Saturday night’s ending still doesn’t feel real. After trailing Duke for nearly the whole game, UNC took the lead with 0.4 seconds left on a Seth Trimble 3-pointer, winning 71-68 in another historic chapter of the Tobacco Road rivalry.
North Carolina (19-4, 7-3 ACC) led Syracuse by 32 last Monday, let that lead slip away and still won by 10. The Tar Heels are now winners of five straight – and trail their archrivals by 2.5 games for first place.
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In the February 9 AP Poll, UNC rose three spots to 11th. North Carolina is a spot behind Michigan State, which won at Illinois over the weekend, plus a spot ahead of Gonzaga.
Beating Duke (21-2, 10-1 ACC) is a season-changing victory, but the Tar Heels still have plenty of work to do, starting with a Tuesday trip to Miami (FL). The Hurricanes (18-5, 7-3 ACC) are tied with UNC in the ACC standings, so Tuesday night’s clash has plenty more at stake.
North Carolina has what should be a blowout victory ahead against ACC bottom-dweller Pitt on Saturday, then travels to Raleigh for its lone matchup with NC State a week from Tuesday. The Tar Heels will stay on the road and travel to Syracuse on February 21, followed by three consecutive home games against Louisville, Virginia Tech and Clemson.
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UNC is playing its best basketball at the right time, thanks to a combination of post domination and improved backcourt play. In a season where Hubert Davis arguably needed a great season to keep his job, North Carolina is delivering big-time.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball ranked 11th in February 9 AP Poll
