Duke Holds Off North Carolina Rally, Wins 74-71 Without Cooper Flagg/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ No. 1 Duke edged North Carolina 74-71 in the ACC Tournament semifinals on Friday night, overcoming a furious Tar Heels comeback to secure their third victory over UNC this season. Kon Knueppel led Duke with 17 points, while Khaman Maluach added 13 points and nine rebounds. Despite missing star Cooper Flagg, Duke held strong in the final seconds, benefiting from a costly UNC lane violation on a free throw that could have tied the game. The Blue Devils now advance to the ACC championship, where they will face the winner of Clemson vs. Louisville.
Duke vs. UNC Quick Looks:
- Duke Survives UNC’s Rally: The Blue Devils led by 24 points before UNC cut the deficit to one in the final seconds.
- Kon Knueppel Steps Up: The freshman led Duke with 17 points, helping fill the gap left by Cooper Flagg’s absence.
- UNC’s Costly Mistake: A lane violation erased a potential game-tying free throw with 4.1 seconds left.
- Historic Sweep: Duke beats UNC three times in one season for the first time since 2002.
- ACC Championship Next: Duke will face the winner of No. 10 Clemson vs. No. 13 Louisville.
Duke Holds Off North Carolina Rally, Wins 74-71 Without Cooper Flagg
Deep Look:
Duke Holds Off UNC, Advances to ACC Final
Despite missing Cooper Flagg and key reserve Maliq Brown, No. 1 Duke (30-3) showed depth and resilience by defeating North Carolina (22-13) 74-71 in a thrilling ACC semifinal matchup.
The Blue Devils dominated early, building a 24-point second-half lead before UNC stormed back.
UNC’s Late Rally Falls Short
- Ven-Allen Lubin led the Tar Heels with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
- UNC hit 15 of its first 24 second-half shots, clawing back into the game.
- With 4.1 seconds left, Lubin had a chance to tie the game at the free-throw line, but:
- He missed the first shot.
- A lane violation on Jae’Lyn Withers nullified his second made attempt.
- Knueppel then iced the game with two free throws, and UNC’s last-second three missed at the buzzer.
Key Players & Stats:
- Duke:
- Kon Knueppel – 17 points
- Khaman Maluach – 13 points, 9 rebounds
- Sion James – 12 points
- North Carolina:
Duke Sweeps UNC for First Time Since 2002
The last time Duke won three times against UNC in a season (2002), they went on to win the national championship. Could history repeat itself?
What’s Next?
- Duke faces either No. 10 Clemson or No. 13 Louisville in the ACC Championship.
- UNC awaits Selection Sunday, hoping their NCAA Tournament resume is strong enough for a bid.
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