The guard has missed three games due to an upper-body injury, and hasn’t played since the Tar Heels overcome UCLA before Christmas.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina guard Seth Trimble is expected to make his return on Tuesday night against SMU, as announced by assistant coach Sean May on Monday evening.
Trimble has been sidelined for the last three games due to an upper-body injury sustained during practice on December 28. Prior to his injury, he was UNC’s second-leading scorer for the season, which included wins over Campbell and Notre Dame, as well as a defeat at Louisville. His last appearance was in the Tar Heels’ comeback victory over UCLA just before Christmas at Madison Square Garden.
“Seth needed to focus on getting healthy, and it was wise for him to take the necessary time to recover,” May stated during coach Hubert Davis’ weekly radio show. “We’re really happy to have him back, and we expect him to have a big game tomorrow to help us secure a win.”
The Tar Heels (9-6 overall, 2-1 ACC) will face SMU (11-3, 2-1) at home on Tuesday night at the Smith Center (9 p.m., ACC Network). Four of UNC’s next six games will be played at home.
Before his injury, Trimble was enjoying a standout junior season, averaging 14.8 points per game—a substantial increase of over nine points compared to the previous season—along with 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. He recorded a career-high 27 points in UNC’s impressive comeback win against Dayton during the Maui Invitational and has scored in double figures in 11 of the 12 games he has participated in this season.
Freshman guard Ian Jackson has stepped up with three starts while Trimble has been sidelined, and he’s emerging as a key player for the Tar Heels. On Saturday, he scored a season-high 27 points in UNC’s exciting win at Notre Dame. Over the past four games, Jackson has averaged 25 points per game and has made history as the first UNC freshman to score 23 points or more in four consecutive games.
“The kid has a natural talent,” May said of Jackson on Monday night. “What I appreciate most about him is that he’s a joy to coach. He shows up and gives his all in practice every day, is eager to learn, and takes coaching very well. He has a knack for recognizing opportunities and can sometimes create them even when they aren’t there. His ability to finish is exceptional. Many people might not know he’s left-handed, but even though he shoots with his right, that’s what makes him effective with both hands, especially near the basket. Plus, his athleticism is something we haven’t seen in a while, which makes him really exciting at that position.”
Trimble has long been acknowledged for his defensive skills and is often considered UNC’s best on-ball defender. His absence has changed how the Tar Heels handle their guard rotations and has limited their defensive flexibility as a team, according to May.
“It puts a lot of pressure on RJ (Davis) and Elliot (Cadeau) to log the majority of the minutes,” May explained. “While Ian (Jackson) is developing, Seth was someone who brought stability. He can guard anyone and switch effectively. We could place him against larger opponents and trust that he would handle it. Without him, we felt the gap in his ability to apply pressure on the rim and contribute to our three-point shooting.”
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