The University of North Carolina (UNC) basketball team suffered a crushing 17-point loss to Duke on Saturday night, with the Blue Devils dominating from start to finish. Despite a valiant effort by the Tar Heels, who looked sharp in their throwback jerseys, they were unable to keep up with the high-powered offense of Coach Jon Scheyer’s team.
The game was never close, with Duke building an insurmountable lead early on and holding off on the gas for most of the second half. The Blue Devils’ freshmen duo of Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel provided a spark, combining for 33 points on efficient shooting and impressive all-around play.
In contrast, UNC struggled to find its rhythm, with the Tar Heels scoring just 25 points on 29% shooting in the first half and struggling to contain Duke’s high-powered offense. The Blue Devils finished with 20 assists on 28 baskets and scored 19 points off 14 UNC turnovers.
Despite the disappointing loss, UNC coach Hubert Davis remains optimistic about his team’s prospects. He praised his players’ potential and urged them to stay focused and work towards consistency, saying “I think we can be really good.” However, with the Tar Heels running out of time to prove themselves in the ACC, this game has raised serious doubts about their postseason chances.
As one Cameron Crazie quipped, “This game sucks,” highlighting the frustration that fans are feeling as the Tar Heels continue to falter on the court. With the NCAA Tournament hopes slipping away, UNC will need to regroup and refocus if they want to make a deep run in March Madness.
Source: https://eu.fayobserver.com/story/sports/college/acc/2025/02/02/unc-basketball-duke-seth-trimble-tar-heels-ncaa-tournament-cooper-flagg/78149715007