Lessons Learned as UNC’s Comeback Effort Against Duke Falls Short in Heartbreaking Fashion

A valiant second-half rally comes up agonizingly short.

The UNC basketball team fell to Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals, and now must anxiously await Selection Sunday to determine if they’ll make the NCAA Tournament.

At halftime, any hopes of a postseason appearance seemed almost impossible. However, the Tar Heels fought hard in the second half, cutting a 21-point deficit to just one point before Jae’Lyn Withers made a costly lane violation as Ven-Allen Lubin was about to tie the game with mere seconds remaining.

Despite the defeat, North Carolina is playing with the intensity of a Tournament-caliber team. The question is whether the Selection Committee will agree. Now, all that’s left is to wait. In the meantime, let’s reflect on some key takeaways from this painful loss to Duke.