Duke and North Carolina gave us an incredible contest in early February; let’s remember how it all unfolded.
The effect of the national pandemic was felt by the entire college basketball universe, as it led to the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament and will severely limit the upcoming season. However, we still got plenty of excitement and action in the months before its arrival last season. Continuing our look at the top 40 games of the 2019-20 season, we hit a bigtime rivalry matchup that delivered in an incredible way.
2. #7 Duke 98, North Carolina 96, OT
February 8, 2020, Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, NC
There are many exciting parts of the college basketball season. Everyone lives for March Madness while the excitement of early-season tournaments is undeniable. For many, rivalry games produce some of the most intense and fantastic basketball of the entire season. College basketball’s greatest rivalry produced in a major way in their first game of the season.
As per usual, Duke was looking like a national title threat. They had already claimed great wins away from home over Kansas and Michigan State and entered play at 9-2 in the ACC. Freshmen Vernon Carey Jr. and Matthew Hurt were playing an important role on the team while Tre Jones had certainly evolved into a leader and floor manager. The Blue Devils entered this rivalry game looking for their 5th straight win.
For North Carolina, the season had completely fallen apart and was becoming quite the disaster. There wasn’t much talent on this roster beyond freshman stud Cole Anthony, and a team once ranked in the top 5 was now just 10-12. In fact, the Tar Heels had already lost four home games in conference play, though they were certainly more pumped up to welcome their rival Blue Devils to the Smith Center.
There’s something very special about intense rivalries like this one. Despite these two teams heading in completely opposite directions, they played at a remarkably even level on this night. They traded baskets early, but Duke’s offense struggled initially as the Tar Heels built a 5-point lead at home. A few minutes later, an and-1 from Anthony gave North Carolina an early 18-9 lead just seven minutes into the game.
North Carolina built the lead to 10 points and kept it there for a long time. Each time Duke would score, the Tar Heels would have a dynamic response. Carey had five points during a 9-2 spurt from the Blue Devils, but North Carolina rebuilt their lead at the end of the first half. Justin Pierce hit a late 3-pointer while Duke managed nothing more than free throws in the final two minutes.
The second half began similarly as the Tar Heels regained their double-digit lead. Seven minutes into the half, the Tar Heels built the lead up to 12 on a jumper from Garrison Brooks. Just as Duke went on a run to get back into the game, a big 3-pointer from Christian Keeling extended the lead back to 9 with ten minutes left.
With eight minutes to go, Duke still trailed by 12 points, but the game was far from over. Duke’s offense hit their free throws and started scoring again, but a jumper from Pierce gave the Tar Heels an advantage of 13 points with just four minutes left. If they were going to make a run against their bitter rivals, the time had come.
The Blue Devils got huge 3-pointers from Joey Baker and Alex O’Connell to help carve into the lead while the Tar Heels’ offense stalled late. North Carolina made just 4 of 8 from the free throw line in the final minute, giving plenty of chances for the Blue Devils, though their moment would come in the final seconds. Down just three, they still had a chance before the Tar Heels deliberately fouled Jones. After making the first attempt, he missed the second, rebounded the ball, and put it in the hoop as time expired, forcing a dramatic overtime period.
The Tar Heels blew that late lead but needed to refocus. Jones put up six quick points as Duke built a 5-point lead, though North Carolina tied it a few moments later on a jumper from Andrew Platek. Again, the Tar Heels built a nice lead as time started to run thin. Anthony was fouled and hit both foul shots late, giving the Tar Heels a 5-point advantage with under twenty seconds.
Jones was fouled on a layup, missed the free throw, and Wendell Moore Jr. put it in the hoop to get the Blue Devils back within a point. After a turnover from the Tar Heels, the Blue Devils got another miracle with Jones at the free throw line. After missing the second foul shot again, Duke got the offensive rebound, and Moore’s putback gave the Blue Devils a wild, improbable victory.
There was controversy on the final players in overtime, but Duke left Chapel Hill with a hard-fought win. Jones led the way with his 28-point performance, while the Blue Devils also got 22 points from Cassius Stanley. Duke made just 22% of their 3-pointers but had enough offense to dig out of that huge hole late in the second half. For the shell-shocked Tar Heels, Anthony led the way with 24 points and 11 rebounds, but they didn’t do enough late to notch what would have been an impressive victory.
The Blue Devils ended the season tied in 2nd place in the ACC and in great position to make a postseason run, though it would of course never come to be. North Carolina was grateful to see the season cut short, as their loss to Syracuse in the ACC Tournament dropped them to an appalling 14-19 season.
Regardless, these two teams gave us a fantastic game that won’t soon be forgotten. It was perhaps the most painful moment in a terrible season for Tar Heels fans, while Duke pulled off the improbable down the stretch and secured their sixth straight win.