WASHINGTON — Duke’s ACC Tournament opener looked dangerous on paper, with North Carolina State having played them well in two regular-season losses. The Wolfpack had at least a puncher’s chance with the league scoring champ, Cat Barber.
Turns out, the Wolfpack were just as dangerous on the court.
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It took until N.C. State missed a half-court heave at the buzzer before Duke (23-9, 12-7 ACC) sealed a 92-89 thriller Wednesday afternoon, escaping to the next round in the ACC Tournament and avoiding another perplexing loss in a bafflingly underachieving season.
The Wolfpack — the No. 12 seed and only 5-13 in conference in the regular season — got its final chance when Duke's Luke Kennard (team-high 22 points) missed the front end of a one-and-one with 1.4 seconds to go in regulation.
The No. 19 Blue Devils, an unusually-low six-seed in the ACC, only got that chance when ACC scoring leader Barber misfired on a drive-and-dish in the lane at the other end the possession earlier. Barber had scored 29 points, including a four-point play and a pretty pull-up jumper over Duke’s Grayson Allen in the final minutes.
Both teams could hardly miss all day — each shooting well over 50 percent and combining for 21 three-pointers. Eight players, four for each side, finished in double figures.
But the gamed-deciding points came from Duke’s big man Marshall Plumlee, on a follow underneath and free throw with 1:14 to go, to break an 89-all tie.
Duke faces fourth-seeded Notre Dame on Thursday at 2 p.m.