Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball: Top 10 wins for Tar Heels over Coach K

By Zack Pearson

DURHAM, NC - MARCH 03: (L-R) Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils talks to head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels before their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 3, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC - MARCH 03: (L-R) Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils talks to head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels before their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 3, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NC – MARCH 9: Rashad McCants #32 of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates after defeating the Duke University Blue Devils in the game at Dean E. Smith Center on March 9, 2003 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 82-79. (Photo by Craig Jones/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC – MARCH 9: Rashad McCants #32 of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates after defeating the Duke University Blue Devils in the game at Dean E. Smith Center on March 9, 2003 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 82-79. (Photo by Craig Jones/Getty Images) /

03/09/2003: UNC 82, Duke 79

The 2002-03 season was one to forget for the Tar Heels as they finished the year 19-16 overall and 6-10 in the ACC as they failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament and were instead sent to the NIT. But while it was a down year, the Tar Heels did have some impressive wins including the regular-season finale.

An unranked UNC team was set to host No. 10 Duke in the Dean Dome after losing to the Blue Devils a few weeks before. The Tar Heels were certainly underdogs and were trying to figure things out with their young recruiting class of Rashad McCants, Sean May and Raymond Felton providing some hope for the future.  And this game was another chance for those young players to shine.

The game was back-and-forth with a total of 21 lead changes but a few key moments in the second half decided it. McCants scored on a layup and then Felton hit a three-pointer with 7:03 left to give UNC a 68-64 lead. Duke was able to tie the game at 72 with 2:23 but a McCants three-pointer and a Jackie Manuel layup once again gave the Tar Heels a five-point lead. After hitting 5 of their final 6 free throws late, the Tar Heels were in control. But it wouldn’t be a Duke-UNC rivalry game without some tense moments.

As the clock winded down, Dahntay Jones drained a 30-footer that was slightly after the buzzer that would have tied the game. Replay waived it off and it didn’t count but it was still a few nerve-racking seconds.

McCants finished the game with 26 points, going 12-of-16 from the field in what would be the final win for Matt Doherty over Duke.

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