North Carolina falls to Clemson in ACC Tournament quarterfinals
By Robert Willett ,
Ethan Hyman and
Kaitlin McKeown
North Carolina's Seth Trimble sits next to official Bill Covington atop the scorers table after careening out of bounds during the first half of the Tar Heels’ ACC Tournament quarterfinal game against Clemson on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.
Kaitlin McKeown
kmckeown@newsobserver.com
No. 4 seed North Carolina fell to fifth-seeded Clemson 80-79 in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
The Tar Heels trailed by as many as 12 points in the second half, but cut into the deficit with a late 21-7 run.
Clemson advances to face Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals on Friday night.
North Carolina's Henri Veesaar walks off the court following the Tar Heels’ 80-79 loss to Clemson in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
North Carolina guard Derek Dixon (3) scores a three-point basket, too cut the Clemson lead to 80-79 with :02 seconds to play, on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) puts up a three-point shot to cut the Clemson lead to 78-76 with 12.2 seconds to play on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Clemson forward R J Godfrey (0) breaks to the basket for a dunk in the second half against North Carolina on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Godfrey scored 13 points in the Tigers’ 80-79 victory. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Clemson forward R J Godfrey (0) defends North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) in the first half on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina coach Hubert Davis huddles with his players in the second half against Clemson on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina's Seth Trimble drives to the basket against Clemson's Chase Thompson late in the second half of the Tar Heels’ 80-79 loss in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Clemson forward Nick Davidson (11), guards Dillon Hunter (2) and Ace Buckner (21) collapse around North Carolina guard Seth Trimble (7) in the first half on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina guard Seth Trimble (7) concentrates during a free-throw attempt in the second half against Clemson during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Clemson forward R J Godfrey (0) drives to the basket for a reverse lay-up against North Carolina forward Jarin Stevenson (15) in the first half during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) grimaces as he takes the court in the closing minutes of pay following a time-out on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina guard Seth Trimble (7) fumbles the ball out of bounds under pressure from the Clemson defense in the first half on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Clemson coach Brad Brownell directs his players in the closing minutes of play against North Carolina on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina coach Hubert Davis questions official Bill Covington in the second half against Clemson during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Clemson guard Dillon Hunter (2) react as the Tigers take a 58-41 lead over North Carolina in the second half on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina guard Seth Trimble (7) drives to the basket against Clemson’s Jake Whalin (10) Nick Davidson (11) in the first half on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) puts up a shot over Clemson’s Nick Davidson (11) in the first half on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina guard Seth Trimble (7) fumbles the ball under pressure from the Clemson defense in the first half on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina's Seth Trimble is swarmed by the Clemson defense during the second half of the Tar Heels’ 80-79 loss in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
North Carolina coach Hubert Davis directs his team on offense in the in the first half against Clemson on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina's Luka Bogavac drives against Clemson's Efrem Johnson and Dillon Hunter during the second half of the Tar Heels’ 80-79 loss in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
North Carolina's Jarin Stevenson reacts to a call by an official during the first half of the Tar Heels’ ACC Tournament quarterfinal game against Clemson on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
North Carolina's Seth Trimble attempts to save the ball from going out of bounds during the first half of the Tar Heels’ ACC Tournament quarterfinal game against Clemson on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
North Carolina forward Jarin Stevenson (15) puts up a shot over Clemson’s Jake Whalin (10) in the first half on Thursday, March 12, 2026, during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina's Jarin Stevenson fouls Clemson's Jake Wahlin during the first half of the Tar Heels’ 80-79 loss in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis reacts during the second half of the Tar Heels’ 80-79 loss to Clemson in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
North Carolina's Jarin Stevenson blocks a shot by Clemson's Efrem Johnson during the second half of the Tar Heels’ 80-79 loss in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Clemson's RJ Godfrey drives past North Carolina's Henri Veesaar during the first half of the Tigers’ ACC Tournament quarterfinal game on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, out with a broken thumb, wears a large bandage on his injured hand, as his teammates warm up for their ACC Tournament game against Clemson, on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
This story was originally published March 12, 2026 at 10:57 PM.
