Duke vs. North Carolina: Three things we learned from the Blue Devils’ 74-64 comeback win

A monster second half effort propelled No. 5 Duke to a 74-64 win over arch-rival and ninth-ranked North Carolina Saturday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The victory was sweet revenge for a Blue Devils squad that was dealt an 82-78 loss by the Tar Heels back on Feb. 8. With the win, Mike Krzyzewski’s team locked up the No. 2 seed in next week’s ACC tournament. North Carolina will be the No. 6 seed.

Here are three more things we learned from Saturday night’s showdown in Durham:

For most of the season it has felt like there’s been something missing from a Duke team that began the year ranked No. 1. Saturday night was evidence that Coach K still has the pieces necessary to win six straight games in the NCAA tournament.

After seeming out of sorts during the game’s opening half, the Blue Devils flipped a switch and outscored their arch-rivals by a staggering total of 49-29 over the game’s final 20 minutes. Grayson Allen hit the crucial shots you’d expect a senior captain to hit, Trevon Duval played effectively and within himself at the point, Wendell Carter was a force on the glass, and Marvin Bagley showed why he’s likely going to be the ACC Player of the Year.

There is no team in the country more talented than Duke, but that’s been true since day one of the season. Saturday night provided definitive proof that the talent in Durham has morphed into a unit capable of providing the Cameron Crazies with a special March run.

For the better part of the Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski eras, North Carolina has dominated opponents with its superior size and athleticism inside, while Duke has done the same with its terrific play on the perimeter. The reversal of roles that has been apparent throughout the 2017-18 season was on full display Saturday night.

Duke’s second half surge was due primarily to the sensational play of Bagley. North Carolina simply had zero answer for the dominant freshman big man, who finished with game-highs in both points (21) and rebounds (15). The Blue Devils also won the war on the glass, out-rebounding UNC 46-42.

The Tar Heels, meanwhile, built their first half advantage with stellar guard play and hot three-point shooting. Cam Johnson and Kenny Williams lit up Duke from the outside, but when those shots stopped falling, UNC seemed unsure of where to go for offense. It was an evening to forget for senior guard Joel Berry, who was just 3 of 11 from the field and 0 for 7 from beyond the arc.

If the outside shots aren’t falling, this North Carolina team is going to have a hard time finding enough offense to play deep into March.

The last time North Carolina swept Duke in the regular season was 2008-09. That year, senior forward Tyler Hansbrough was the big man in the Tar Heel State as well as the national player of the year. UNC went on to win its fifth national title.

Perhaps Carolina will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of that squad with a pair of wins over the Blue Devils next season.