5 thoughts...
1. After the game, I didn't want to think about it or even talk about it. At all. It's taken me until Monday to do so, and even then part of me still just wants to forget it. But catharsis is good for the soul. Sooooo...
2. Such an awful first half. With their season on the line and playing Carolina, the effort that showed was just pathetic. Worst half in 10 years (anybody remember the loss to St. John's at MSG in 2011? That was perhaps uglier, but it wasn't against UNC). And it wasn't like UNC was playing all that well. They were sloppy with the ball and didn't capitalize on the majority of Duke's mistakes. But Duke didn't capitalize on theirs much at all. And with Duke playing so poorly, building the lead was inevitable.
3. I stated before to win the game, Hurt needed to go off. And that did not happen. Another positive performance from Williams (4-5 from the FT line!). And a bounce back game from Steward, who led the team in minutes. But no bench scoring. Without Hurt scoring in the high 20's, it was going to be an uphill battle.
4. I am glad that guys like Worthington and Savarino finally got game time. I just wish they had been human victory cigars instead of white flags.
5. Now it's just fighting for a modicum of success for Duke. Can they finish the season above .500? Need to beat BC, then win at least one more game somehow (ACC or NIT, if they go). Like a lot of things during the pandemic, I am ready to forget this season. I'm glad that Hurt made the All-ACC team (if only to spite Cory Alexander). They have kept the 3-pointer streak going. The 10-games streak kept going. And they did not finish below .500 in conference. I think the only realistic goal left is to finish the season with a winning record. Could they get hot and win the ACC Tournament? Sure, stranger things have happened... ok, I can only think of UMBC beating UVA, 'Nova '85 and NCSU '82 winning those national championships, and Chaminade over UVA... But though I will be watching and rooting hard, I don't think it's realistic. You just never know what you will get with this team on a game-by-game basis. I blame COVID and youth for much of this, and the way to prove that will be a return to prominence next season.
9F
I will never talk about That Game. GTHC.