DURHAM, N.C., Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Austin Rivers gave Duke its first lead of the game with 2:30 left Thursday and the No. 4 Blue Devils staged a huge rally to defeat North Carolina State 78-73.
The Wolfpack scored the first eight points of the contest, built a 19-point advantage late in the first half and led by 20 with 11:30 to play.
Duke then scored 11 in a row to give itself a chance, and continued to battle away until Rivers hit a 3-pointer that put the Blue Devils in front 72-71. Duke did not clinch the victory until Seth Curry made two free throws with 2 seconds left to account for the final score.
The Blue Devils won for the sixth time in seven games, avoided what would have been their third home loss of the season and moved into a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference lead with North Carolina and Florida State.
Duke plays at Florida State Feb. 23 and hosts North Carolina in its regular-season finale March 3.
Curry scored 26 points and Rivers added 16. Duke (22-4, 9-2 ACC) shot only 36 percent from the field, but forced 15 turnovers while committing just five.
Lorenzo Brown scored 19 for North Carolina State (18-8, 7-4).
