3 Thoughts on Shot That Silenced Chapel Hill

Remembering 2012 classic between top-10 teams

Feb, 8, 2012; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Austin Rivers (0) with the ball in the first half at the Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

On February 8, 2012, the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill was packed to the rafters for one of college basketball’s fiercest rivalries: No. 10 Duke against No. 5 North Carolina. 

Duke entered the game at 19-4 overall (6-2 in the ACC), led by head coach Mike Krzyzewski and a talented but young roster featuring freshman Austin Rivers, Seth Curry, and big man Mason Plumlee.  North Carolina, coached by Roy Williams, was riding high at 20-3 (7-1 ACC) with a dominant frontcourt of Tyler Zeller, John Henson, and Harrison Barnes, plus playmaker Kendall Marshall.

From Double-Digits to Dead Silence in Seconds

Feb, 8, 2012; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; The Duke Blue Devils bench reacts after the Blue Devils won on a last second shot by guard Austin Rivers (0) (not pictured). The Blue Devils defeated the Tar Heels 85-84 at the Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Tar Heels had won 31 straight games at home – a school record – and looked poised to extend that streak.  UNC controlled much of the night, building a double-digit lead in the second half and appearing on the verge of putting the game away.

Trailing 82-72 with just over two minutes remaining, the Blue Devils ignited a furious rally:

• Curry drained a 3-pointer to make it 82-78 with 1:48 left.
• After Zeller made one of two free throws, Ryan Kelly hit another long shot, bringing Duke within one.
• A bizarre sequence saw Zeller accidentally tip a rebound attempt into his own basket, tying the game at 83 apiece with 14.2 seconds remaining.

The Dean Dome crowd was stunned to say the least as the momentum swung wildly towards the visitors.

"Obviously this is my favorite win I've ever had in my entire life," Rivers said. "And it's because we were down the whole game. The whole game, we were down. They just kept it on us - 10-point lead, 10-point lead. And then there was 3 minutes left and probably everybody thought we were going to lose, and we just kept fighting. To get a W, it's amazing."

The Freshman Who Ended UNC's Home Invincibility

With 13.9 seconds left and UNC up 84-83 after another Zeller free throw miss, Duke inbounded to Rivers.  The freshman guard – son of NBA coach Doc Rivers, who was in the stands watching – calmly brought the ball upcourt against Reggie Bullock.

Rivers created just enough space, stepped back, and launched a high-arching 3-pointer over the outstretched hand of the 7-foot Zeller.  The ball hung in the air… and swished through as the time expired.

As the time was winding down to 2.5 seconds, you could see Curry in the corner telling Rivers to go, which we know the rest of the story. 

Final Score: Duke 85, North Carolina 84.

A Shot Still Replayed 14 Years Later

Feb, 8, 2012; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Austin Rivers (0) shoots a last second shot over North Carolina Tar Heels forward Tyler Zeller (44) to win the game. The Blue Devils defeated the Tar Heels 85-84 at the Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils had snapped UNC’s 31-game home winning streak in the most dramatic fashion possible.  The Smith Center fell into stunned silence. Rivers sprinted down the court, arms outstretched, as his teammates chased him down and mobbed him in celebration. 

Rivers finished with a season-high (and Duke freshman record against UNC) 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range.  That last shot etched his name into rivalry lore.

Barnes led UNC with 25 points, while Zeller added 23 points and 11 rebounds. Despite shooting 59% in the second half, the Tar Heels went just 8-of-15 from the free-throw line after halftime – misses that proved costly.

Feb 2, 2012; Blacksburg, VA, USA; (Left to right) Duke Blue Devils forward Miles Plumlee (21) forward Ryan Kelly (34) guard Austin Rivers (0) guard Seth Curry (30) guard Tyler Thornton (3) against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Austin Rivers’ buzzer-beater remains one of the signature moments in Duke-UNC history – a pure, high-pressure shot that turned a likely loss into an unforgettable win.  It boosted Duke's confidence in a strong ACC season and gave Coach K another iconic Tobacco Road victory.

More than a decade later, the clip still circulates – Rivers stepping back, Zeller contesting, the ball dropping through the crowd going quiet.  One shot. One moment. Pure Tobacco Road magic.

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