DURHAM, N.C. — In a game that meant nothing in the ACC standings for No. 4 Duke but everything in the hearts of Blue Devils near and far, rival North Carolina outplayed the Blue Devils when it mattered Saturday night.
In retiring Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Tar Heels rallied from seven points down in the final 13 minutes to beat the Blue Devils, 94-81.
Wanting desperately to send their 75-year-old coach off the court that bears his name with a win one last time, Duke instead saw four Tar Heels score 20 points or more. That quartet — Armando Bacot (23 points), Caleb Love (22) RJ Davis (21) and Brady Manek (20) — helped UNC shoot 59.4% in the second half to pull away.
Duke (26-5, 16-4 ACC) had its first outright first-place finish in the ACC regular season wrapped up prior to the game. The Blue Devils saw their seven-game winning streak halted.
As the No. 1 seed for the ACC tournament in New York, Duke opens play Thursday at noon against the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 8 seed Florida State and No. 9 seed Syracuse.
UNC (23-8, 15-5 ACC) earned the third seed thanks to beating Duke and play either No. 6 seed Virginia, No. 11 seed Louisville or No. 14 seed Georgia Tech in Thursday night’s final quarterfinal at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Paolo Banchero scored 23 points for Duke, which shot just 42.1% in the second half.
After Duke led by as many as nine points in the first half, UNC cut the deficit to 41-39 at halftime and the Tar Heels tied the score at 41 when Bacot scored inside with 18:55 to play.
Duke then used an 11-4 run to lead by seven points as Williams scored three baskets inside, Banchero sank a layup and Keels drilled a 3-pointer.
With Duke up 56-49 Banchero hit a layup on a fast break that started with Theo John blocking Manek’s layup attempt, it appeared the Blue Devils were on the verge of pulling away with 12:49 to play.
But UNC responded with five quick points, including a pair of Davis baskets, that left the Blue Devils up 54-52 with 11:40 to play.
Duke led 61-56 when UNC ran off nine points in a row to move in front. Duke contributed with a pair of turnovers, including allowing Davis to steal the ball and hit a layup.
When Davis sank a jumper with 6:42 to play, the Tar Heels led 70-65.
Duke pulled within a point at 70-69 on a two Keels free throws, but UNC unleashed a 9-2 run with Davis hitting an open 3-pointer and later a layup, Black a reverse layup and Manek a basket inside to lead 79-71 with 3:54 to play.
Following the emotional pregame ceremony where the nearly 100 former players who returned for the game welcomed Krzyzewski to the court for his final game at Cameron, the Blue Devils were predictably off their game in the early minutes.
Duke hit just two of its first seven shots, while committing three turnovers, as the Tar Heels jumped to an 11-4 lead.
Once the Blue Devils calmed down after the game’s first timeout, they found their footing offensively. By hitting five of its next six shots, Duke cut UNC’s lead to 13-12. Banchero hit three shots during that stretch.
But it wasn’t until UNC center Bacot picked up his second foul that the Blue Devils were able to create some separation from their rivals.
UNC led 28-23 after two Bacot free throws with 7:08 left in the first half.
Banchero’s 3-pointer gave Duke momentum and the Blue Devils’ surge grew after Bacot went to the bench at 6:22 after being called for his second foul.
Duke scored the game’s next 11 points, giving it a 14-0 run and a 37-28 lead with 3:04 left until halftime.
