Heels’ Trimble Has Intriguing Reaction to Career-High Performance

With Caleb Wilson still out with a hand injury, the North Carolina Tar Heels were going to need someone to step up if they were going to knock off #24 Louisville.

Enter Seth Trimble, the longest tenured Tar Heel. The senior guard dropped a career-high 30 points in the win, shooting 11-16 from the floor and 1-3 from three-point range. The most experienced player on the team came through big time for a team in need of a spark while being shorthanded.

The win helped push UNC to a 3-1 record since Wilson went down on Feb. 10 against Miami. At the time, the injury looked to be a crushing blow to UNC’s hopes for the season. However, they’ve gotten contributions from plenty of reserves and role players since his injury, with Trimble being the latest.

Feb 23, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) dribbles as Louisville Cardinals guard Kobe Rodgers (11) defends in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Trimble’s reaction

After his career-best performance, Trimble reacted to scoring 30 points in a game that mattered so much for North Carolina, and what his mindset coming into the game was.

“It was a mindset coming in,” Trimble said. “Most of the season, it’s just come naturally. These last few games I’ve been in a place where I’ve just found myself not being aggressive. I’m not really too sure where it’s come from, but I’ve noticed it, teams noticed it, coaches have noticed it. They were just on me, the last couple of days I was on myself, just about being as aggressive as possible, especially with the way that Louisville played. I feel like I could’ve made a lot of opportunities, which I did today.”

The performance was Trimble’s third game of the season in which he scored 20 or more points, and the first since Jan. 3 against SMU. On the season, Trimble is now averaging 14.2 points per game, shooting 48 percent from the field, and 30 percent from three-point range. In his 4th season with the team, Trimble is showing off his experience by having the best season of his collegiate career.

Feb 23, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) reacts after scoring in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

UNC’s remaining schedule

They’ll need Trimble to keep it up over the course of the final few regular season games. The Tar Heels are tasked with Virginia Tech at home, Clemson at home, and #1 Duke on the road to end the regular season. They’ve done enough without Wilson to earn a favorable seed in the NCAA Tournament, but picking up a few more quality wins without him could go a long way on Selection Sunday.

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