Seth Trimble is ‘trending towards’ a comeback

North Carolina’s Fast Start in College Basketball 2025 The season has quietly changed expectations in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels are 10-1 through their first 11 games, a stretch that includes quality wins and steady growth, all while playing without one of their most reliable perimeter defenders. That absence could soon end.

Momentum continues to build around Seth Trimble’s potential return as early as Saturday’s neutral-site game against Ohio State in Atlanta. National college basketball insider Jeff Goodman fueled the speculation while discussing the UNC situation.

“All signs point to Seth Trimble playing this Saturday against Ohio State. Everything is going that way,” Goodman said on his The Field of 68 podcast.

Trimble has been sidelined ever since in early November after suffering a fractured left forearm in a gym accident shortly after North Carolina’s statement beat then-No. 19 Kansas.

Despite missing nine games, Trimble remained a visible presence on the bench — often seen in a cast or brace — until recently. During UNC’s win over USC Upstate, he appeared without any protective gear, an encouraging sign for his recovery.

Head coach Hubert Davis confirmed the progress earlier this week, noting that Trimble has returned to full contact action. Davis was recently asked how he plans to do it reintegrate the old guardsignaling that Trimble’s return is no longer theoretical.

In Trimble’s absence, North Carolina went 8-1, including wins over Kentucky and Georgetown. The Tar Heels have relied on balance and interior efficiency, highlighted by Henry Veesar’s breakthrough performance against East Tennessee State on Tuesday.

The redshirt junior scored a game-high 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting to help UNC pull away after a rough first half. His continued efficiency, which now leads the team in field goal percentage and blocked shots, has stabilized the frontcourt while the backcourt has rotated.

Still, Trimble’s return would add defensive versatility, experience and roster flexibility as UNC begins to stack up resume-building options.

Saturday’s game against Ohio State presents the first real test in December, and Trimble’s availability could subtly reshape North Carolina’s ceiling in conference play. Whether he bounces back immediately or not, the trend line is clear — Trimble is closing in, and UNC could soon look even more complete.