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Duke is the team that entered Saturday’s rivalry showdown with North Carolina most in need of a win to bolster their NCAA tournament resumption. But the Tar Heels were the team that played with a palpable sense of urgency in the first half, as they opened up a 42-26 lead as they entered the break.
The UNC used their size advantage to dominate indoors early on, then secured a convenient 3-pointer to stop the Blue Devils from reducing the deficit amid a poor start to the shot. In particular, Duke’s top scorer Matthew Hurt struggled in the first half, scoreless for almost 19 minutes before getting a few late buckets to keep Duke within earshot.
A win would complete a regular season sweep for UNC, which won Game 1 91-87 a month ago. It would also strengthen the resumption of the NCAA Tar Heels tournament after they entered Saturday as the projected No.11 seed, according to Jerry Palm. If Duke is to save his chances of a blanket bid, he may have to stage a historic rally in the second half.
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