North Carolina fans celebrated a split-second too early Saturday in their team’s rivalry game against Duke.
Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble sank a go-ahead three-pointer as time expired to put his team up 71-68, which fans assumed was a buzzer-beating game-winner. The crowd wasted little time storming the court at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
THIS RIVALRY DOES NOT DISAPPOINT ‼️
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 8, 2026
SETH TRIMBLE GAME-WINNER FOR NORTH CAROLINA 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uVsOm9DIav
Referees later determined that there was still some time left in the game after Trimble’s shot went through the net. The officials put 0.4 back on the clock as venue announcers asked fans to return to their seats. The celebration stoppage didn’t last long, as Duke was unable to get a clear shot off with what little time they had left.
It’s hard to blame the North Carolina fans for getting so fired up. Their team never led the entire game until the last second, when Trimble provided the latest exclamation point in the storied UNC-Duke rivalry.
North Carolina freshman Caleb Wilson kept the team afloat in the first half, scoring 17 of his team’s 29 points in an otherwise anemic first half for the Tar Heels. He more than held his own against rival Cam Boozer, who paced Duke with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
Trimble took the baton from Wilson in the closing moments. He tallied 16 points on 5/7 shooting from the floor, with his three-pointer to win the game being his only attempt from beyond the arc.
