Caleb Wilson throws out Michael Ivrin’s catchphrase after the win over Duke

Caleb Wilson was more than happy to share a Michael Irwin quote after leading North Carolina’s No. 14 Tar Heels to a 71-68 win over No. 4 Duke Blue Devils on Saturday night.

Wilson is enjoying a strong freshman campaign, standing out as one of the top recruits in the Class of 2025. He even had an offer from Duke but he found the program stopped reaching out to him when he eventually enrolled at North Carolina.

It’s fair to say that Wilson proved the Blue Devils wrong with his decision. He played the entire game as he finished with 23 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block. He shot 8-of-12 from the field, including 1-of-2 from beyond the arc, and 6-of-6 from the free throw line.

Wilson reflected on the victory after the game on the ESPN broadcast. There, he made a witty statement about what the Tar Heels need to do against the Blue Devils, replicating one of Irvin’s quotes.

“We’ve got to give them that belt,” Wilson said.

“We have to give them that belt.” 😂

Caleb Wilson after UNC’s game winner against Duke 😅 pic.twitter.com/Fg8akKV2VI

— ESPN (@espn) February 8, 2026

How North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson played against Duke

Caleb Wilson continues to impress as one of the top freshmen in the country, leading North Carolina to an upset over Duke.

That included a fierce second-half rally after trailing 41-29 at halftime. The Tar Heels responded on both sides of the ball as they outscored the Blue Devils 42-27 in the final 20 minutes of regulation.

Three players scored in double figures for North Carolina in the win, including Wilson. Seth Trimble assisted his colleague with 16 points, three steals, two rebounds and one block. He shot 5-of-7 overall, including 1-of-1 from downtown and 5-of-8 from the charity stripe. Next came Henri Vessar with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Derek Dixon had eight points and four assists.

North Carolina improved to 19-4 overall record, going 7-3 in its ACC matches thus far. They are sixth in the conference standings, above the Louisville Cardinals and California Golden Bears while trailing the Miami Hurricanes and Virginia Cavaliers.

With five straight wins, the No. 14 Tar Heels will be looking forward to their next matchup. They are on the road when they face the Hurricanes on February 10th at 7pm ET.