The atmosphere inside the arena was electric, and even a Louisville fan seated near Luke and Drake Maye couldn’t help but get caught up in the excitement. The intensity of a North Carolina-Duke showdown in the ACC Tournament, especially in a setting like this or Greensboro, is impossible to resist. It wasn’t just about flawless execution—it was about the drama, the emotion, and the sheer spectacle of college basketball at its finest.
And in the end, it all came down to one of the most unexpected, yet decisive moments in the sport: a lane violation. In this rivalry, even the smallest infractions take on larger-than-life significance. As North Carolina’s last-second shot bounced away, Duke secured a 74-71 victory, completing its first three-game season sweep of the Tar Heels since 2002 and earning a spot in the ACC championship game.
Dominance over North Carolina
The Blue Devils managed the win despite the absence of Cooper Flagg, who was sidelined with an ankle injury suffered on Thursday. Their dominance over North Carolina in the previous two meetings suggested this matchup might have been less dramatic if Flagg had played, but his absence only added to the intrigue.
Duke still managed to fend off
Without the ACC Player of the Year and without key defender Maliq Brown—who played a pivotal role in Duke’s earlier win at Chapel Hill—Duke still managed to fend off a determined North Carolina squad that was fighting for its postseason life. The game had everything: a 24-point lead for Duke that evaporated in the final minutes, the Tar Heels mounting a furious comeback, and a crowd that was swept up in the spectacle, including fans with no direct allegiance to either team.
Nullifying the shot.
North Carolina appeared all but finished early in the second half but clawed back to within one point in the final minute. The Tar Heels had two chances to tie the game in the last 32 seconds. After a missed opportunity, Ven-Allen Lubin had a free throw that could have evened the score at 72, but Jae’Lyn Withers stepped into the lane too soon, nullifying the shot.
At first, the Duke bench erupted in celebration, seemingly reacting to what looked like a made North Carolina basket. But the replay revealed Withers’ clear two-step violation. “I’ve never seen anything like that before, especially up one,” Duke guard Kon Knueppel said. “That was very interesting.”
Final attempt, a three-pointer
North Carolina still had one last shot to send the game to overtime with 2.9 seconds remaining, but Duke denied the inbounds pass to R.J. Davis. Instead, Lubin took the final attempt, a three-pointer that bounced off the rim as time expired.
For Davis, it was another unforgettable chapter in the storied rivalry. “Any time you put on this jersey and go against Duke, it’s a chance to be part of history,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate to play in a lot of games I’ll cherish forever. To be down 20 in the first half and fight back to within a minute and a half—it doesn’t get better than that in a rivalry.”
Now, North Carolina can only hope its NCAA tournament hopes didn’t slip away along with Withers’ ill-fated misstep. Meanwhile, Duke had to battle through a tough week, overcoming Georgia Tech on Tuesday while also adjusting to the losses of both Brown and Flagg.
In the end, the Blue Devils survived the chaos and moved one step closer to an ACC title, proving that even without their star player, they could rise to the occasion when it mattered most.