Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus #7 UConn on March 29, 2026 , Loss , 72, to, 73
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Final
Men's Basketball
72
vs #7 UConn
73
AP Column: Duke Plays Harder And Smarter Than North Carolina
2/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Scott Fowler, McClatchy Newspapers (Special to the AP)
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - The action Wednesday night in the Smith Center was fierce, frantic and flawed.
It wasn't a Duke-UNC classic, though. It was too one-sided for that.
No. 2 Duke is simply a better team than No. 3 North Carolina right now, and that's with or without Ty Lawson playing. The Blue Devils hide their weaknesses better and boast a scoring attack with more weaponry.
Duke broke a three-game losing streak against the Tar Heels with an 89-78 road victory Wednesday. The baby-blue crowd, hoping for a miracle with starting point guard Lawson out because of a troublesome ankle, instead witnessed a storm of 13 Duke three-pointers.
Some Tar Heel fans turned on their own in the final two minutes, booing the early departures in the crowd and chanting, "It's not over! It's not over!"
Soon enough, though, it was.
Six guys scored in double figures for Duke, which isn't abnormal. The Blue Devils are so deep and balanced this season ? all of them within a few inches of 6-foot-6 and equally adept at slashing to the basket and shooting 3-pointers. Give coach Mike Krzyzewski huge props for transforming the poky Blue Devils of a year ago, who lost their last four games, into this whirling dervish.
"We're a very unconventional team," said Krzyzewski, who has sacrificed physicality this season and become college basketball's version of the Phoenix Suns.
Krzyzewski out-coached Roy Williams in this one. Duke played smarter and harder.
Of the Tar Heels' three most talented players, Tyler Hansbrough had a great game, Lawson missed the game entirely and Wayne Ellington (3-for-14) couldn't shoot straight.
Duke's Gerald Henderson did seem somewhat affected in the first half by his reception. But in the second half, with a succession of dunks and blocks, Henderson was a major factor.
Wednesday's game marked only the sixth time in this series that both teams were ranked in the top three of the AP poll. A glamorous game like that will attract a glamorous crowd. This one included John and Elizabeth Edwards, dressed casually and eating popcorn eight rows up.
Seated directly behind the UNC bench were about half the Charlotte Bobcats. Guys such as Sean May took some non-ACC teammates like Jason Richardson and Matt Carroll to witness the madness firsthand. Julius Peppers neatly tied in his two favorite sports, sitting with Raymond Felton on his left and Mike Rucker on his right.
The pro athletes all looked on disgustedly in the first half ? when they weren't looking down at text messages ? as Duke hit a trio of 3-pointers in 41 seconds. That's the way it went much of the game.
"Whenever we had a shot at gaining the momentum, they hit another three," said UNC's Danny Green, who shot 1-for-10 himself.
Hansbrough, meanwhile, was everywhere for UNC. He passed Michael Jordan in career scoring for UNC midway through the second half. Hansbrough ended up with 28 points and 18 rebounds.
But, except for Marcus Ginyard, Hansbrough had very little help. Although Hansbrough was the best player on the floor Wednesday, Duke was easily the best team.
Players Mentioned
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