Duke advances to the ACC Tournament Championship Game after holding off a fierce North Carolina rally.

The 2025 ACC Tournament has been a spectacle from start to finish, filled with intense matchups, buzzer-beaters, and high-stakes drama. But none have been as captivating, as thrilling, and as emotionally charged as Duke’s semifinal win over their archrivals, North Carolina. The Blue Devils, led by their star players, were able to withstand a ferocious rally by the Tar Heels to advance to the championship game. With a final score of 81-78, Duke punched their ticket to the final in a game that epitomized everything great about college basketball.

The Setting: A Rivalry Like No Other

Duke and North Carolina, two of the most storied programs in college basketball, have built a rivalry that transcends sports. Their matchups are often the pinnacle of the college basketball calendar, filled with passionate fans, intense emotions, and a sense of history that no other rivalry in the game can match. As the teams met in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament, the stakes were higher than ever. For Duke, a victory meant a spot in the championship game and a chance to solidify their place as one of the best teams in the nation. For North Carolina, it was a last-ditch effort to salvage their season and make a statement before heading into the NCAA Tournament.

The game was set up perfectly to deliver high drama. Duke, led by the National Player of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg, had been on a tear throughout the tournament. North Carolina, on the other hand, had played with a chip on their shoulder, knowing that this was a do-or-die situation for them. With both teams playing at their peak, basketball fans across the nation were eagerly anticipating another chapter in this legendary rivalry.

First Half: Duke Dominates Early

From the tip-off, Duke came out firing on all cylinders. The Blue Devils were sharp, focused, and playing with a sense of urgency that suggested they were intent on making quick work of the Tar Heels. The first half was a display of offensive efficiency and defensive intensity, as Duke controlled the pace of the game.

Cooper Flagg, Duke’s versatile star, was everywhere in the opening period. His ability to impact the game in every way—scoring, rebounding, defending, and playmaking—was evident from the start. Flagg scored 12 points in the first half and grabbed six rebounds, providing a strong inside presence and stretching the floor with his shooting. He hit two three-pointers in the first half, making it clear that North Carolina’s defense would have to respect his ability to shoot from the outside.

Alongside Flagg, Duke’s backcourt duo of Jeremy Roach and Tyrese Proctor played a key role in pushing the tempo and creating opportunities. Roach, who had been dealing with an ankle injury, showed no signs of slowing down. He scored 10 points and dished out five assists in the first half, helping Duke set up a balanced offensive attack. Proctor, the freshman point guard, added eight points and showed his playmaking ability with several impressive assists.

On the defensive end, Duke was suffocating. They held North Carolina to just 32% shooting in the first half, and the Tar Heels struggled to find any rhythm offensively. Duke’s defense was particularly effective in the paint, where they forced several missed layups and blocked shots. Kyle Filipowski, Duke’s 7-footer, was a force in the middle, providing rim protection and cleaning up the glass. Filipowski finished the first half with seven rebounds and three blocks, making life difficult for North Carolina’s big men, Armando Bacot and Pete Nance.

Duke went into the locker room with a commanding 44-30 lead, and it seemed as though the Blue Devils were poised to put the game away early.

Second Half: North Carolina’s Fierce Rally

But as any true college basketball fan knows, a game between Duke and North Carolina is never over until the final buzzer sounds. And true to form, the Tar Heels came out of the break with a renewed sense of energy and determination.

North Carolina, trailing by 14 points, started the second half on a 12-4 run, trimming the deficit to just eight points. Bacot, who had struggled in the first half, began to assert himself in the paint, scoring six quick points. His physicality and presence in the low post were a key factor in North Carolina’s early second-half surge. Alongside Bacot, Caleb Love, the Tar Heels’ star guard, started to heat up, knocking down a series of mid-range jumpers and attacking the basket. Love, who had been relatively quiet in the first half, found his rhythm and began to lead the charge for North Carolina.

The energy in the arena shifted as North Carolina’s fans began to roar with every made basket. The momentum had shifted, and it seemed as though the Tar Heels were on the verge of pulling off a dramatic comeback. The Blue Devils, meanwhile, started to show signs of fatigue and struggled to maintain the same level of intensity that they had shown in the first half.

Duke, however, wasn’t going to let their rivals steal the game away so easily. Cooper Flagg, ever the competitor, responded with a key three-pointer to stem the tide and calm the Blue Devils. Flagg’s ability to step up in clutch moments was one of the defining features of his performance in this game. His poise and composure under pressure helped Duke stabilize their lead, but North Carolina wasn’t done yet.

As the game neared its final minutes, the Tar Heels continued to battle back. With just over four minutes remaining, they had cut Duke’s lead to a mere two points, 74-72. The energy in the building was palpable as both teams traded blows, with every possession feeling like it could determine the outcome of the game. Bacot’s dominant post play and Love’s timely shot-making kept the Tar Heels alive, but Duke’s defense was ultimately able to hold firm.

The Clutch Performances

With the game in the balance, Duke turned to its veterans, Jeremy Roach and Kyle Filipowski, to help them close out the game. Roach, who had been instrumental in Duke’s first-half lead, scored six points in the final four minutes, including a clutch mid-range jumper that put the Blue Devils up by four with just over a minute remaining. Roach’s leadership and ability to execute in the clutch were crucial in keeping Duke ahead despite the Tar Heels’ rally.

Kyle Filipowski, though battling a back issue, was also instrumental in the closing moments. His rebounding and defensive presence in the paint were key, especially when North Carolina’s offensive rebounds gave them second-chance opportunities. Filipowski grabbed two critical rebounds in the final minute and made a key defensive stop on Bacot, who had been dominant inside. Filipowski’s impact on both ends of the floor was a big reason Duke was able to hold off the Tar Heels.

Cooper Flagg, too, continued to shine in the final moments, providing an all-around performance that demonstrated why he is one of the best players in college basketball. Flagg hit two crucial free throws in the final seconds to push Duke’s lead back to five, effectively sealing the victory. His ability to make plays at both ends of the court, from scoring to rebounding to defending, was on full display in the final moments.

The Final Minutes: Duke Holds On

North Carolina had one last chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but Duke’s defense was up to the task. After a missed three-pointer by Love, Duke was able to secure the rebound and run out the clock, advancing to the ACC Tournament Championship Game with a hard-fought 81-78 victory.

The win was a testament to Duke’s resilience and ability to close out tight games, even in the face of fierce opposition. North Carolina’s rally was impressive, but Duke’s poise and clutch performances in the final minutes allowed them to hold on for the win.

The Aftermath: A Historic Victory

The Blue Devils’ victory over North Carolina not only sent them to the ACC Tournament Championship Game but also sent a strong message to the rest of the country: Duke is a team to be reckoned with. The Blue Devils have been playing their best basketball at the perfect time, and this win over their archrivals will only fuel their confidence as they head into the championship game and, eventually, the NCAA Tournament.

For Duke, it was a victory built on balanced scoring, leadership, and defense. Cooper Flagg’s all-around performance, Jeremy Roach’s clutch play, and Kyle Filipowski’s presence in the paint were critical in holding off a North Carolina team that refused to go down without a fight. The Blue Devils showed that they have the depth and talent to handle adversity and rise to the occasion when the stakes are highest.

As for North Carolina, despite the loss, their rally showed that they are capable of competing with the best. They will likely enter the NCAA Tournament with renewed confidence, knowing that they have the firepower to make a deep run.

Duke, now preparing for their championship showdown, knows that the journey is far from over. The Blue Devils will need to keep their focus and maintain the intensity that got them to this point. The road to the title is still long, but with the way they’ve been playing, Duke is a team that no one wants to face.