"Tar Heel of the Game" for the UNC basketball program's loss to Auburn

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, so let's take a moment to reflect on what we're thankful for. If I'm North Carolina basketball coach Hubert Davis, I'm thankful that Seth Trimble took his name out of the transfer portal, uttering the famous words, "I’ve decided my heart and soul belong in Chapel Hill." Thank goodness he's back.

We've discussed what a tall task (literally) it was attacking Auburn's defense. Those were tall trees to climb, and Trimble was the only Tar Heel who scored with any positive consistency. He scored 17 points (a team high) on 7/13 shooting (3/6 from three). This will be a tough pill to swallow, but he also had the best +/- rating among North Carolina's starters at... (gulp) -8. All four of the other starters were in the negative double-digits though, so...

Let's get positive again. Seth Trimble has been a revelation this season, and his career arc is following a distinctly Danny Green and Luke Maye pattern of growth and development. Trimble is averaging 17.3 points per game, a 12.1 jump from last season. That's better than Green's junior year bump of +6.3 and Luke Maye's +11.4. We're witnessing history right now.

Trimble looks more comfortable and assured, and is attacking with intent. His ability to attack the rim at speed with the strength to put his body into bigger defenders and finish is a huge attribute. He'll continue to improve and UNC will learn from the Auburn loss. Good things are ahead, especially with Trimble.

Tar Heel of the Game Recipients (2024-2025 Season)

Elon- RJ Davis (1)
Kansas- Seth Trimble (1)
American- Jalen Washington (1)
Hawai'i- Elliot Cadeau (1)
Dayton- Seth Trimble (2)
Auburn- Seth Trimble (3)