Heels' supporting cast to hit shots from the perimeter.

Veesaar's assist output could be a tad higher than it has been in recent outings, but he will have to score nearly 20 points if North Carolina wants a chance to pull off a massive upset on the road.

Seth Trimble

Stat line prediction: 14 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds

Mar 3, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) drives to the basket against Clemson Tigers guard Ace Buckner (21) second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Trimble is coming off a disappointing performance on senior night against Clemson, shooting 2-of-10 from the field and 1-of-4 from three-point range. The Tar Heels cannot afford for the 6-foot-3, 200-pound guard to replicate that type of performance against the Blue Devils.

A key factor in this game will be how effective North Carolina can be in transition, which is contingent on the defensive end of the court. If the Tar Heels are able to string together stops and push the ball down the court, Trimble has a better opportunity to make an impact in Saturday's game.

Jarin Stevenson

Stat line prediction:10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal

Mar 3, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) drives through Clemson Tigers guard Ace Buckner (21) during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

The Alabama transfer was one missed free throw away from recording a double-double against Clemson earlier this week. Stevenson needs to have that same impact against the Blue Devils, who possess similar defensive qualities as the Tigers.

Stevenson will have a tougher task, as he will most likely be defending Cameron Boozer throughout the course of the game, which could affect his energy levels on the offensive end of the court.