UNC Basketball: The 5 best Duke wins of the Roy Williams era

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GREENSBORO, NC – MARCH 18: Kendall Marshall #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels talks with John Henson #31 in the first half against the Creighton Bluejays during the third round of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 18, 2012 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

March 5th, 2011: UNC 81 Duke 67

This game was played for the regular season ACC title, and the 1-seed in the conference tournament was on the line. Both teams entered the game with a conference record of 13-2, with Duke ranked fourth in the country, and North Carolina 13th.

The Tar Heels dominated this game from the tip. They shot a better percentage from the field, and from beyond the arc. They outrebounded the Blue Devils and had more assisted buckets. The Tar Heels were led by Harrison Barnes, Kendall Marshall, John Henson, and Tyler Zeller. Barnes scored 18 points, and Marshall had a 15-point, 11-assist double-double.

Duke was led by guard Nolan Smith, and he was paired with Seth Curry in the back court. On the wing was Kyle Singler, while a pair of Plumlee brothers and Ryan Kelly manned the post. Smith scored 30 points in the game while playing the entirety of the contest. Curry hit six threes and Miles Plumlee grabbed 11 rebounds.

It was a star-studded matchup with a plethora of NBA talent on the court, and an ACC regular-season title on the line. It’s always special when the two teams meet, but with so much at stake, it makes it just a little bit better.

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