Kon Knueppel scored 17 points and No. 1 Duke held off a furious second half rally by North Carolina to beat its rival for the third time this season, 74-71 on Friday night to reach the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship game.

There was a development in the ACC Tournament on Thursday that could have ramifications at both ends of the bracket. Duke All-American freshman Cooper Flagg suffered a sprained ankle in the first half of the Blue Devils' win over Georgia Tech in the ACC quarterfinals.

The Tar Heels, who hold a 1-12 record against Quad 1 teams this season, earned a bid despite a poor showing against the country’s top teams.

Following a controversial loss to the Duke Blue Devils in the ACC Tournament, the North Carolina Tar Heels found themselves under pressure as Selection Sunday approached. Many questioned whether they had done enough to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament,