CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Propelling No. 21 North Carolina to a 74-69 triumph over No. 12 Duke on Sunday, Elina Aarnisalo tallied a personal best of 22 points, while Nyla Harris delivered 10 of her 19 total points during the fourth quarter.
The Tar Heels (25-6, 14-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) thwarted the Blue Devils (21-8, 16-2) from clinching their inaugural outright league regular-season championship dating back to 2013.
Even though Duke had previously secured the top seeding for the upcoming ACC tournament, 10th-ranked Louisville could still secure a portion of the regular-season championship by triumphing later on Sunday against Notre Dame.
Prior to this game, UNC had secured 11 wins in their last 12 outings; their only loss was at Duke two weeks ago, a match where the Blue Devils notably enjoyed a 21-0 edge in free throw attempts. However, in this rematch, the Tar Heels frequently drew foul calls, making 15 of 18 from the line in the fourth quarter alone, and 20 of 27 throughout the game.
That particular effort was spearheaded by Harris, who made all six of her free throws in the fourth quarter, continually drawing whistles in the painted area. With 3:51 on the clock, Aarnisalo successfully converted two free throws, establishing a 61-60 lead that gave the Tar Heels a lasting advantage.
For Duke, Ashlon Jackson contributed 17 points. The Blue Devils commenced the season with a 3-6 standing, only to then rally significantly, achieving 17 successive wins, including a 15-0 initial run in the league, prior to losing due to a late basket at Clemson last weekend.