Saturday night brought another incredible chapter to the Duke-North Carolina rivalry. 8-seed North Carolina took down 2-seed Duke 81-77 in the Final Four on Saturday night in New Orleans- and in the final game of Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski‘s remarkable career.
North Carolina beats Duke to advance to the National Championship!
"And Coach K's legendary career has come to a close."- Jim Nantz pic.twitter.com/yfW5YpnNVs
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 3, 2022
It was a truly fantastic basketball game, featuring 18 lead changes and 12 ties, and the largest lead was seven points.
WHAT A GAME!! UNC-Duke lived up to the hype.
> 1st ever tournament meeting
> 18 lead changes
> largest lead was only 7
> Coach K’s last game ever pic.twitter.com/DZ9p1RRZI0— SB Nation (@SBNation) April 3, 2022
Caleb Love scored a game-high 28 points and hit a huge three to put the Tar Heels up four with 24.8 seconds remaining.
CALEB LOVE! pic.twitter.com/nqeOOw42a5
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 3, 2022
Caleb Love is on the tear of his life.
Love's 28 points tonight are the most by a North Carolina player in a Final Four game since James Worthy scored 28 in the 1982 National Championship.
Love's 3 highest scoring games this season have all come in the NCAA Tournament. pic.twitter.com/IejhiOAsq5
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 3, 2022
So, the Tar Heels’ remarkable NCAA Tournament run continues all the way to the National Championship, which will be on Monday night against Kansas (who convincingly beat Villanova earlier on Saturday).
Here’s a sampling of the Twitter reaction to the Tar Heels’ win over Duke:
📍 Dean E. Smith Center ➡️ HEELS WIN.#GoHeels x #CarolinaFamily x #MFinalFour pic.twitter.com/0rzCoZiBf0
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) April 3, 2022
Roy Williams was HYPED! 😂👏 @UNC_basketball #MFinalFour pic.twitter.com/l29sgmUucV
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 3, 2022
A HISTORIC run for the Tar Heels… but they're not done yet!!! 🗣 #MFinalFour pic.twitter.com/OKwPKPWpTD
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 3, 2022
Here's former North Carolina star Kenny Smith reacting to big moments — alongside Charles Barkley — in the Tar Heels' Final Four win over Duke. pic.twitter.com/oQrKJnf0GR
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 3, 2022
North Carolina's Hubert Davis is just the 5th head coach to reach the National Championship of the men's NCAA Tournament in their first year 👏 pic.twitter.com/U5if0d56Rd
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) April 3, 2022
Via @WynnBET, North Carolina was 100/1 to win #MarchMadness post-Selection Sunday.
They're now one game away from that bet cashing, and would tie No. 8 Villanova in 1985 as the highest seed to ever win the NCAA men's tournament. pic.twitter.com/1xx9raGNAB
— BetSided (@BetSided) April 3, 2022
I have officially forgiven the North Carolina Tar Heels for preventing the Saint Peter’s Peacocks from reaching the Final four
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) April 3, 2022
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.