Seth Trimble Breaks Down Game-Winning Shot Against Duke

Saturday night was one of the most historical matchups between the North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils. After trailing the entire game, and fell behind by 13 points at one point, the Tar Heels battled back to win 71-68.

It was a fitting end to the game, as senior guard Seth Trimble, who faced Duke for the final time at the Dean E. Smith Center, hit the game-winning three-point shot from the corner with 0.4 seconds remaining. That was the first time North Carolina led all game, illustrating the uphill battle it faced throughout the entirety of the contest.

While speaking with the media during his postgame press conference, Trimble discussed the magnitude of the shot and what it meant for him and the team.

Trimble's Thoughts

Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) and bench react after hitting the game winning shot in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound guard is the only player on North Carolina's roster who has played against the Blue Devils in this rivalry. That makes the ending even more special for Trimble, who has dealt with adversity throughout his four-year career as a Tar Heel.

"This university means so much to me," Trimble said. "It was the biggest point was to represent the University of North Carolina today, and we didn't really do that for 32 minutes of the game, but those last eight minutes, those last four minutes, whatever you want to call it, we did that."

As stated earlier, it was the perfect storybook ending to the game, as the senior guard hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer. Trimble shared his emotions after the game and what the shot meant for him.

"It's crazy. It's crazy," Trimble said. "You dream stuff like this as a kid. You dream of stuff like this even as a grown man before you go to sleep, then, man, I never would have thought that would have been me."

Trimble had considered transferring after his sophomore season, but he stuck with the process and earned his spot on the roster. The veteran guard explained why he decided to return to North Carolina.

"Oh, it's everything. It's everything," Trimble said. "I mean, you don't get that in the SEC unless it's Auburn and Alabama, and that's…you just don't get this. It's something special. And once you get here, you get glued into it."

Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) passes the ball to guard Seth Trimble (7) as Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) defends in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Tar Heels fell behind by a significant margin out of the gates, and it appeared that the game may not live up to the hype and loft expectations. Obviously, that was far from the case. Trimble explained the significance of the win and how the team stuck together the entire time.

"We were down that whole game," Trimble said. "We maybe didn't even deserve to win that game, but the effort that we gave those last six minutes was incredible, and for that reason, we absolutely deserve it."

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