Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Mike Krzyzewski’s home coaching career is over—just not in the way anyone in Cameron Indoor Stadium hoped.
Armando Bacot, Brady Manek, R.J. Davis and Caleb Love each scored 20-plus points as North Carolina turned in a dominant second-half effort to upset No. 4 Duke 94-81 in Coach K’s final home game as Blue Devils head coach.
Krzyzewski, who is retiring after the 2021-22 season, was honored before the game with a lengthy ceremony that featured nearly 100 former Duke players. NBA commissioner Adam Silver, comedian Jerry Seinfeld and several other comedians were in attendance for the rivalry game.
Duke Men’s Basketball @DukeMBB
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When the game finally got underway, it was clear the nerves of the moment were getting to Coach K’s team. North Carolina opened on an 11-4 run before Krzyzewski was able to settle his team during a timeout.
The Blue Devils raced back into the game and led by as many as nine before going into the half ahead by two.
Duke maintained a steady lead for the first 10 minutes of the second half, but North Carolina’s offense was simply overwhelming down the stretch. After Bacot dealt with foul trouble in the first half, Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis essentially abandoned his bench in the second half.
North Carolina relentlessly attacked a porous Duke defense with a series of high pick and rolls, with Davis leading the way on the attack, Bacot cleaning up underneath and Manek ready to stroke the occasional open three.
The Tar Heels scored 55 second-half points, 21 of which came in the final 5:12.
Duke star Paolo Banchero finished with 23 points, five rebounds and five assists but struggled with his efficiency, taking 26 shots.
This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.
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