Duke overcomes North Carolina in ACC Tournament semifinals
Charlotte, N.C. (AP) — Kon Knueppel led No. 1 Duke to a 74-71 victory over North Carolina in a thrilling semifinal matchup on Friday night. Despite a strong second-half rally by the Tar Heels, Duke secured its third win against its rival this season to advance to the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship game.
Knueppel tallied 17 points, supported by Khaman Maluach’s 13 points and nine rebounds, and Sion James’ 12 points. Duke played without key player Cooper Flagg in this contest.
Duke (30-3) is now set to face the winner of the Clemson-Louisville semifinal in the title showdown. North Carolina (22-13) fought back from a 24-point deficit, with Ven-Allen Lubin missing a crucial free throw in the final seconds that would have given the Tar Heels the lead. Duke sealed the win with free throws from Knueppel and a missed three-pointer by Lubin at the buzzer.
This victory marks the first time since the 2001-02 season that Duke has beaten North Carolina three times in a single campaign. North Carolina’s Lubin recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds in a valiant effort.
In summary:
– North Carolina showed resilience in the face of Duke’s size advantage.
– Duke’s defensive prowess shone through despite missing key players.
– Withers’ early lane violation proved to be a critical error.
– UNC started the second half on a hot shooting streak, going 15 of 24 from the field.
Up next, Duke will compete in the championship game, while UNC hopes for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
