Duke’s Carey Controls UNC, and Robinson has Storybook Ending

DURHAM – North Carolina brought their deficit against Duke to one-point, 55-54, with 11:08 left in the second half after trailing the entire game till that point in this season’s second edition of the Duke-UNC Rivalry at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The game-tying free-throw left the hands of North Carolina junior forward Garrison Brooks, but it bounced quietly of the rim and Duke freshman forward Vernon Carey grabbed the rebound.

Carey took the game into his hands from that point.

He scored 13 of his 25 points and grabbed four of his 10 rebounds in the nine minutes and 22 seconds after Brooks’ missed free-throw, and Duke defeated UNC 89-76.

“I feel like just rebounding,” Carey said. I had three rebounds in the first half. Just me being aggressive rebounding helped my overall game.”

Brooks finished as the game’s leading scorer with 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Carolina freshman guard Cole Anthony finished with nine points in an off shooting night.

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said that sophomore guard Tre Jones played ‘magnificent.’ He finished with 21 points and 11 points, but senior forward Justin Robinson sat in the much-deserved spotlight with his Disney-movie senior night.

“He’s a monster: He’s a beast,” said Duke freshman guard Cassius Stanley. “He started the game off perfect for us. And he set the tone for us really, and we followed his lead.” 

Robinson set a career-high in made 3-pointers and was the game’s leading scorer from behind the arc.

“He made one  (3-pointer) that was clean,” Stanley said, ‘but the rest of them were kind of – you know – clanky and banky. So that’s amazing, because that’s only JRob. I don’t think any of us has that type of shooting touch.”

To go along with is prolific perimeter scoring, Robinson tied his career scoring-high, 13,  and set a career-high in blocks, four.

“I’m ecstatic,” Robinson said. “I’m a little tired right now, but it’s the best feeling. That’s a storybook ending to my life in Cameron.”

What’s Next

Both teams head to the ACC Tournament next week at the Greensboro Coliseum.

North Carolina finished the regular-season last in ACC, No. 14, and plays 11-seed Virginia Tech Hokies in the first round, Tuesday, Mar. 10, at 7 p.m.

Duke is the fourth-seed and has a double-bye. Their first game is in the quarterfinals Thursday, Mar. 12, at 2:30 p.m. against Wake Forest,  Pittsburgh or N.C. State.