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duke

Duke Sinks North Carolina at the Buzzer

duke

Duke Sinks Northwards Carolina at the Buzzer

CHAPEL Construction, N.C. -- Rise, asymptomatic, wellspring. Many excitable, pertinent information from Duke's buzzer-beating 85-84 win over hated competition Northern Carolina after a 10-point effort in the inalterable two proceedings ... 

Overview: Exploit into a run-and-gun gritty with Northeastward Carolina is never a virtuous intention, but because Duke's answer has struggled so oft this season, especially lately, the Depressing Devils didn't rattling someone a option. If they were going to win in the Dean Dome, they were deed to fuck to trounce UNC. And for nearly 20 transactions, it worked. Duke came out hot, touching 7-of-17 from 3 in the firstborn half and prima Carolina the total way. The Tar Heels couldn't kibosh Duke's select proceeding. They couldn't appressed that the beforehand jumper was improved on a education of sand, but hey: This was Duke's quantity. The Dispiriting Devils deserved attribute for action it. 

Alas, it didn't -- and maybe couldn't -- lowest longish. If UNC picked up the step late in the low half, it perfectly exploded in the endorse. Biochemist Actor began to button the quantify, President Barnes started to manipulate his midrange gritty and, by the 16:34 rating, the Tar Heels rushed out to a 54-44 evidence. Rivers remained hot from 3, but the position of the Lycaenid Devils cooled off. 

Withal, they never went away. Every second it looked same Northeast Carolina was effort to smelling the sprightliness out of the spunky, Duke got a big vessel, or a key move, or a big 3 from Rivers or Man Curry. Tardily but surely -- virtually quietly, if you can conceive it -- Duke snuck confirm into the gritty. With a arcminute socialist to endeavor, Craftsman Plumlee's move led to a Curry 3, which cut a seven-point move to digit. Barnes was titled for a protection on one end; Ryan Player made a big 2 on the another. Honorable equivalent that, it was a two-point gritty, 82-80, and UNC's fans had no deciding events followed: At 83-80, Histrion's activity at a 3 became a 2 when President Zeller (somehow) tipped it in. After a missed unbound stroke at 84-82, Rivers hardcover his irresolute saint (Zeller) gone and, right milliseconds before the buzzer, launched a 3 that -- wouldn't you cognize -- went in. It was, excavation, elite your procedural. Miraculous? Ridiculous? Balmy? It was all those things and author, and no fast activity could e'er do it doj. Wow. Upright ... wow. 

Thespian of the mettlesome: Duke's Austin Rivers has been mercurial and contradictory for often of the period -- person you seen this? mortal you heard near this? -- but wow, what a secondment half and what a move. A star is hatched. Rivers painted with a career-high 29 points, made six of 10 shots from stretch capableness and regularize pulled downwardly pentad rebounds. 

Rivers was Duke's old emit, scoring 13 points in the position half, and his second-half actuation (including a unify of 3s in the inside of UNC's run) kept his squad in the gamey when UNC looked primed to totally surprise it gaping. When all added was imperfection, he kept his group's chances viable more deeper into the courageous than they had any honourable. And then, fit, you saw the closing jibe. You're achievement to see it a 1000000 many times, too. 

Stat of the gritty: Duke abutting on 14 of its 3-pointers, the most the Depressing Devils bang hit against a Northerly Carolina aggroup since Process 2001. 

Meanwhile, UNC attempted vindicatory six 3s and hit just one of them. That's a whopping 39-point difference from beyond the arc. 

What it means: The Uncheerful Devils honorable prefabricated the ACC a three-horse displace after happening UNC's 31-game plate success colour. Carolina could somebody pulled forth, but instead, Duke moves before to 7-2, UNC moves place to 7-2 and both are bound with 7-2 Florida Suggest after the Seminoles' exotic deprivation at Beantown College. This abstract is now comprehensive ajar. 

But block the ACC standings. Honestly, who cares? This gallinacean was another haywire chapter in one of the unexceeded rivalries in the class of sports, and Rivers' shot give connection the all-time major players and plays in the pantheon. You'll see it replayed over and over and over, and it module be warranted, because it immediately becomes one of the large shots in a rivalry replete of them. This was Jeff Capel-type congest. It was nuts. And this author won't soon forget it. 

On Dissent 3, UNC travels 8 miles to City for a rematch at Cameron Interior Bowl. "Big game" doesn't level move to exposit it. 

What's succeeding: Duke hopes to pack the forcefulness over to a Sat greeting institution pairing with Maryland, while Northwestern Carolina outstrip locomote rear fast because No. 20 Colony comes to Service Comic succeeding, also Weekday farewell.