CHAPEL HILL - Ty Lawson has had more impressive showings against Duke in his North Carolina career than he did Sunday. But the standout junior came through in the clutch yet again to lead the Tar Heels to a season sweep over the Blue Devils.
The junior was kept quiet first half, but he took over the game in the second period to give North Carolina a 79-71 victory over Duke (25-6, 11-5 in the ACC) at the Dean E. Smith Center. The win clinched the ACC regular season title for the Tar Heels (27-3, 13-3) on the team's Senior Day.
Lawson was listed as a game-time decision-he suffered a toe injury during the week in practice-and looked less sharp than usual the first half, recording two points, three rebounds, and five assists. The last 20 minutes, though, belonged to Lawson.
The probable ACC Player of the Year finished the day with 13 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, coming close to a triple-double and ensuring a third straight conference crown for the Tar Heels.
"[Lawson] came through in the clutch when we needed him. And he wasn't 100 percent, but you know when the time was called for him to step up and make big plays, he did," teammate Tyler Hansbrough said.
Lawson's quick passing and penetration opened up the floor for the rest of the Tar Heels, giving them easy looks along the perimeter and in the paint. Lawson and four of his teammates-Hansbrough, Danny Green, Deon Thompson, and Wayne Ellington-all scored in double figures, keeping the Blue Devils off balance. In comparison, just three Duke players scored in double figures, and the Blue Devils' bench failed to score at all.
Even still, Duke stayed in the game in the first half, thanks largely to Kyle Singler's hot hand. The sophomore scored 15 of his 23 points before the break, and his shooting touch gave the Blue Devils a 39-38 lead at the intermission.
Duke opened the second half with a resounding dunk by freshman Elliot Williams, but that momentum soon disappeared. A quick 7-0 run-a layup by Ellington, a three by Green and a pull-up jumper by Lawson-put the Tar Heels up 45-41, and the Blue Devils never reclaimed the lead.
Notably, North Carolina was able to keep Gerald Henderson, Duke's top scorer this season, from getting into a rhythm all game. The junior scored 14 points on 4-of-11 shooting, but turned the ball over five times and recorded just one field goal in the second half.
And despite Scheyer's best efforts-he went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field in leading all scorers with 24 points-Lawson and the Tar Heels responded with key baskets and important defensive stands every time the Blue Devils threatened to level the score.
"We cut [the lead] down to two a couple of times, and it as just back and forth the whole game," Scheyer said. "But when we needed that one play or that one stop, a rebound....We just couldn't make those plays we needed to win."
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