No. 15 North Carolina had several chances to beat No. 4 Duke but failed to capitalize on them.
Duke won 92-90 on Wednesday night after coming back from a late double-digit deficit and making key plays in the final moments.
“One play goes this way instead of that way,” said Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige, “we’re having a different conversation right now.”
Kennedy Meeks threw away a long inbounds pass. Paige missed a jumper at the regulation buzzer. J.P. Tokoto missed a short jumper late in overtime that could have tied the game, and Paige missed a final attempt after a missed free throw.
“The little things add up,” said Tokoto.
Meeks and Brice Johnson each scored 18 points to lead North Carolina (18-8, 8-5). Nate Britt made one free throw to bring the Tar Heels within two with 3.5 seconds left, but he missed the second attempt. Marcus Paige grabbed the rebound but couldn’t get a shot off as the buzzer sounded.
“My teammates came to battle,” said Paige, who had five points on 2-of-11 shooting. “They played fantastic the whole game. And I didn’t really give them anything.”
Quinn Cook scored 22 points, and freshman Tyus Jones also scored 22 points for Duke (23-3, 10-3). “It’s tough for this game to always live up to the hype,” said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. “But I think tonight’s game exceeded it.”
In a thrilling game between the fierce rivals, Duke let an early 13-point lead slip away and trailed by 10 with less than four minutes remaining in regulation. However, they rallied for their sixth straight win and their ninth win in 12 meetings with the Tar Heels.
Duke’s freshmen stars had big games: Jones added eight assists, Justise Winslow scored 16 points, and Jahlil Okafor had 12 points and 13 rebounds.
Amile Jefferson scored 13 points for Duke. They took a 90-89 lead with just under two minutes left in overtime after Okafor made a layup.
Cook gave Duke a two-point lead with a free throw with 31.8 seconds left. After missing the second free throw, the Tar Heels had a chance.
North Carolina worked the clock and passed to J.P. Tokoto, whose short jumper from the left baseline hit the rim. Cook grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 5.2 seconds remaining.
Cook missed the first free throw but made the second to put Duke up 92-89. North Carolina called a timeout after gaining possession, but Britt was fouled before they could attempt a 3-pointer.
Tokoto had 15 points, Isaiah Hicks scored 12, and Britt finished with 11 points. Johnson added 12 points before fouling out early in overtime for the Tar Heels, who have lost four of their last five games.
In the final moments of regulation, North Carolina held the ball and gave it to Paige, who took a long jumper. The shot bounced off the rim and into the lane, where a scramble for the rebound ensued but no fouls were called.
