Lessons Learned from another heart-stopping UNC basketball win over Ohio State

Seth of Fresh Air

Seth Trimble's return from a left forearm injury couldn't come at a better time. Ohio State is led by senior point guard Bruce Thornton, a Fairburn, Georgia native (20 minutes southwest of Hartsfield-Jackson Airport). Thornton is the Buckeyes' bellwether, leading the team in points (21.8), assists (4.4), steals (1.3), and all three shooting percentages. Ohio State goes as he goes.

Trimble, UNC's best perimeter defender, was needed for every single one of his 36 minutes played, a team high! He helped corral Thornton as best as he could, holding him to just 16 points on 7/16 shooting from the field.

What's more, he scored 17 points on his own, injecting pace and probing into North Carolina's offense, where penetration from the perimeter has been hard to find. His comfort attacking on change of possession helped UNC score 10 fast break points.

But he wasn't just a drive merchant. Trimble hit 3/5 of his three-point attempts, a welcome bonus from a career 28.3 % career three-point shooter.

Perhaps Kyan Evans needs to break his forearm only to return rejuvenated for the meat of ACC play?