North Carolina fans stormed the court twice after a chaotic finish against Duke after officials added time back before UNC sealed a dramatic 71-68 comeback win at home.<\/b>
\nChapel Hill was buzzing just a bit too early Saturday night.
The 14th-ranked Tar Heels hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds that everyone thought was a walk-off buzzer-beater over No. 4 Duke.
In their defense, the horn sounded, and the clock showed zeroes, so legions of Tar Heel blue stormed the court. Seth Trimble even did Stephen Curry\u2019s „go to sleep“ celebration after hitting nothing but net.
However, officials reviewed the replay and decided to put 0.4 seconds back on the clock.
Hundreds of fans then had to clear the court, which had to be wiped down after food and drinks spilled everywhere.
Thankfully for them, the original court storm was not a jinx. Duke couldn\u2019t handle the inbound pass, sealing a 71-68 victory for North Carolina.
It was UNC\u2019s largest comeback win over Duke since 2001 after trailing by 13 points. The Tar Heels went on a 9-0 run over the final 2:25 and did not lead at any point until the final score.
House of Pain\u2019s classic „Jump Around“ then played over the loudspeaker after the second court storm, and the place continued to go berserk.
For what it\u2019s worth, UNC will be fined at least $50,000 for breaking ACC court-storming rules. The $50,000 fine is for a first offense, and that amount doubles after a school\u2019s second. Technically, fans stormed the court twice.
It was UNC\u2019s first win over Duke since March 9, 2024, after Duke swept all three games last year, including the ACC tournament. The loss was just the second of Duke\u2019s season, while UNC improved to 19-4.
Their next meeting will be at Cameron Indoor Stadium March 7.<\/p>\n