[ad_1]
There were no fans inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, and neither team has been ranked for the first time since 1960, but the Duke’s first performance this season against North Carolina was when even met the standards of the series. In the end, the Tar Heels put in their best offensive performance of the season ahead of Duke for a 91-87 win that the Tar Heels badly needed.
Duke (7-7, 5-5 ACC) also had his best score of the year, but languished defensively against a North Carolina team that was lethal in both the paint and the perimeter just four days after scoring just 50 points in a horrific loss for Clemson. First-year goaltender Caleb Love led the way for the Tar Heels (12-6, 7-4) with a career-high 25 points, giving UNC the explosive guard play he lacked for much of the season. season so far.
Still, a Duke team that got just seven points from top scorer Matthew Hurt stayed on UNC’s heels until the final bell. First-year forward Jalen Johnson made it to the basket with a chance to tie the game but was whistled for a trip eight seconds from time. From there, North Carolina froze the game on the free throw line.
While a pair of late Leaky Black free throws secured the result, a surprising dose of 3-point shooting propelled the Tar Heels for much of the game. UNC entered the rankings among the worst in the ACC and nationally in most 3-point shooting metrics, but scored 10 of 15 beyond the arc, with Love and Kerwin Walton combining to make 8 of 9 to counter Duke’s 11 of 11. 25 nights from 3 points.
[ad_2]
Source link