After North Carolina cut a 24-point, second-half deficit to one, Ven-Allen Lubin had two free throws with 4.1 seconds left to potentially give the Tar Heels (22-13) the lead. But he missed the first and had the second made free throw waved off after teammate Jae’Lyn Withers stepped in the lane too early.

The Tar Heels looked as though they were circling down the drain in the first half of the Duke game. They were behind by 21 points after 20 minutes of play. But North Carolina refused to simply call it a night in the second half,