Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: Top 15 moments under Roy Williams

By Zack Pearson

DURHAM, NC - MARCH 04: Tyler Hansbrough #50 of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates after defeating the Duke Blue Devils 83-76 during their game on March 4, 2006 at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC - MARCH 04: Tyler Hansbrough #50 of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates after defeating the Duke Blue Devils 83-76 during their game on March 4, 2006 at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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Roy Williams UNC Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 06: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts following a play during the first half of their game against the Duke Blue Devils at Dean E. Smith Center on March 06, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Sweeping Duke in his final year

By Blake Cockrum

Williams’ final season as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels wasn’t an easy one. They struggled their way to just 18 total victories, suffered disappointing double-digit losses to both Clemson and Marquette, and lost their first-round NCAA Tournament game to Wisconsin in blowout fashion.

But one thing that did go right for Williams and the Tar Heels was winning both games against the Duke Blue Devils. For some UNC fans, that’s enough to consider any season a success. For others, it’s at least a measure of success despite a difficult year.

Their first against the Blue Devils in 2021 was a thrilling 91-87 victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium that saw UNC freshman point guard Caleb Love explode for a game-high 25 points and seven assists. Six Tar Heels scored in double-figures, including all five starters, while shooting better than 53 percent for the game and 66 percent from beyond the arc.

Their second victory of the season over Duke came in the form of an 18-point blowout at the Dean Smith Center in early March. Caleb Love had another terrific game against the Blue Devils, joining fellow freshman Kerwin Walton and sophomore center Armando Bacot with 18 points a piece on Senior Night in Chapel Hill. North Carolina led by 16 points at halftime, and the game was never in doubt from the opening tip.

The team’s first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament a couple of weeks later wasn’t exactly how they drew it up, but their victories over the Blue Devils offered just a bit of solace in what turned out to be Roy Williams’ final season at the helm.

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