How UNC's win over Duke rewrote several recent narratives at once

Well, don't say we didn't warn you. This rivalry ALWAYS delivers. And boy, did it deliver again on Saturday night in the Dean E. Smith Center.

On the backs of Caleb Wilson and Seth Trimble, the Tar Heels completed a 13-point comeback to knock off No. 4-ranked Duke. North Carolina led for exactly 0.4 seconds.

WHAT!!!

Yes, the only time North Carolina led was with less than half a second remaining after Trimble's corner three swished through the net until the buzzer hit 0.0. Duke led for 94% of the game, except when the game was tied at 2-2 and 68-68.

According to ESPN, that's the fewest amount of seconds by any winning team across NCAA Division I so far throughout the 2025-2026 season. A remarkable stat, and it just adds to the craziness of the comeback that took place in Chapel Hill.

It's not the first time the Tar Heels have completed a double-digit comeback. Remember that Kansas game back in mid-November? Carolina trailed by 10. And just a few weeks ago, they erased a 16-point Virginia lead in Charlottesville.

Those are impressive feats, no doubt. But what the Tar Heels did on Saturday night was remarkable. It's a comeback for the ages and one that will forever be remembered in Chapel Hill.

It's also a comeback that will hold a special place in the Carolina-Duke rivalry.

As Matt Norlander points out on X, UNC achieved several milestones with the incredible comeback and certainly added to its NCAA Tournament resume in the process.

North Carolina trailed by 6 with 2:25 to go before going on a 9-0 run with three 3-pointers to ultimately win the game. It seems that the Tar Heels are usually on the wrong side of these in the rivalry when it comes to winning the close ones, but tonight, it belongs to Seth Trimble and the boys in Chapel Hill.

That was fun. Enjoy it Tar Heels!