UNC shoots 53 percent and commits only five turnovers – and still loses at Duke.

The Blue Devils net 27 more points than the Tar Heels from three-pointers (making 13 compared to 4) and the lead changes hands 17 times, which is a record for the rivalry.

Carolina misses 8 of its 18 free throws and it boils down to a 50-50 ball that Matt Jones takes away from Joel Berry with 26 seconds left in a one-score game. The Tar Heels play without senior Isaiah Hicks and lose the rebounding battle to the Blue Devils by one board.

It’s three weeks and two days until the rematch in Chapel Hill, but the guys in light blue might like to lace ‘em up against the guys in royal blue sooner than that. Duke has three of the best players in the ACC and college basketball in Grayson Allen, Luke Kennard and Jayson Tatum, who hit 11 of the 13 treys and combined for 45 of their 86 total points. But I still think Carolina is a better TEAM.

Without Hicks, the Heels weren’t nearly as aggressive on the boards and were matched by Duke in offensive rebounds, making it even more amazing the game was so close considering that the Blue Devils made 52 percent of their shots, 48 percent from behind the arc.

If they make that many from outside, they will win most games. Allen, after a controversy-marred start to his season, showed why he was picked as ACC Player of the Year and the national player of the year in some polls. His quick-trigger release and NBA range make him very hard to guard, but still Duke made almost twice as many three-pointers as the team’s average per game.

Carolina usually plays to its strengths and did not on this night. Kennedy Meeks grabbed only five rebounds and Luke Maye, starting for Hicks, had just two. Theo Pinson returned and gave the Tar Heels much needed energy in 19 minutes with seven rebounds, three assists and one steal. This was far from UNC’s best game of the season, but it came down to that loose ball in the last half-minute.

Like the Heels must feel, I sure can’t wait for the redo on March 4.

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