Duke and North Carolina’s first ever matchup in the men’s NCAA tournament was always going to be historic.

[{"selector":"#anim-54658eab-4b29-45b8-a21a-1ee01f5a7148","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-16b44f1e-0792-4d2d-b2eb-cdcfe328cdfe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 136.82399%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7aa27881-1c92-467f-b574-bb84100dc808 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.260190103678866%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ef640ff-45a4-4dcb-87bb-4a7a0612f45d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

North Carolina beat Duke, 81-77, to punch their ticket to the national championship game.

[{"selector":"#anim-cfb944ac-af96-4509-97ed-54af00d7cec8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-48076947-2437-4a96-a15b-299198442653","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 125.76204%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b2803702-f2a2-4cf9-a1ba-4a31c3901694","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-abdbeba8-2a1e-4125-8492-3cc883ded8f2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.12751%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c5c53ad6-a453-40de-a3f5-deb7251da270 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.161184114417%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

The Tar Heels will now face Kansas for the national championship. The Jayhawks defeated Villanova, 81-65, in the other semifinal.

[{"selector":"#anim-48bff88f-d246-429e-b48e-59ee4a2d686f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53a94a3f-1eb2-4281-a6f5-aa4182c1e7d1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 125.76204%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aef9c2df-0d1a-4e6c-9053-46149f1073cd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8a8bf36e-2869-41df-b80a-5d6fdb14bb1c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -355.79577%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-45a444e0-21ca-4b85-9563-fc611617fad6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.161184114417%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

The final minutes of this game were absolutely incredible. Trevor Keels hit a three-pointer to give Duke a one-point lead with just over two minutes left.

[{"selector":"#anim-2396b552-b94e-49ee-9307-a6203cd5cc72","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-65e8d3b9-1dc2-4ae6-ac8f-a37edc90a584","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 125.76204%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9955dd12-f609-46bd-9211-55e59d30e726","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dd0c27c3-7946-4881-a7fd-b72105d13ca7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-25.723684063218567%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

North Carolina’s Brady Manek answered with his own three on the next possession to put Duke back up.

[{"selector":"#anim-6094a5d6-3ca8-4989-9c8d-7bb05b0946da","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f690eda-d8d7-47f2-8509-98b0bbb717ec","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 125.76204%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79c46ac8-0bfd-4c90-b0f0-d0598eb9f582","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fa0b8d80-f104-484c-8a42-4278998cfeee [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.18585516719828%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

North Carolina took the lead back on free throws from R.J. Davis. Then Duke’s Mark Williams missed a pair of free throws.

[{"selector":"#anim-8276e39b-4e06-4ec6-b3f9-24799ee2efff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f6636ac7-8902-41c5-9b19-97d132c72001","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 125.76204%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a3db197f-f851-46b5-8fe4-0777b93e5c38","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98cb616c-caa3-474c-9c40-522f46f6c99b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c154a23-6be0-4305-886e-fc9325e7efd5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

North Carolina’s Final Four run was no fluke

[{"selector":"#anim-57b77534-1e04-4106-928a-408c88739315","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4461b45a-8a5f-455a-a711-a7754a396425","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 125.76204%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-30aafd5d-b6d4-4648-854e-61223ed1c36f","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3714e806-81b8-4ca5-ab4d-fa4b585718c4","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-214b7cb5-faa2-4660-b0a6-051f73a89f69 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.18425315078391%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Duke's Wendell Moore Jr. said. "Because, even though we're picked the favorite to win, everybody wants us to lose.

[{"selector":"#anim-09cb12af-6a50-4572-91f5-ab4d1c539d6d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0b485fb4-4230-4332-837d-a73c3fb8cebd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 125.76204%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62c0da1d-baa4-47b3-9f76-290a31ea7007","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-055ad350-aabe-4249-bcd7-8889e3a5e469","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -327.29235%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f51e9f8a-d17e-4e09-9146-a1eda390c211 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(26.599120951754372%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

The Tar Heels emerged victorious in an exciting battle that featured 18 lead changes, capturing an 81-77 win to advance to the national championship game.

[{"selector":"#anim-9cbef0b0-6c16-498d-8723-7c8f638fc71f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bbed4b41-acf0-494b-9f30-3239eee61834","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 125.76204%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9caff989-cced-4ee4-be90-b5b2948b55a2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c5ce5db5-9247-4745-be83-6b8928f298ca","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(123.07691%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b67664fb-2e23-4e0e-9aa5-2f65447bbb92 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-8.288573965646677%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

The Blue Devils' loss brought an end to coach Mike Krzyzewski's illustrious career. In the Coach K era, Duke compiled a 50-50 overall record against North Carolina.

[{"selector":"#anim-835a1894-3ff3-4510-80ce-044cb8cf5d56","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-97135080-5466-44cf-a57a-b3f38873de3a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 123.92436%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-34c30b20-63bc-420e-8f55-b81f1deec695","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef5470d6-afc0-4687-9fc9-5095f7de63e5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(27.990722522698558%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more