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Off the cuff: What do you say after getting demolished by your rival on national television? That game was over after less than three minutes. Did any Carolina fan - who has watched the games this season that is - really think the Tar Heels would come back to win once the score got to 12-3.

There was very little fight in the Tar Heels, which is hard to fathom against Duke. But it has been a tough season and maybe the undermanned and outmanned Heels are just ready for the season to come to an end.

Carolina doesn't seem to match up well inside with Georgia Tech, their first-round opponent in the ACC tournament, especially with Ed Davis and David Wear out. Having Tyler Zeller back gives the Heels a fighting chance. It will be interesting to see if the Carolina team that played so well against Wake Forest shows up.

Duke 82, Tar Heels 50
It was over early as Devils kill Heels

It took North Carolina 11 minutes to reach double digits while it took Duke 2:16. That's about all you need to know about Carolina's 82-50 loss at rival Duke. (3/6)

The Blue Devils trio of Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith each sank threes in the first two minutes and went on to combine for 15 more points than the entire Tar Heels' team scored. Singler led the way with 25 while Scheyer, playing his senior day game, and Smith tallied 20 each.

"We didn't want to give them open threes," UNC coach Roy Williams said. "Then they go out and get three of them early in the game."

After 10 minutes, Duke led by 20 at 29-9 and then worked the lead up to 30 late in the first half at 53-23.

Carolina made no runs in the second half as the margin flutuated between 26 points and 36 points.

"We got our tails kicked," Williams said. "I told (our team) if they take this and learn something from it, and change, then that's something."

Carolina, led by John Henson's 14 points, finishes the regular season at 16-15 and 5-11 heading into the ACC tournament as the 10th seeded team. The Tar Heels play Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. Thursday. A loss could very well end the season. A win would likely earn UNC an NIT bid. Carolina probably needs to win the ACC tourney to make it to the NCAA tournament.

Duke, which cut down the nets after the game, stands at 26-5 and 13-3 in the ACC.

Boxscore

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