Tar Heels Top Duke, Win ACC Regular Season Crown

 The Sports Network     Created:  3/5/2011 10:15:39 PM  Updated: 3/6/2011 1:18:29 AM

Chapel Hill, NC (Sports Network) - Freshman Harrison Barnes sparkled on senior night with 18 points and 13th-ranked North Carolina won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title with an 81-67 victory over No. 4 Duke in another edition of college basketball's most heated rivalry.
Tyler Zeller totaled 14 points for the Tar Heels (24-6, 14-2 ACC), who rode a 51-point first half and gained the No. 1 seed for the conference tournament by winning their final seven games of the season. It was also sweet revenge for UNC, which hasn't lost since a 79-73 decision at Duke on February 9.
Kendall Marshall had 15 points and 11 assists, while John Henson scored 10 to go with 12 rebounds to help the Heels finish 15-0 at home.
Nolan Smith had 30 points and Seth Curry added 20, but the Blue Devils (27-4, 13-3) lost for the second time in three contests. Duke was dethroned as the No. 1 team last Saturday with a 64-60 defeat at Virginia Tech. Now, the defending national champions have to settle for a No. 2 seed for the ACC Tournament.
The capacity crowd at the Smith Center roared their approval as the final seconds chewed away, as the Tar Heels capped an amazing second half of the regular season. UNC has won 17 of its last 19 overall since falling to Texas on December 18 and is 20-3 since starting the season 4-3 in November.

The Sports Network