Sun Mar 16 02:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Duke Escapes Upset, Advances to ACC Championship Despite Key Injury

**Greensboro, NC** – The Duke Blue Devils survived a major scare in the ACC Tournament semifinals, edging out arch-rival North Carolina 78-75 Friday night despite a late-game surge by the Tar Heels. The victory propels Duke into Saturday’s championship game against Louisville.

The game was marred by a significant injury to freshman star Cooper Flagg, who suffered an ankle injury Thursday and will miss the remainder of the tournament. Duke, already vying for a top overall seed in the NCAA tournament, appeared to be cruising to victory, leading by over 20 points at halftime. However, North Carolina mounted a furious comeback in the second half, nearly erasing the deficit entirely.

With four seconds remaining and a chance to tie, UNC’s Jae’Lyn Withers committed a crucial lane violation, negating a potential free throw opportunity. Duke freshman Kon Knueppel then calmly sank two free throws to secure the victory, adding a bit of salt to the wound with a post-game comment directed at Withers. “I told Pat not to do anything stupid like get a lane violation,” Knueppel quipped to reporters, highlighting the pivotal nature of the mistake.

The win sets up a clash between Duke and Louisville in the ACC Championship game Saturday night. The Blue Devils will look to continue their championship run despite the absence of Flagg and the lingering intensity of their rivalry with North Carolina.

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