Derek Dixon's resilience in UNC's victory over Duke deserves recognition

In an all-time classic, Duke and North Carolina once again proved they never fail to deliver. With the game on the line, Seth Trimble hit the shot of his lifetime to send the Blue Devils home in heartbreak, securing a 71-68 victory for the Tar Heels in front of a wild Dean Dome crowd.

While the focus is rightfully on Trimble and his game-winning heroics, there is another player who impressed me for other reasons late in the game. 

After starting the first half slowly, with three turnovers and shooting 1-for-6 to begin the game, freshman Derek Dixon could have easily folded under the pressure. Playing in the biggest game of his young career, against the biggest rival, in front of a sold-out home crowd, the stage was set for a freshman to crumble.

Instead, Dixon rose to the occasion when his team needed him most and was an integral part in propelling the Tar Heels towards victory. 

Box score watchers may not notice these types of contributions. With only eight points, Dixon scored all of his points in the second half, including two threes under six minutes to play and a crucial three to put the Heels within three with 2 minutes left to play. 

These types of performances often go unnoticed in the aftermath of games like this. The headlines will belong to Trimble, and rightfully so. But Derek Dixon's ability to battle back through early-game adversity and deliver in crunch time is precisely what makes great players, and great Tar Heels.

Dixon showed composure beyond his years. He didn't let a rough start define his night. He stayed ready, stayed confident, and when his number was called in the biggest moments, he answered.

Dixon showed me that he can hang in the big time situations, and that is exactly the type of resilience that wins championships. North Carolina needs this as the season pushes toward March, and that's exactly what will make Derek Dixon a great Tar Heel for the next few years.