1. Duke’s loss kept UNC in the cellar
Nothing makes the quantity of Duke basketball defeats seem finer than the sight of more than three times as many for North Carolina.
Further helping matters, because of Duke’s epic hiccup at Wake Forest and despite the UNC win over N.C. State that followed, the Tar Heels (11-17, 4-13 ACC) were able to hold onto their oh-so-sweet title as the current ACC cellar-dwellers. In other words, you’re welcome, Wake, but this single sliver of the pleasure was all mine as a lifelong UNC-loathing Dukie.
For medicinal purposes only, let’s look at what all the man in charge in Chapel Hill, Roy Williams, has managed to do this season that Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski has never done since arriving in Durham 40 years ago:
- Sit last in the conference standings this late in the race
- Guide a team with multiple five-star recruits to what is now a guaranteed losing record for the regular season
- Take an L in the Duke-UNC rivalry after leading by 13 with four minutes to play in regulation — at home, mind you — and then by five with 17 seconds to play in overtime
ALSO READ: Duke’s five most heartwarming Dean Dome wins
Yes, the memory of Tre Jones manufacturing that comeback win on Feb. 8 absolutely helps to soothe the pain on days like today. Furthermore, because the final hero that night was Wendell Moore, the mentioning of the Duke basketball miracle here offers a nice transition to this next bright spot from the disaster at Wake…