UNC’s Furious Comeback Falls Short as Duke Holds On in ACC Semifinals

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – North Carolina had its chance. Twice. But in a game where every possession mattered, one missed free throw and an untimely lane violation ended the Tar Heels’ ACC Tournament run.

No. 1 seed Duke completed the season sweep of North Carolina with a 74-71 victory in the ACC semifinals Friday night at the Spectrum Center, securing their third win over the Tar Heels this season.

For UNC (22-13), the loss stings, but it doesn’t erase the fight they showed after falling into a 24-point hole. The Tar Heels outscored Duke 47-29 in the second half, turning what looked like a runaway into a game that came down to the final seconds.

With 4.2 seconds left, Ven-Allen Lubin had a chance to put UNC ahead at the free-throw line. But his first attempt rimmed out, and Jae’Lyn Withers was called for a lane violation on the second, handing Duke possession.

Moments later, Kon Knueppel sank two free throws to ice the game.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Knueppel admitted postgame. “Especially up one. That was very interesting.”

The heartbreaking sequence leaves UNC’s NCAA Tournament fate uncertain, as the Tar Heels will now have to wait for Selection Sunday to see if they’ve done enough to earn a bid.

First-Half Collapse: Duke Buries UNC Early

For the first 15 minutes, UNC looked like a team ready to battle for an ACC title.

Behind Lubin’s early dominance in the paint, the Tar Heels led 30-24 with 5:03 left in the first half.

Then, everything unraveled.

Duke closed the half on a 15-0 run, holding North Carolina scoreless for the final 5:03 while forcing five turnovers. The Blue Devils were relentless on defense, first to every loose ball, and made UNC pay for every mistake.

“We weren’t competing,” said Hubert Davis. “They won their individual matchups, got every 50/50 ball, and imposed their will.”

At the break, UNC trailed 45-24. Their March Madness hopes seemed to be slipping away.

Second-Half Surge: UNC Nearly Pulls Off a Miracle

Whatever Hubert Davis said at halftime flipped a switch.

UNC opened the second half with a 13-3 run, quickly cutting the deficit to 11 behind aggressive drives from Seth Trimble and a key three-pointer from Elliot Cadeau.

The defensive intensity ramped up as well. UNC held Duke to just one made three in the second half (1-7 from deep) and forced seven turnovers, allowing them to slowly climb back into the game.

At the heart of the comeback was Ven-Allen Lubin, who delivered one of his best performances of the season. He finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and went 8-of-11 from the field, giving UNC a much-needed presence inside.

“We were living in their paint,” said Kon Knueppel, acknowledging Lubin’s dominance.

With 4:19 left, Trimble’s fast-break layup and free throw cut the deficit to six (70-64).

Then, with 32 seconds remaining, Trimble sank two clutch free throws, making it 72-71 Duke.

UNC had erased a 24-point deficit and had a chance to win.

The Final Seconds: A Heartbreaking Finish

UNC needed one last push. They got the stop they needed, forcing a Duke miss and setting up a chance to take the lead.

With 4.2 seconds left, Ven-Allen Lubin stepped to the free-throw line.

But his first attempt missed, and Jae’Lyn Withers stepped over the line early on the second, wiping away any shot at a rebound or tip-in.

Duke took over, and Knueppel calmly knocked down two free throws to push the lead to three.

“Coach always talks about finding a way to win,” said Tyrese Proctor. “It was a war, and we found a way.”

Hubert Davis: "I Couldn't Be More Proud"

Despite the painful loss, Hubert Davis praised his team’s resilience.

“I played four years here, 12 years in the NBA, nine years as an assistant, and now four years as a head coach, and I can’t be more proud of a team than I am right now,” Davis said postgame. “Just love these guys to death.”

RJ Davis, who finished with eight points and two assists, echoed that sentiment, believing UNC has done enough to earn a tournament bid.

“I think we’ve shown in the past couple of weeks that we are a tournament team,” Davis said. “You couldn’t ask for a better team than that, that goes through adversity, goes through criticism, and still perseveres through it all.”

UNC has won 9 of its last 12 games and pushed the No. 1 team in the country to the wire. Whether that’s enough for the selection committee remains to be seen.

For now, they wait.

Final Box Score:

Duke 74, North Carolina 71

UNC Leaders: 🔹 Ven-Allen Lubin: 20 PTS, 10 REB, 8-11 FG 🔹 Elliot Cadeau: 15 PTS, 5 AST, 3-3 3PT 🔹 Seth Trimble: 14 PTS, 6-9 FT 🔹 Drake Powell: 10 PTS, 5 REB

Duke Leaders: 🔹 Kon Knueppel: 17 PTS, 3-5 3PT, 2 clutch FTs 🔹 Khaman Maluach: 13 PTS, 9 REB, 6-8 FG 🔹 Tyrese Proctor: 11 PTS, 4 AST, 1 clutch jumper

UNC shot 47.3% from the field, but just 3-of-17 from three (17.6%), while Duke hit 5-of-22 from deep (22.7%) and out-rebounded the Tar Heels 34-31.

Bottom Line: A Rivalry, A Heartbreaker, and An Uncertain Future

UNC gave everything in the second half. They erased a 24-point deficit, held Duke to 29 second-half points, and had a shot to win in the final seconds.

But one missed free throw and a costly lane violation sealed their fate.

“We left everything out there,” RJ Davis said.

Now, UNC’s season is in the hands of the selection committee.

Was this comeback enough to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament?

The answer comes Sunday.