The lead changed hands 12 times. The tension never dipped. And when the final horn sounded at the Dean Smith Center on February 7, 2026, North Carolina had survived Duke's late charge for a 71-68 victory.

The Hero of the Night

Seth Trimble made the plays that mattered most. The Tar Heels guard scored 16 points, but his free throws in the final two minutes proved the difference.

Trimble went 4-of-6 from the line in the closing moments. His driving layup with 3:42 remaining gave North Carolina a 67-64 lead. His subsequent foul shots extended the advantage.

When Duke's final three-point attempt rimmed out, Trimble's clutch performance was etched into rivalry lore.

The Blue Devils' Fight

Duke did not make this easy. Freshman Cameron Boozer scored 14 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. He hit a three-pointer assisted by his twin brother Cayden that kept the Blue Devils within striking distance.

Isaiah Evans added 12 points, including a crucial three after a Caleb Wilson assist that cut the deficit to 65-63 with 4:15 remaining. The young Blue Devils refused to back down.

But North Carolina's balanced attack proved too much. Caleb Wilson led all scorers with 18 points and 7 rebounds. Patrick Ngongba II added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

Rivalry History

This was the 257th meeting between these programs. North Carolina now owns 143 wins in the all-time series.

The home team has won six of the last eight matchups. Both teams are Tournament-bound. North Carolina is projected as a 7-seed. Duke sits as a 5-seed in latest bracketology.

For one night, Chapel Hill belonged to the Tar Heels. The rematch awaits in Durham.