No. 14 North Carolina Claws Back To Knock Off No. 4 Duke In 71-68 Classic In Chapel Hill
In what was perhaps the best college basketball game of the year so far, the 14th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels squeaked by their bitter rivals, the 4th-ranked Duke Blue Devils, to finally put a blemish on Duke’s undefeated record in ACC play.
Caleb Wilson Outduels Cameron Boozer In Battle Of Superstar Freshman
In a preview of what’s to come when both of these players make it to the NBA in June, North Carolina’s freshman phenom, Caleb Wilson, led the way for the Tar Heels over the Boozer-led Blue Devils. Wilson finished with 23 points on an efficient 8-of-12 shooting from the floor, while also adding in 2 steals and a block to flash his tremendous two-way potential. Meanwhile, Boozer had a monster double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds.
After a rough first half that saw the Blue Devils take a commanding 41-29 lead heading into halftime, the Tar Heels seemed unable to climb out of the 12-point deficit all night. That was until North Carolina’s star center, Henri Veesaar, came alive in the second half to put the Tar Heels in a prime position to win late. The former Arizona Wildcat finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, with all 13 points coming in the second half in the win.
While all eyes were on the battle between the two electric freshmen, it would be North Carolina senior guard Seth Trimble who would be the hero for the Tar Heels tonight. Trimble scored a solid 16 points, with 3 of those points coming at the end as Trimble nailed a clutch three-point jumper in the corner to win at the buzzer, and send the Tar Heel faithful into a frenzy.
Foul Trouble Dooms Duke In Loss
Although the Blue Devils were able to get whatever they wanted on offense, their sloppiness on defense when it came to fouling was the deciding factor in their loss. Both Boozer and Duke Center Patrick Ngongba II would be the first to find themselves in foul trouble early, as each player picked up 2 fouls in the first half.
While the foul trouble would subside for Boozer, it would be an entirely different case for Ngongba II, who would foul out midway through the second half. That forced backup Center Maliq Brown to have to defend Veesaar, who would take full advantage of Ngongba II’s absence.
On the offensive side of the ball for Duke, they were able to get a fair amount of production outside of Boozer in the loss. One of the most notable performances came from freshman guard Dame Sarr, who put together the best performance of his young career this game. Sarr finished with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor, while also grabbing 6 rebounds. The Blue Devils saw three of their five starters finish the game in double figures.
ACC Regular Season Title Race Tightens
Although every rivalry game is a must-win no matter the circumstances, tonight’s game did have a little bit more riding on it for both teams. For Duke, this loss prevents them from tightening their grip on a potential ACC title, as they’re now tied with No. 20 Clemson for the top spot in the conference with seven games left in ACC play. For North Carolina, this win keeps them squarely in the running for the conference title, as they move to 7-3 in ACC play while also owning the tiebreaker over the Blue Devils for the time being.
This game could also have a butterfly effect that extends to the end of the season, making the final game between these two rivals all the more intriguing. Both Duke and North Carolina will meet on March 7, with that game serving as the final game of the ACC regular season for both squads. If North Carolina continues their winning ways and Duke stumbles a few more times heading into the regular season finale, the second matchup between these two teams could decide who sits atop the ACC this season.
