UNC Outlasts Duke in Rivalry Thriller, But Postgame Chaos Steals the Spotlight
Another chapter of the Duke-North Carolina rivalry is in the books, and it had all the ingredients we’ve come to expect-momentum swings, clutch shots, and a finish that left everyone breathless. But this time, the drama didn’t stop when the final buzzer sounded. In fact, it might’ve just been getting started.
No. 14 North Carolina pulled off a gutsy 71-68 win over No.
4 Duke on Saturday, coming back from a 13-point second-half deficit in front of a raucous home crowd. The hero?
Seth Trimble, who drilled a go-ahead three-pointer in the closing seconds. The crowd erupted.
The court flooded with Carolina blue. Game over, right?
Not quite.
Officials went to the monitor and determined there were still 0.4 seconds left on the clock. That meant the court had to be cleared-again-before the final 0.4 could play out.
The fans, who had just celebrated what felt like a walk-off moment, had to be ushered back to the stands. And when the clock finally ticked down to zero for real, the court stormed once more.
But that wild sequence came with real consequences.
Duke head coach Jon Scheyer didn’t mince words afterward, calling it a “scary ending” and revealing that members of his staff were physically assaulted during the chaos.
“I got staff members that got punched in the face,” Scheyer said postgame. “My family was pushing people away trying not to get trampled. That’s not what this game is about.”
It’s a sobering reminder that while these rivalry moments are electric, they can also veer into dangerous territory when emotions boil over and security protocols get overwhelmed. Scheyer made sure to credit North Carolina for the win-“they played a great game to win”-but it was clear the postgame scene left a bitter taste.
North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham addressed the incident after the game, issuing an apology to Scheyer, his family, and anyone injured in the storming. He acknowledged the chaos of having to clear the court twice and noted that at least one person was hurt.
“Court stormings are absolutely fabulous,” Cunningham said. “But when they rushed the court, a number of people got knocked over… Again, I apologize to (Scheyer), his family and obviously if someone got injured, that’s really disappointing.”
This isn’t the first time Duke has been caught in the crosshairs of a postgame court storm. Back in 2024, former Blue Devils standout Kyle Filipowski injured his knee after Wake Forest fans rushed the floor following an upset win. That incident sparked renewed debate about the safety of court stormings-especially when high-profile programs like Duke are involved.
Saturday night’s finish will be remembered for Trimble’s clutch shot and the Tar Heels’ resilience. But it’ll also be remembered for the chaos that followed-an unfortunate reminder that even the best moments in college basketball can come with real-world consequences when the celebration spills over.
The rivalry delivered yet again. But as the dust settles, there are bigger conversations looming about how to keep players, staff, and fans safe when emotions run high and the court becomes the stage for more than just basketball.