It was another thrilling chapter in the Duke against North Carolina basketball rivalry. The Tar Heels overcame a 12-point halftime deficit, having the game tied late. Seth Trimble would hit a game-winning three as North Carolina took the 71-68 win. It was an exciting game for all who watched, including Stephen A. Smith of ESPN, who had his comments after the game.
“I keep telling y’all: Absolute Best Rivalry in sports. Both in 15 Final Fours. 60-60 record for each in their last 120 Head-to-Head matchups! No matter when one is struggling, it’s a thriller practically every single time they face one another. This game almost never disappoints,” Smith posted on X, formerly Twitter.
It was an amazing comeback for the Tar Heels. They struggled to score in long stretches of the first half, allowing Duke to build a lead. The Blue Devils built a 13-point lead less than seven minutes into the game. North Carolina got it back to within one in the first half, but would fall behind again, going down 41-29 at the halftime break.
North Carolina clawed back. Henri Veesaar hit a three-pointer with 1:55 left in the game to tie it up. After Cameron Boozer missed a layup, North Carolina had the ball, with the game tied, and less than a minute left. Still, Seth Trimble turned the ball over, and Duke had the chance to win. Boozer missed the layup, though, and Trimble got the rebound, which would lead to his game-winning three.
Duke had won three in a row in the series, including a three-point win in the ACC tournament semifinal in 2025. Taking the first game of the season between the two schools may be good news for North Carolina. The winner of the first game has won the second in each of the last three seasons. The two will face off again in their final game of the regular season on Mar. 7 at Cameron Indoor.
