Veesaar Notes Why Trimble Was Perfect for UNC’s Final Shot

The North Carolina Tar Heels pulled off the largest comeback victory over the Duke Blue Devils in 25 years. The Tar Heels overcame a 13-point deficit to defeat the Blue Devils 71-68 on Saturday night at the Dean E. Smith Center. Seth Trimble hit the game-winning shot with 0.4 seconds, which was the first time North Carolina possessed the lead in the contest.

It was a troublesome first half for the Tar Heels, who found themselves down 41-29 at halftime. Center Henri Veesaar failed to score a single point in that timeframe, but jumped to life in the second half, scoring 13 points.

While speaking with the media during his postgame press conference, Veesaar discussed several factors, but he began by praising Trimble and discussing the senior guard's impact on the team.

Veesaar's Thoughts

Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) celebrates with teammates after the game at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"Last shot couldn't've gone to a better guy," Veesaar said. "He's been here four years. He put in the most blood, sweat and tears. He's our whole program. He's been a leader for us since we got here. He was that one returning starter. So, him being able to hit that shot. Man, I'm so happy for him, and just seeing that emotion and everybody just being able to celebrate that great moment all together."

As mentioned, Veesaar was marginalized in the first half, attempting only two shots. However, the Arizona transfer flipped the script in the final 15 minutes.

"The first half, I didn't really get many touches besides offensive rebounds or a couple on the top," Veesaar said. "But in the second half, I got a ball and the block. And I was just able to go to work, and the coaches trusted me, so good things came out."

Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Maliq Brown (6) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Facing an intimidating deficit at halftime, Veesaar revealed what the energy and message was in the locker room before the second half.

"At halftime, being down 12 and being able to stay calm. I feel like that was the biggest part of it, before we're missing but today, we stayed calm," Veesaar said. "We just kept stacking good four minutes. Good four minutes every media. We cut it back down…cut it back down. Cut it back down by two, three points, just being able to do that. It's amazing."

Feb 2, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) grabs a rebound in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

This contest was the most anticipated game of the weekend slate, and the atmosphere and energy matched those vibes, according to Veesaar.

"The atmosphere before the game, I think everybody was in their seats, like 10-15, minutes before the game, and there was not a single seat open," Veesaar said. "So, just being able to see how much it means to everybody is amazing."

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