As 2020 comes to a close, The Chronicle's sports department takes a look back at the biggest stories of the year in Duke athletics. Each day, we will review a major game, event or storyline that helped shape the course of the year for the Blue Devils. Check out the rest of the top 10 here.
Coming in at No. 3: Duke’s epic comeback in Chapel Hill left campus fired up, except for the benches Dean Sue made sure to protect.
The first Duke-UNC matchup of 2020 took place in Chapel Hill at the Dean E. Smith Center. And after Duke had been swept in the regular-season series the year prior—including the infamous Zion "Shoegate"—Blue Devil fans were eager for a victory.
Despite the fact that North Carolina entered the matchup with losses in 11 of its previous 15 games, Duke struggled for much of the Tobacco Road rivalry contest. The Tar Heels shot nearly 60 percent from the field in the first half, and held a 13-point lead with four minutes remaining in regulation.
But Duke slowly clawed its way back, with a clutch Tre Jones jumper at the buzzer off a purposefully missed free throw forcing the game into overtime.
The drama wasn’t over, however, as the Blue Devils found themselves in a familiar position in the extra period, trailing by five with just 20 seconds left.
Within eight seconds of game time, Jones and Wendell Moore Jr. each hit layups to cut the Tar Heel lead to one. Then, following a chaotic inbounds play, Jones was fouled and made his way to the free throw line with a chance to put Duke ahead.
The Apple Valley, Minn., native made the first free throw but missed the second. Moore, however, was there to tap out the miss back to Jones, who took two dribbles and appeared to airball. But Moore was once again there to recover the miss, banking in the game-winner at the buzzer and closing out one of the most iconic games in Duke-UNC history.
The 98-96 victory caused an uproar on Duke's campus, with students crowding around the Sherwood bench in the center of Abele Quad and chanting to set the bench ablaze.
However, Duke’s bench burning tradition requires a permit that has to be granted 90 days in advance and is usually only acquired for men’s and women’s home basketball games against North Carolina and the men’s and women’s National Championship games.
So, Dean of Students Sue Wasiolek did the duty of preventing the bench burning, sitting atop the bench for around 45 minutes. Meanwhile, students brought lighters and small blowtorches waiting for the all clear to set the bench on fire, while others offered White Claws and vodka to Wasiolek amid the celebration.
Eventually, the mob died down, and a proper bench burning was saved for the later home victory against North Carolina in March.
READ MORE on Duke's historic victory:
CHAPEL THRILL: Duke men's basketball mounts epic comeback in Chapel Hill
After legendary Duke win, Dean Sue sits atop bench to prevent burning without permit
Small-ball lineup ignites Duke men's basketball's ferocious comeback
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