With both teams on the court warming up for college basketball’s biggest rivalry, Coach K leisurely strolled through the hallways at Chapel Hill, heading toward the court, packing a career record of 1,066 wins. Needless to say, he would not have to motivate the Blue Devils for win number 1,067. But it never materialized.
Learning of winning the AAC regular season title moments before the game began against rival Duke, did little to change the Tar Hills’ mindset of going out with a strong showing. After all, Duke came to town with thoughts of sweeping the series for the third time in the last five years.
“You saw a game where a lot of guys played well,” Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “And that’s it. Sometimes, it’s not nuclear science here. It’s that easy.”
However, No. 5 North Carolina held on to defeat the No. 17 Duke Blue Devils, 90-83 in front of a packed house on Saturday night in its second meeting.
As expected, the Tar Heels (26-6, 14-4 ACC) will have the top seed at the AAC Conference Tournament while Duke, a fifth seed will play its next game on Tuesday in the first round of the tournament.
The game featured 17 first-half lead changes, while the Tar Hills took advantage of Duke’s late cold shooting with under three minutes to play.
With Duke (23-8, 11-7) trailing 81-79, hot-handed Joel Berry II scored back-to-back baskets to open an 85-80 North Carolina lead. In that span, only Blue Devils Grayson Allen managed to basket one of four free throws while teammate Frank Jackson rimmed out a 3-pointer adding to its late woes.
“I think our guys did a great job of just focusing in on the game today and not worrying about how, if we lose, we’re still the ACC champs,” Berry explained.
Then Berry II netted one-of-two free throws, giving the Tar Hills an 86-80 lead before Duke’s guard Luke Kennard penetrated the lane, scoring a basket while drawing a foul, trimming the lead to three points, 86-83 and a one-possession game with 20 seconds left. But the Blue Devils defense fell asleep on North Carolina’s next possession, allowing Justin Jackson to break free for a fast break layup. That iced the win for the Tar Hills.
Berry II led the Tar Hills with 28 points, followed by center Isaiah Hicks, 21 and Justin Jackson added 13.
Jefferson, who showed his offensive glass work in the low post area, picked up his third foul with 18:08 left in the second half after he pulled the Blue Devils within two points, 50-48. That did little to slow Duke, as Kennard scored 28.
The contribution never stalled as Tatum, Kennard, Jackson and Jefferson had a hand in baskets to take a 58-57 lead with 16:19 left. Defense wasn’t much of a factor for either team. It all came down to who would execute in the winding moments.
Kennard and Jefferson got Duke off to a 6-2 start when Kennard drained two free throws and Jefferson made good on two layups. Soon after, North Caroline quickly got into its offensive rhythm going with help from Hicks, Kennedy Meeks, and Jackson, to grab a 9-8 lead on Jackson’s floater just before its first timeout of the game.
The run that both teams hoped for never showed, despite the Tar Hills holding its largest lead of the game, 24-19 early in the first half.
North Carolina will face the winner of Miami/Syracuse in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament on March 9th.
Photo credit:Wikipedia
