In one of the most anticipated NCAA tournament games of all time, No. 8 seed North Carolina knocked off No. 2 seed Duke 81–77 to end the historic career of Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski.
It’s rare that a game with this much buildup lives up to the hype, but Carolina and Duke treated college basketball fans to an absolute thriller. The national semifinal featured 18 lead changes, a 21-rebound performance from UNC forward Armando Bacot, and unbelievable shot making in the final minutes of the contest.
With North Carolina leading 75–74 with less than a minute to play, Duke forward Mark Williams missed a pair of free throws that would have given the Blue Devils the lead. Following the second miss, Carolina sprinted up the floor with a one-point lead, and Tar Heels guard Caleb Love hit a three-pointer from the top of the key, which proved to be the dagger.
