The latest installment of the Duke-North Carolina rivalry gave us everything you'd expect from one of college basketball’s most storied matchups-drama, a game-winning shot, and unfortunately, chaos that extended beyond the final buzzer.
The Tar Heels edged out the Blue Devils in a 71-68 thriller in Chapel Hill, capped by Seth Trimble’s cold-blooded corner three with just 0.4 seconds left on the clock. That shot sent the Dean E.
Smith Center into a frenzy, with fans pouring onto the court in celebration. But what should’ve been a moment of pure elation quickly turned into something much more troubling.
Moments after the win, former UNC guard Theo Pinson made headlines of his own-not for anything he did on the court, but for what he said off it. During a livestream, Pinson admitted to punching a Duke player during the initial court storming.
“I punched one of the Duke players,” Pinson said. “That’s free licks.”
It’s unclear when or where the incident happened, and Pinson didn’t name the player involved. But the admission added fuel to an already volatile postgame scene that’s now raising serious questions about court storming and player safety.
Here’s what we know: After Trimble’s dagger, fans rushed the court believing the game was over. But officials determined there was still 0.4 seconds left, forcing a full reset.
Security had to clear the floor so Duke could attempt a final play. Once that shot missed, fans stormed the court again-this time with even more intensity.
Duke head coach Jon Scheyer didn’t hold back in his postgame comments, describing the scene as dangerous and chaotic.
“I’ve got staff members that got punched in the face,” Scheyer said. “My family was pushing people away, trying not to get trampled. That’s not what this game is about.”
North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham later apologized to Scheyer and confirmed that someone affiliated with Duke was indeed injured during the mayhem. No further details were released.
The rivalry has always been heated, but this incident pushed things into a different territory. Court stormings are part of college basketball’s culture-moments of unfiltered joy when David topples Goliath or when bitter rivals clash in unforgettable fashion. But when players, staff, and even families are getting caught in the crossfire, it’s time to ask: where’s the line?
Scheyer made it clear he’s not against fans celebrating. “They won, they should celebrate,” he said. “But we’ve got to get our guys off safely.”
That’s the crux of it. No one’s trying to take the emotion out of the game. But when a celebration turns into a safety hazard, especially one involving physical altercations, the conversation shifts from tradition to responsibility.
This game will be remembered for Trimble’s clutch shot, no doubt. But it’ll also be remembered for what happened after the horn-an ugly reminder that even in the most passionate environments, safety has to come first.