A win and a loss for No. 1 teams over weekend

CHAPEL HILL -- With the game tied 61-61 and the game clock reading 0.0, referee Sally Bell blew her whistle, calling a foul on Wynter Whitley and sending North Carolina's Chrystal Baptist to the line to shoot two free throws- either of which could have ended Duke's 28-game ACC winning streak, 16-game overall winning streak and the Blue Devils' top ranking.

But Baptist never shot the free throws, because Bell examined the end of regulation on replay and decided the foul was committed after time had expired. Duke (17-0, 5-0 in the ACC) then surged out to a 78-67 overtime victory over No. 9 North Carolina (15-2, 5-1) before a capacity crowd of 10,180 in Carmichael Auditorium.

Alana Beard led the Blue Devils with 26 points and 12 rebounds, despite scoring just three points in the first half.

"We've watched all their other (ACC) games and they've all been pretty close up until the end, then Beard basically takes over," UNC head coach Sylvia Hatchell said. "It's the Alana Beard show the last couple of minutes. She's producing."

Beard and fellow junior Iciss Tillis, who had 23 points and 14 rebounds, powered the Blue Devils to victory in the last few minutes of regulation and overtime. Together, they scored Duke's last 22 points in regulation. When the Blue Devils trailed 56-49 with 5:40 remaining, Tillis connected on a mid-range jumper sparking the Blue Devils on a 12-2 run.

After Beard swished a free throw to give Duke a 61-58 lead with 45 seconds left, Leah Metcalf launched a desperation, off-balance three-pointer as the shot clock ticked down. The ball caromed off the backboard and through the hoop.

"Metcalf hit a great shot. I was like, 'whoa.'" Beard said.

The Blue Devils brought the ball across half court and called a timeout. With the Tar Heels playing excellent denial defense on Beard, Tillis held the ball at the top of the key. With about 10 seconds left on the game clock, Sheana Mosch made a backdoor cut on her man and caught a pass in stride on her way to the basket. But her layup attempt was blocked all the way across halfcourt by Candace Sutton. Metcalf collected the ball in the corner, drove and handed off to Baptist who was fouled on an unsuccessful layup attempt just as the clock expired.

Tillis opened the scoring with a fadeaway jumper and added a three pointer, and Beard helped put the Tar Heels away with a three-point play when she drove from the corner, collided with La'Tangela Atkinson and sank both layup and free throw.

That basket put the Blue Devils up 73-67 and UNC never again challenged.

In the first half Duke managed to emerge with a 27-26 lead despite two-of-16 shooting from Beard and Tillis largely through the efforts of Whitley who finished with her first career double-double - 13 points and 10 rebounds. Whitley's 37 minutes were seven more than she played in the previous four ACC games.

"This was a good opportunity, especially against a good team, to just go out and basically just play," the sophomore said. "My main emphasis, and we emphasize this, is rebounding, and I think this was my best rebounding games."

As a team the Blue Devils matched the Tar Heels with 54 rebounds and barely outshot the home team. The win was Duke's second overtime game of the season.

"We've had plenty of scares already," head coach Gail Goestenkors said. "I think it's good for us that we've already been in some very difficult situations. It is helping prepare us. I feel like when we get in these situations we're very comfortable and very confident - and we've been successful."