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North Carolina defeated Wake Forest in a close game on Thursday afternoon at the ACC Tournament.
The Tar Heels ultimately prevailed 68-59, but this was a tight that game included numerous 2nd-half lead changes. The Demon Deacons went cold down the stretch, making just 1 of their last 12 field goals. That allowed North Carolina to separate — and ultimately advance to the next round.
This was a crucial win for North Carolina’s NCAA Tournament hopes. Not so much for UNC’s résumé, as it was just a Quad 2 win. But it allows North Carolina an opportunity to potentially pick up a win over Duke on Friday in the semifinals of this event.
The Tar Heels likely need a win over Duke in order to get to the Big Dance, as they have just 1 Quad 1 victory to this point in the season. Adding to that opportunity, Duke is likely to be without star forward Cooper Flagg on Friday as he recovers from an ankle injury.
As for this game against Wake Forest, RJ Davis played a huge role in extending UNC’s season. He scored 23 points on just 9 shots, making 5-of-6 from beyond the arc and all 8 of his free throw attempts.
Duke will face Carolina at 7 p.m. ET in the semifinals on Friday night.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
