Seth Trimble expected to return for UNC men’s basketball against Ohio State
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- Seth Trimble expected to return for No. 12 UNC vs. Ohio State Saturday.
- Trimble missed nine games after left forearm fracture and surgery.
- Coach Hubert Davis cites Trimble’s playmaking and top perimeter defense.
North Carolina guard Seth Trimble is “medically cleared” and expected to play Saturday against Ohio State for the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta, UNC athletics announced Friday afternoon in a press release.
Trimble has been sidelined since breaking a bone in his left forearm during a Nov. 9 team workout, just two days after he scored 17 points in UNC’s 87-74 win over Kansas. He had surgery the next day and has missed the Tar Heels’ last nine games while recovering.
UNC coach Hubert Davis said Monday on his weekly radio show that Trimble did individual work last week and participated this week in five-on-five action. The N&O reported on Saturday that Trimble was set to return to full-contact practice this week.
A 6-foot-3 defensive standout and veteran leader, Trimble averaged 14.5 points, five rebounds and 3.5 assists in the first two games of the season before suffering the injury. His absence has been noticeable, particularly in transition.
North Carolina has scored just 22 fast-break points over its last four games.
“Having that ability to strike and be able to finish and transition like [Trimble] is real,” Davis said on Saturday. “He’s another playmaker. So he can handle the ball, he can distribute, he can score. And then, defensively, you can make the argument he’s the best on-ball defender, perimeter defender in the country.”
The No. 12 Tar Heels and Buckeyes will tip off at 3 p.m. Saturday at State Farm Arena in the CBS Sports Classic.
This story was originally published December 19, 2025 at 3:54 PM.