W. Basketball: Final seconds decide UNC-Duke matchup

DURHAM — It took all of five seconds to decide a 45-minute basketball game.

With less than a minute left in overtime North Carolina went from having a 1-point lead and the ball to having the dagger thrust in on the team.

Five seconds: that's how quickly luck can change when it's Duke vs. UNC.

North Carolina point guard Cetera DeGraffenreid turned the ball over and as Duke came the other way Abby Waner drilled a 3-pointer to give the Blue Devils the win and the third seed in the ACC.

Those five seconds spoke volumes about the rest of the game.

Before that shot Waner was having a lousy Senior Night. After making her first shot attempt she missed 14 in a row and some of them weren't even close.

Asked what she was thinking when she let the last one go" she responded quickly.

""I wasn't thinking" Waner said. It was just ball-basket" sometimes you just have to dumb it down. Then it goes in.""

It was a lack of thinking on the Tar Heels' end that allowed the play to happen. DeGraffenreid made a poor decision trying to enter the ball into the post" and Joy Cheek came up with the ball for Duke.

After the game" UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell was at a loss for words as to the cause of the turnover.

""You tell me" she said. We were trying to pass it into the post" and they knocked it away. It wasn't a good decision.""

Usually effective as UNC's floor general" DeGraffenreid struggled with fouls and frustration all night. She finished with just one assist and eight turnovers.

Her partner in the backcourt shooting guard Italee Lucas had seven turnovers of her own as questionable decision-making and a tough Duke zone disrupted UNC's entry passes for all 45 minutes.

None was more crucial than Cheek's interception.

After the steal Cheek quickly transitioned to offense and pushed the ball up the sideline.

As the Tar Heels were slow to get back Cheek dropped the ball off to Waner" who was trailing her and wound up at the left wing.

""We always just stress following somebody" and she made a great pass Waner said.

From there it was simple. Catch and shoot.

And swish.

Down in crunch time I think you try to think just get Abby a dejected Rashanda McCants said after the game. But at that time she's got a really quick release" so it's kind of out of your reach.""

""It was a big breakdown.""



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