A comeback victory for the ages over the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday led to UNC men’s basketball fans taking to social media to celebrate.
No. 14 UNC earned the 71-68 win off a buzzer-beating three-pointer by senior guard Seth Trimble, capping a 9-0 run in the closing minutes to take the lead and send the Dean Smith Center into a frenzy. The win is Carolina’s first over their rivals since 2024 and broke a 364-day stretch of Duke going undefeated against ACC opponents.
Moments after Trimble’s shot went through the net, fans rushed to social media to post their jubilation about the team’s comeback performance. The shot, which was the senior’s first buzzer beater in his collegiate career, immediately became a moment many fans recognized as an all-time play.
After Trimble’s shot, some fans prematurely stormed the Roy Williams Court. Stadium security had to clear the area and return people to their seats as 0.4 seconds were returned to the clock. Once UNC successfully defended a half-court heave from Duke, fans once again ran out onto the court. Meanwhile, in downtown Chapel Hill, fans rushed the intersection of Franklin Street and Columbia Street to continue the tradition for when Carolina beats Duke.
Plenty of sports media personalities and college basketball analysts chimed in to share their takeaways from the rivalry matchup and give credit to UNC’s playmaking toward the end of the game.
Several former UNC men’s basketball players were in attendance for Saturday’s game, including Theo Pinson, Justin Jackson, Antawn Jamison and more. Some of those — and many others — celebrated on social media along with Tar Heel fans.
Check out other highlights from the Carolina campus community, UNC fans and local figures posting about the Tar Heels’ win.
#GDTBATH
— MayorMark (@mayormark.bsky.social) 2026-02-08T02:05:13.343Z
I love freakin Theo Pinson.Look on the right side of this pic😂😂😂😂
— NBABeau (@nbabeau.bsky.social) 2026-02-08T03:03:15.284Z
UNC (19-4, 7-3 in ACC) will return to action on Tuesday, as the Tar Heels travel to face Miami.
Featured photo by Todd Melet/Chapel Hill Media Group.
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