CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — In an exciting showdown, freshman Kon Knueppel made a significant impact by scoring 17 points to lead the No. 2-ranked Duke Blue Devils to a thrilling 82-69 victory over arch-rival North Carolina. With this win on Saturday night, Duke secured the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title outright.
Despite grappling with foul issues in the first half, Cooper Flagg played a crucial role for the Blue Devils by adding 15 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and providing six assists. After squandering an initial lead of 15 points and trailing by seven, Duke orchestrated an impressive 12-point run that quieted the enthusiastic home supporters and turned the momentum of the match.
With this victory, the Blue Devils are poised to ascend to the top spot in Monday’s AP Top 25 poll, especially following recent losses by the current leaders, Auburn.
For the Tar Heels, fifth-year senior RJ Davis delivered an impressive performance, scoring 20 points in what was his final home game. Although North Carolina displayed more determination compared to their first encounter with Duke earlier in the season, the Blue Devils ultimately widened their lead in the concluding seven minutes.
Takeaways from the match reveal that Duke, a favorite to reach the Final Four, completed a remarkable 19-1 record for the regular season, marking the first such accomplishment since the conference adopted a 20-game schedule in the 2019-20 season. Conversely, North Carolina, which entered the game riding a six-game winning streak, missed an opportunity to bolster their NCAA tournament resume with a marquee victory.
A pivotal moment of the game unfolded when UNC held a 59-53 advantage. Duke orchestrated a 15-2 run that included Knueppel’s decisive layup and a crucial three-pointer from versatile defender Maliq Brown, who returned from injury. This sequence ultimately sealed the lead for Duke with 8 1/2 minutes remaining.
A key statistic from the game indicated that UNC faltered offensively, failing to convert 22 of their last 27 shots during the final quarter-hour, enabling Duke to seize control.
Looking ahead, the ACC Tournament kicks off on Tuesday in Charlotte. Duke will enter the tournament as the top seed, starting their campaign in the quarterfinals on Thursday. Meanwhile, North Carolina, seeded fifth, will play in the second round on Wednesday.
