Love's career-high 25 helps N. Carolina edge Duke 91-87
AP
Feb 06, 2021
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) Freshman Caleb Love scored a season-high 25 points to help North Carolina Tar Heels beat Duke Blue Devils 91-87 on Saturday night in a rare meeting with both rivals unranked.
Junior Leaky Black hit two clinching free throws with 7.2 seconds left to make it a two-possession game for the Tar Heels (12-6, 7-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who ended a three-game losing streak against the Blue Devils (7-7, 5-5) despite blowing all of a 12-point second-half lead.
The longtime fierce rivalry between nearby neighbors had a very different feel this year.
The teams typically among the nation's elite entered this matchup with both unranked for the first time since February 1960. There was also the absence of Duke's famously rowdy fans in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The Tar Heels shot 53% and hit 10 of 15 3-pointers after shooting just 30% from behind the arc entering the game, including four each from Love and fellow freshman Kerwin Walton. The Tar Heels also had 28 points off turnovers and six players in double figures, overcoming a 13-for-22 showing at the foul line.
Freshman Jeremy Roach scored 16 points for Duke, which shot 54% and made 11 of 25 3-pointers. But Matthew Hurt, who entered the game as the ACC's No. 2 scorer at 18.9 points per game, finished with just seven before fouling out.
DJ Steward's layup brought the Blue Devils to within 88-87, with Black answering by hitting 1 of 2 free throws with 14.6 seconds left. Wendell Moore Jr. (15 points) had a chance to tie, but he drove to the paint and wasn't able to get off a shot before being whistled for a travel to set up Black's clinching free throws.
Black, Garrison Brooks and Walton each scored 12 for the Tar Heels. Armando Bacot chipped in 16 points and Day'Ron Sharpe 11.
Jalen Johnson scored 14 points with five assists for Duke, Steward and Joey Baker added 11 points each.
North Carolina opened the second half on a 19-9 run, making 9 of its first 12 shots, to lead 60-48. Duke slowly caught up, tying a 77 on a Hurt jumper with 4:43 left.
The Tar Heels return to Chapel Hill to await Miami on Monday. Duke plays host to Notre Dame on Tuesday.
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1st Half
UNC
Tar Heels
41
DUKE
Blue Devils
39
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Armando Bacot vs. Mark Williams (Blue Devils gains possession)
19:32
Caleb Love misses two point jump shot
19:30
Mark Williams defensive rebound
19:08
Wendell Moore Jr. turnover (traveling)
18:57
+2
Garrison Brooks makes two point jump shot
2-0
18:01
DJ Steward misses two point jump shot
17:53
+3
DJ Steward makes three point jump shot (Wendell Moore Jr. assists)
5-3
17:38
+3
Rechon 'Leaky' Black makes three point jump shot (Kerwin Walton assists)
8-3
17:16
Jeremy Roach misses two point layup
17:13
Mark Williams turnover (bad pass) (Kerwin Walton steals)
17:10
+2
Garrison Brooks makes two point layup
10-3
17:10
DJ Steward shooting foul (Garrison Brooks draws the foul)
16:42
Rechon 'Leaky' Black shooting foul (Jordan Goldwire draws the foul)
16:42
+1
Jordan Goldwire makes regular free throw 1 of 2
11-4
16:42
+1
Jordan Goldwire makes regular free throw 2 of 2
11-5
16:27
+3
Kerwin Walton makes three point jump shot (Rechon 'Leaky' Black assists)
14-5
16:09
Armando Bacot personal foul (Jaemyn Brakefield draws the foul)
16:05
+2
DJ Steward makes two point layup
14-7
15:52
Caleb Love turnover (bad pass)
15:45
Jordan Goldwire turnover (lost ball) (Caleb Love steals)
15:45
Jordan Goldwire turnover (lost ball) (Caleb Love steals)
15:43
+2
Caleb Love makes two point dunk
16-7
15:43
Jaemyn Brakefield shooting foul (Caleb Love draws the foul)
15:43
+1
Caleb Love makes regular free throw 1 of 1
17-7
15:29
Rechon 'Leaky' Black personal foul (Joey Baker draws the foul)
15:20
Jalen Johnson misses two point jump shot
15:18
Day'Ron Sharpe defensive rebound
15:09
Day'Ron Sharpe turnover (bad pass) (Jalen Johnson steals)
15:01
+3
Joey Baker makes three point jump shot (Jalen Johnson assists)
17-10
14:50
+2
Garrison Brooks makes two point jump shot
19-10
14:30
Jaemyn Brakefield turnover (traveling)
14:13
Mark Williams blocks Andrew Platek's two point layup
14:11
Matthew Hurt defensive rebound
13:57
Mark Williams misses two point hook shot
13:55
Day'Ron Sharpe defensive rebound
13:41
RJ Davis misses three point jump shot
13:39
Mark Williams defensive rebound
13:32
Joey Baker misses three point jump shot
13:30
RJ Davis defensive rebound
13:10
Mark Williams blocks Caleb Love's two point layup
13:08
Tar Heels offensive rebound
13:02
Walker Kessler misses two point jump shot
13:00
Wendell Moore Jr. defensive rebound
12:44
Matthew Hurt misses three point jump shot
12:42
Mark Williams offensive rebound
12:34
+2
Wendell Moore Jr. makes two point jump shot (Joey Baker assists)
19-12
12:19
Caleb Love turnover (bad pass) (Wendell Moore Jr. steals)
12:07
+2
Wendell Moore Jr. makes two point layup
19-14
11:59
Andrew Platek misses three point jump shot
11:57
Jordan Goldwire defensive rebound
11:47
Joey Baker misses three point jump shot
11:45
Walker Kessler defensive rebound
11:42
Caleb Love misses two point jump shot
11:40
Day'Ron Sharpe offensive rebound
11:40
TV timeout
11:28
+2
Garrison Brooks makes two point dunk (RJ Davis assists)
21-14
11:07
DJ Steward misses two point jump shot
11:05
Garrison Brooks defensive rebound
11:00
Joey Baker blocks Andrew Platek's two point layup
10:58
Anthony Harris offensive rebound
10:55
Matthew Hurt personal foul (Anthony Harris draws the foul)
10:49
RJ Davis misses three point jump shot
10:47
Wendell Moore Jr. defensive rebound
10:27
DJ Steward turnover (bad pass) (Garrison Brooks steals)
10:21
+3
Andrew Platek makes three point jump shot (Garrison Brooks assists)
24-14
10:01
Wendell Moore Jr. misses three point jump shot
9:59
RJ Davis defensive rebound
9:42
Armando Bacot misses two point hook shot
9:40
Mark Williams defensive rebound
9:29
Armando Bacot blocks DJ Steward's two point layup
9:27
Mark Williams offensive rebound
9:26
+2
Mark Williams makes two point dunk
24-16
9:15
Matthew Hurt shooting foul (Garrison Brooks draws the foul)
9:15
Garrison Brooks misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:15
+1
Garrison Brooks makes regular free throw 2 of 2
25-16
8:48
Jeremy Roach misses three point jump shot
8:46
Jalen Johnson offensive rebound
8:44
+2
Wendell Moore Jr. makes two point jump shot
25-18
8:20
+3
Kerwin Walton makes three point jump shot (RJ Davis assists)
28-18
8:11
+3
Jeremy Roach makes three point jump shot (Jalen Johnson assists)
28-21
8:01
Garrison Brooks misses two point jump shot
7:59
Wendell Moore Jr. defensive rebound
7:52
Jaemyn Brakefield misses three point jump shot
7:50
Rechon 'Leaky' Black defensive rebound
7:47
Rechon 'Leaky' Black offensive foul (Jeremy Roach draws the foul)
7:47
Rechon 'Leaky' Black turnover
7:47
TV timeout
7:30
+3
Jeremy Roach makes three point jump shot (Henry Coleman III assists)