Duke and North Carolina are the only words that you need to utter to know the importance of this rivalry to the sport of college basketball. This historic matchup had another chapter in store reversing the roles of last season regular season finale at Cameron Indoor. This a new mark in the rivalry as Willams and Coach K are no longer manning the sidelines between these two schools. The last time these two met Duke avenged their loss in Cameron Indoor last season in Coach K's farewell to Coach K court. Nonetheless, there is not a more equal matchup numbers wise that there couldn't have been any less margin. In the well-known Dean Dome here is how this chapter ended in Chapel Hill.
1st Half
It was a slow early beginning for these two. At the first TV timeout there were only seven total points scored reading (5-2) Tar Heels. The early goings wouldn't speed up much as neither team could seem to find anything to fall. The score at the under 12 timeout was Duke 11 UNC 9. Roach had hit two threes and Leaky Black had five in the early going in the slugfest. At the under 12 the teams were a combined (7-25) on FG's. RJ Davis would get into the action in the middle of the opening half scoring five straight for the Tar Heels. That would help keep the score at bay (18-16) in favor of the Blue Devils at the 7:44 mark. The game would remain a slugfest and back and forth for the next four minutes. But a Whitehead and one and a Filipowski layup off a steal the Blue Devils would hold a five-point advantage at the final media timeout of the first half (28-23). In the final minutes the game remained close as it always does but it seemed that both teams had someone showing through. RJ Davis and Kyle Filipowski would lead their teams in points in the first half each sharing nine points to lead the way. The halftime score would read Duke 33 North Carolina 31, and would we have expected any less in this game? Both teams didn't shoot well from deep as the two combined to shoot (5-18) in the first half from three. It wasn't much better overall as neither squad shot better than 37% from the field.
2nd Half
No team came out of the break better than the other, but the action continued to keep pace. Filipowski came up with a big slam to bring the score to Duke 41 UNC 35 at the first media break of the final stanza. North Carolina from there would then come out to their run and was able to bring the game to a tie score of (43-43) with 12:08 left in the game to force a Duke timeout. There wouldn't be a lot of scoring over the next few minutes, but North Carolina would find themselves with the lead. Back-to-back threes from Davis and Nance put the Tar Heels up 49-47 with 8:08 remaining forcing another Duke timeout. The three-point shooting still was far from even average but the shots they had hit to that point played major in that swing. As it reached crunch time Duke had it's answers and Filipowski was right in the middle of it all. After UNC took the lead the two exchanged baskets leading to a RJ Davis bank shot to make the score (55-54) in favor of the Tar Heels. That is how the score would read as these two teams entered their final stanza of time. This game always delivers and this game was no exception at all. UNC would go up 57-56 after a Bacot free throw and Duke answered back getting to the line themselves. Followed by a great move to the hole through the defense by Roach and the pressure was on UNC. (60-57) Duke led with 43 seconds remaining. North Carolina was unable to score again and the Blue Devils would come out with a big time road win. (62-57) the final score and it was a gritty win. Duke shot just 37% from the field (22-58) and UNC shot just 30% (17-56) the teams shot a combined (9-36) from deep.
Who Stepped Up
On a stage like this you always look to who will lead your team to win the big game. Tonight, there were clear favorites on both sides. It was clear in the first half who was coming out for North Carolina and that would be RJ Davis and Armando Bacot leading the charge in the first half with nine point each translated to the second half. Those two would finish with 17 points each but that would not be enough to take down Duke on Senior night. For the Blue Devils the star Freshman Filipowski willed Duke to victory tonight. Going for 22 points and 13 rebounds the Freshman certainty didn't look like one stealing on one the biggest stage he may have had.
Closing
Duke closes the regular season 23-8 and now is in good position for March and will look to win a couple games in Greensboro next week. For the Tar Heels they fall to 19-12 and will now more than likely need a big time performance next week to squeak in the field. But North Carolina is a hard brand for the committee to keep out of the conversation.