Why Davis Said Trimble Was Force Multiplier in UNC Victory

The North Carolina Tar Heels picked up a monumental 77-74 win over the Louisville Cardinals on Monday night at the Dean E. Smith Center.

It was an all-around impressive performance by the Tar Heels, but no player made a bigger impact on the game than Seth Trimble. The senior guard totaled 30 points, four rebounds, four assists, and one steal while shooting 11-of-16 from the field and 7-of-11 from the free throw line.

While speaking with the media during his postgame press conference, head coach Hubert Davis praised Trimble and explained how the 6-foot-3, 200-pound guard made a significant impact on Monday night.

Davis' Thoughts

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

“Seth [Trimble] was huge for us tonight on both ends of the floor," Davis said. "He had the responsibility of guarding (Mikel) Brown, and what a responsibility that is… But against their defense - they’re long, they’re athletic, very versatile - you have to find ways to be able to break down their defense and be able to consistently score. Seth [Trimble] was our guy.”

Other than the second half against Syracuse on Saturday, Trimble had been oddly passive the last couple of games, which led to offensive struggles. Davis was happy with Trimble's mindset on Monday night, and thought it was the driving force to the veteran's performance.

“The thing that I loved about him was he was thinking attack. He wasn’t coming off looking to pass," Davis said. "One of the things that I’ve told him is when you come off a ball screen, you’re 100% thinking score, and then let the defense dictate whether you make a pass or you go to the basket. And Seth’s ability to be able to get downhill, he was able to score, draw fouls, just a huge difference maker for us.”

Feb 23, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) is fouled byLouisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

After going scoreless in the first half against Syracuse, Trimble wanted to flip the script and "man up" in the final 20 minutes, which he did. Davis revealed their discussion at halftime on Saturday, explaining how that carried over into Monday night.

“We talked at halftime against Syracuse, and I was like, ‘It just doesn’t work without you, Seth.’ And it’s not just from an offensive standpoint," Davis said. "I mean, he just, he can impact winning in so many different ways. And I just challenged him to do it, and to do it consistently. And he really stepped up in the second half against Syracuse, and then again for us tonight.”

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