CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Senior Sam Perkins, playing his last home game, sank key baskets and free throws in the second overtime Saturday to give top-ranked North Carolia a 96-83 Atlantic Coast Conference win over 18th-ranked Duke.
The Tar Heels became the first ACC team in 10 years to finish unbeaten in regular season play with a 14-0 mark.
But North Carolina appeared headed for its second loss against 25 wins when Duke's Mark Alarie sank a basket and a free throw with 20 seconds left in regulation and the Tar Heels' Steve Hale missed a jumper that would have tied the game.
Then Duke's Dan Meagher missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with nine seconds to go. After a timeout, North Carolina's Matt Doherty, also playing his last game at home, took the inbounds pass, raced down court and sank a 15-foot jumper with one second left, forcing the game into overtime.
The teams traded baskets in the first overtime, which ended at 79-79.
North Carolina went ahead 82-79 when Michael Jordan scored on an alley-oop and was fouled. Jordan sank the free throw but Duke cut the margin to 82-81 on a basket by Johnny Dawkins.
Perkins put North Carolina ahead by three again on a 1-and-1, Duke answered with a basket by Alarie and Perkins scored another basket to make it 86-83 with 2:50 left in the second overtime.
Duke missed on its next possession, Perkins snatched off the rebound and scored at the other end to put the Tar Heels ahead 88-83 with 2:10 to play.
Duke's offense then collapsed and North Carolina went into its spread offense, stretching its lead to the final 96-83 margin.
Jordan led North Carolina with 27 points, while Perkins had 23. Brad Daugherty contributed 16 points and Doherty added 12.
Alarie led the Blue Devils with a game-high 28 points, while Dawkins added 25. David Henderson scored 14 points and Jay Bilas had 11 for the Blue Devils, who fell to 22-8 and 7-7 in the ACC.
Duke's loss assured Maryland a second-place finish in the conference standings and forced the Blue Devils into a tie with Wake Forest for third.
