CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina was spiraling toward yet another defeat against their historic rival Kansas, trailing after a lackluster first half characterized by mistakes and a dormant offense.
However, bursting into the second half with infectious energy and determination transformed the trajectory for both Friday night’s matchup and in affirming Hubert Davis’ redesign of the team after the Tar Heels narrowly qualified for last year’s NCAA tournament.
When all was said and done, the 25th-ranked Tar Heels triumphed with an 87-74 victory over the 19th-ranked Jayhawks, powered by a standout freshman, a big man acquired through the transfer portal, and a veteran senior who took on the critical defensive task against Kansas’ standout freshman Darryn Peterson.
After falling behind by 10 in the first half and 37-29 at halftime, North Carolina made 18 of 23 attempts immediately after the break and shot 24-of-36 (66.7%) in the second half, resulting in an astounding 58 points in the latter portion of the game against Bill Self’s Jayhawks.
Seth Trimble scored 13 of his 17 points after the intermission, playing a vital role in the defensive effort against Peterson. «It eases some pressure on him, getting a big win like that. And it not only boosts his confidence but also uplifts the entire team as we move forward in the season,”
Until this moment, games like this had frequently slipped away from the Tar Heels recently. Last season, UNC had experienced eight losses in their last nine encounters against AP Top 25 teams, including one against Kansas where they squandered a 20-point lead only to hold on narrowly at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence.
Achieving a win in the opening week against Kansas, with fans engaging in a whiteout largely inspired by a social media post from star freshman Caleb Wilson, was a refreshing shift. This marked UNC’s first victory against Kansas since November 2002, when Matt Doherty was at the helm for UNC facing off against Jayhawks coach Roy Williams—before Williams returned to his alma mater for the next season.
The Jayhawks had claimed five consecutive victories in the historic rivalry, a matchup featuring programs with a combined total of 10 NCAA titles, with intertwined histories involving legends like Williams, Dean Smith, and Larry Brown deeply connected to both institutions. This streak included the 2022 national championship game during Davis’ inaugural season, the 2012 NCAA Elite Eight, and the 2008 Final Four where Kansas led 40-12.
«I aimed for this new squad, this fresh group, to experience firsthand what it’s like to compete in a contest of this magnitude in the Smith Center, and to shine,» Davis stated. «I just wanted them to savor the essence of being here.»
Henri Veesaar, an Arizona transfer, executed a slam dunk from a Kyan Evans pass and then slammed home a missed 3 from Wilson to ignite UNC’s second-half explosion, finishing with 20 points as he held a significant advantage over KU’s big man Flory Bidunga (eight points).
And there was Trimble, the 6-3 fourth-year veteran who transformed from a nonfactor in the first half to a key player as UNC seized control of the second-half pace. This included following Veesaar’s quick start with consecutive quick-scores that had Self first signaling in exasperation and then quickly calling a timeout just two minutes in.
However, Self commended Trimble’s defensive performance on Peterson, who notched 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting. Furthermore, Davis acknowledged that Trimble persisted after the team adjusted its defensive strategy to minimize switches, leaving perimeter players largely isolated.
«He suffocated Darryn in a way that, to me, was exceptional,» Self remarked. «Caleb was probably the game’s best player. However, one could easily advocate for Henri and Seth as well.
«The manner in which [Trimble] defended Darryn and managed everything, even though Darryn took 14 attempts, that was a situation where he probably needed to attempt 20 or 22» to secure victory.
Following this game, Davis emerged for his postgame press conference in athletic-wear instead of the customary sports coat and slacks. This was necessary since the players had drenched him in a celebratory water shower in the locker room.
«I won’t recall the score, but I’ll remember them bouncing around in the locker room,» Davis expressed. «I will remember the joy on their faces.»
