Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball: The 5 worst Duke losses of the Roy Williams era

By Carson Brown

DURHAM, NC - FEBRUARY 09: (L-R) Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils and head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels shake hands prior to their gaem at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 9, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC - FEBRUARY 09: (L-R) Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils and head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels shake hands prior to their gaem at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 9, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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February 8th, 2012: Duke 85 – UNC 84

This game won’t only go down as one of this best games in this rivalry’s history, but in the history of the NCAA. Unfortunately for the Tar Heels, they came up on the losing end of it. It was a battle from start to finish. It had the classic feel of a UNC/ Duke game, but Austin Rivers had to ruin all the fun for Carolina fans.

It was 84-82 in the Dean Dome. There were 3 seconds remaining on the clock when Austin Rivers rose up over the outstretched arm of Tyler Zeller, and hit one of the most iconic shots in the history of the rivalry. It was an incredible moment in sports that North Carolina just happened to be on the wrong side of.

This was one of the best UNC teams of the Roy Williams era at UNC, as the starting lineup included Kendall Marshall, Reggie Bullock, Harrison Barnes, John Henson and Tyler Zeller. Their entire starting five from this season made it to the NBA. Duke had five NBA players as well. The Blue Devils’ lineup included Seth Curry and Austin Rivers in the back court, Miles and Mason Plumlee inside and Quinn Cook off the bench.

The better the two teams are, the more it hurts to lose. Both sides shot well. Both sides played well, but Duke got the last laugh. The worst part of all it was the fact that Austin Rivers hit the dagger. The UNC fan base largely despised Rivers during his lone year at Duke, and that added a little more fuel to the fire.

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