Duke played down a man — or two — for most of February and the first two games of March. For the final regular-season game at UNC, the Blue Devils had all players available.

That’s what made Saturday’s 82-69 win so remarkable for the Blue Devils. It wasn’t the grand, season-saving spectacle the Tar Heels hoped for, needed and often threatened to deliver, but another comfortable Duke win in a sea of 27 others.

The Tar Heels likely need to win the ACC tournament to earn a bid into the NCAA tournament after middling in a historically weak league with no signature wins.