Courtesy of The News and Observer March 5, 1960 via Newspapers.com
Duke 71, North Carolina 69
Duke’s Blue Devils delivered one of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament’s most stunning shocks Friday night, toppling heavily favored North Carolina, 71–69, in a semifinal thriller at Reynolds Coliseum that erased three lopsided regular‑season defeats and sent the Durham cagers surging into the championship game.
Duke Turns the Tables
The Tar Heels had beaten Duke by margins of 22 points or more in all three previous meetings, but this time the Blue Devils—emotionally charged and playing with a resolve unseen all winter—controlled the first half, survived Carolina’s furious comeback, and won the game in the final minute behind the poised shooting of Howie Hurt.
Duke led 35–23 at halftime and held a 16‑point advantage late in the first period. But Carolina, behind the relentless scoring of York Larese and Lee Shaffer, stormed back to tie the game at 63–63 with 1:44 remaining.
Hurt Takes Over in the Clutch
With the game hanging in the balance and the crowd on its feet, Hurt calmly drilled a jumper from the side to put Duke ahead for good. Moments later he sank two free throws for a 67–63 lead with 34 seconds left. After Doug Moe tapped in a Carolina miss, Hurt again stepped to the line and dropped in two more foul shots with 21 seconds remaining.
Larese answered with two free throws of his own, but Duke’s Johnny Frye iced the game with two clutch shots from the stripe at the nine‑second mark. Larese scored at the horn, but the Blue Devils were already celebrating one of the tournament’s great upsets.
Youngkin’s Finest Hour
The heroics of Hurt in the closing minutes overshadowed a magnificent performance by Carroll Youngkin, the 6‑6 junior who turned in the game of his life. Youngkin scored 30 points, hauled down 17 rebounds, and repeatedly rescued Duke during Carolina’s second‑half surge.
Hurt finished with 13 points, while Frye and Doug Kistler supplied timely baskets and steady ball‑handling against Carolina’s pressure.
Tar Heels Fight Back
Carolina’s comeback was powered by the senior tandem that had carried the Tar Heels all season. Larese scored 25 points, including a blistering stretch early in the second half that cut Duke’s lead to four. Shaffer, playing with four fouls for more than 18 minutes, added 21 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out in the final seconds.
The Tar Heels shot only 23.5 percent in the first half but improved to finish at 38.4 percent. Duke, meanwhile, hit 47.1 percent for the game and made its first 13 free throws before cooling off briefly after intermission.
Rebounding was even at 39–39, and both teams alternated between zone and man‑to‑man defenses as the momentum swung wildly.
A Tournament Classic
The game featured everything a semifinal could offer—momentum swings, clutch shooting, and a roaring crowd that sensed history unfolding. Duke’s early 7–0 burst set the tone, but Carolina’s second‑half rally turned the contest into a fierce tug‑of‑war.
The Blue Devils regained the lead at 62–61 on a Youngkin drive, and after a brief tie at 63, Hurt’s late heroics sealed a victory that will long be remembered in ACC lore.
Duke now advances to the tournament final, carrying the confidence of a team that has finally found its stride at the perfect moment.
 |  |
Courtesy of The News and Observer March 5, 1960 via Newspapers.com