Dixon takes home Player of the Game in UNC’s loss at Duke

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DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 7: Derek Dixon #3 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts following a three-point basket in the first half against the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 7, 2026 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) | Getty Images

There it was 19:16 to go in the game and North Carolina had just hit a 3 to pull within one of the Mighty Duke Blue Devils. Hopes were high and it seemed like just maybe the Tar Heels could pull the upset.

Instead, Duke went on a 26-6 run over the next 11 plus minutes and put the game away. A late push by North Carolina made the score a little more reasonable, but in the end it was still another signature win for the team from Durham.

So who gets Player of the Game in the Tar Heel’s latest loss?

First a shout out to Jarin Stevenson who was one rebound shy of a double-double, that’s the second straight game he has been one shy of a double-double (it was points against Clemson), as he finished with 10 points and nine rebounds while adding in two blocks. Another shout out to Henri Veesaar who also came up one rebound shy of his 14th double-double and what could’ve been his first since returning from injury. Veesaar finished with 11 points to go with his nine rebounds while also adding a block.

And that is it (the bench produced seven points in this game, five of those came from Zayden High who banked in a three pointer). So without further ado, your Player of the Game is Derek Dixon.

Dixon finished the game with a team high 17 points on 5-9 shooting while dishing out three assists and having zero turnovers (the Tar Heels as a whole had 14 turnovers led by Luka Bogavac). Dixon also led the in three-pointers making 5 of 8. The points and the three-pointers made were both season highs for Dixon who will look to lead this team with the loss of fellow freshman Caleb Wilson.

Who do you think deserved Player of the Game? Let us know in the comments below.

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