Tar Heels Climb to No. 11 After Wild Week That Included a Rivalry Classic
CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina is on the rise.
After a rollercoaster week that featured a dramatic rivalry win and a near-collapse, the Tar Heels have jumped three spots to No. 11 in the latest AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll. At 19-4 overall and 7-3 in ACC play, UNC is showing flashes of a team that could be dangerous down the stretch - but they’re also reminding us that no lead is ever truly safe in college hoops.
Let’s start with the week’s opener: a matchup against Syracuse that looked like a blowout early and nearly turned into a disaster. The Tar Heels built a massive 32-point lead in the second half, seemingly cruising toward an easy win.
But the Orange didn’t fold. They clawed back, cutting the deficit to just six points in the final minute before UNC finally shut the door.
It ended as a 10-point win, but it came with a warning: this team can dominate - but they can also drift.
Then came Saturday. And what a Saturday it was.
In one of the most memorable finishes in the history of the UNC-Duke rivalry - which is saying something - the Tar Heels didn’t lead for a single second of game time until there were just 0.4 ticks left on the clock. That’s when freshman guard Derek Dixon delivered a gutsy, pinpoint pass through traffic to a wide-open Seth Trimble in the corner.
The fourth-year guard didn’t hesitate. He rose, fired, and drilled a three-pointer that sent the Dean Dome into chaos and lifted UNC to a stunning 71-68 win.
The crowd stormed the court. Then, after officials added 0.4 seconds back to the clock, they were cleared off. When the final horn sounded for real, the fans rushed again - this time for good.
But the postgame celebration wasn’t without controversy. Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said that some of his staff members were “punched in the face” during the court storming. UNC Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham apologized to Scheyer afterward, and Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis said Monday that he had reached out to the Duke coach as well.
On the floor, freshman sensation Caleb Wilson led the way with 23 points, continuing to show why he’s one of the most impactful first-year players in the country. Trimble added 16, including the shot that will live in UNC lore.
With their current ranking, the Tar Heels are now the second-highest ACC team in the poll, still trailing No. 4 Duke.
Virginia checks in at No. 15, Clemson at No. 20, and Louisville rounds out the conference’s ranked teams at No.
Up next, UNC heads south to face Miami on Tuesday night in what could be a tricky road test. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN. After that, they’ll return to Chapel Hill to host Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon.
It’s February now - the stretch run is officially on. And if the past week is any indication, the Tar Heels are ready to make things interesting.