North Carolina star Caleb Wilson drops Michael Ivrin catchphrase after huge win over Duke

Caleb Wilson was more than happy to share a Michael Irvin quote after leading the No. 14 North Carolina Tar Heels to a 71-68 win over the 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 2025 class. He even had an offer from Duke but revealed how the program stopped reaching out to him as he eventually enrolled with North Carolina.

Fair to say that Wilson proved the Blue Devils wrong with their decision. He played the entire game as he finished with a stat line of 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 win after the game on the ESPN broadcast. It was there where he provided a humorous statement on what the Tar Heels needed to do against the Blue Devils, replicating one of Irvin’s quotes.

“We gotta give them that belt,” Wilson said.

“We gotta give them that belt.”

Caleb Wilson after UNC’s game-winner against Duke pic.twitter.com/Fg8akQW2WI

— ESPN (@espn) February 8, 2026

How Caleb Wilson, North Carolina played against Duke

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

It involved a furious rally in the second half after trailing 41-29 at halftime. The Tar Heels stormed back on both sides of the ball as they outscored the Blue Devils 42-27 in the last 20 minutes of regulation.

Three players scored in double-digits for North Carolina in the win, including Wilson. Seth Trimble assisted his co-star with a strong display of 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. Henri Veesaar came next with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Derek Dixon provided eight points and four assists.

North Carolina improved to a 19-4 overall record, going 7-3 in its ACC matchups so far. They sit at sixth place in the conference standings, being above the Louisville Cardinals and the California Golden Bears while trailing the Miami Hurricanes and the Virginia Cavaliers.

Rolling with five consecutive wins, the No. 14 Tar Heels will look forward to their next matchup. They are on the road when they face the Hurricanes on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. ET.

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