• File photo by Al Drago
• Rivers suddenly possesses an immense legacy

Well, not until last night. Capping a legendary comeback that revived his team from a 10-point deficit with under three minutes to play, Austin Rivers swished a three-pointer as time expired to vaporize the Smith Center crowd and give Duke what likely will be remembered as its best win in the rivalry’s history.

How did this happen?

Because I’m on the UNC beat, I’ll tackle this question from the perspective of what went wrong for the Tar Heels. First, a look at the box score reveals Carolina advantages across multiple categories: field goal percentage, free throws and free throw percentage, rebounds, assists, turnovers and blocks.

Given all that and considering that the Heels were defending their home turf against an opponent that already has lost two games at Cameron this season, again — how could this happen?

Most fans and media understandably are pointing to Carolina’s inability to execute during the final minutes, as well as crediting (sometimes grudgingly) Duke’s poise and hot shooting. It was like downloading a highly desired, rare movie and getting the spinning wheel of death with only three percent remaining.

But the fact that the game was competitive at all late speaks to the larger problem: Duke simply crushed UNC from the three-point line. The Blue Devils shot 14-for-36 on threes, a remarkable number of attempts given that Carolina knew what Duke would attempt to accomplish offensively.

• Expect to hear a lot about the status of this guy

The Terrapins have handed the Heels disappointment and devastation in the past decade, particularly in College Park. The national champion 2009 Tar Heels weren’t able to defeat Maryland there (admittedly, a better version), and thus this year’s Heels definitely accomplished something meaningful prior to Duke.

Carolina again struggled to find the mark offensively. The Heels shot 44 percent for the game, finally raising their percentage down the stretch after absorbing the Terps’ haymakers all day. Tyler Zeller is beginning to separate himself from everyone else on the club, piling up another 22 points (7-for-12 field goals), seven rebounds and two blocks.

Kendall Marshall played horribly early but regained his poise and in the decisive minutes delivered beautiful passes to maximize each UNC possession. He tallied a monstrous 16 assists, and most of his six turnovers occurred early.

John Henson didn’t earn himself any fans by dunking the ball in the closing seconds, but he deserves credit for continuing to work hard against aggressive Maryland defense. He contributed 17 points and 12 rebounds in 36 grueling minutes.

In fact, Roy Williams essentially voted no confidence in his bench. Marshall played 38 minutes while Harrison Barnes logged 35 and Reggie Bullock 34. Carolina’s once-impressive depth has been worn to the nub due to season-ending injuries suffered by Leslie McDonald and Dexter Strickland.

Barnes’ sprained ankle also has begun to toll ominously. He twisted it against Wake Forest and aggravated the injury against the Terps — how healthy will he be when the Devils stroll into the Smith Center? After the game he compared the pain to getting shot, obviously not a promising sign going forward.

• File photo by Arianna Hoffmann
• Assists maven Kendall Marshall loves to share

In its past three road games — versus Wake, Virginia Tech and Florida State — Carolina has shot poorly in five of the six halves. Beginning with the second half against the Deacons and counting backward, here are the gruesome percentages: 28, 34, 52, 41, 33 and 41.

Apart from the strong 52 percent the Heels notched against the Hokies to pull away in that game, even the team’s top scorers have struggled outside the Chapel Hill border. The club’s 2-1 record during those contests includes two victories over weak opponents — Wake is now 2-6 against ACC foes, while Tech is 1-5 — and a humiliating blowout loss versus FSU.

A genuine national contender shouldn’t sustain droughts over such a compressed period of time, and Carolina’s title hopes will prove unrealistic unless the Heels bring their offense with them to hostile or neutral court environments.

On the other hand, Carolina played superlative defense against the Deacons. Yes, Wake is a bad team, but the Heels’ effort on that end of the court deserves praise. UNC shut down the interior yet also smothered three-point shooters, limiting the Deacs to just 2-for-18 from deep.

Tyler Zeller continues to shine and has been Carolina’s most complete player. The senior big man missed a few chip shots (like everyone else) but finished with 18 points (5-for-13 field goals) and 18 rebounds. He’s hitting the glass with such tenacity that John Henson’s rebounding numbers have taken a slight hit recently.

• File photo by Arianna Hoffmann
• Bullock's shooting relieves pressure on teammates

The Tar Heels typically prefer a gentlemanly course against over-matched foes, and their uninspired performance in the second half should be viewed through that lens. Carolina’s offense moved briskly and dissected Tech’s defense repeatedly, frequently taking a high-percentage shot early in the possession.

UNC scorched from long-range, burying 10-for-16 on threes. The Heels shot 54 percent overall (60 percent in the first half) and notched 22 assists with only 10 turnovers.

Harrison Barnes looked sensational on a series of drives, post-ups and spotting up from distance. He finished with 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting. Tyler Zeller continues to piece together one of the finest stretches of his career, amassing 17 points (7-for-9 field goals) and throwing down impressive slams. Kendall Marshall's command of the offense once again dazzled, as he dished out 12 assists and committed only one turnover.

Everyone wondered whether the offense would enjoy a boost when Reggie Bullock stepped into the starting lineup for the injured Dexter Strickland, and Bullock’s play certainly stood out against the Yellow Jackets. He converted 3-for-6 on threes and led the team with two offensive rebounds.

On defense, Carolina bothered Tech with its great length as well as with aggressive traps and overall ball pressure. The Yellow Jackets rank among the poorer ACC clubs in terms of talent — as their 1-6 conference record suggests — and they shot only 38 percent in the first half.

The evening's highlight also occurred in the first half, when freshman guard Stilman White utilized a dribble move that caused his defender to fall down and then immediately banged home a three. For such an untested player, White has performed solidly thus far in his backup role since Strickland's injury.

UNC improved its record to 18-3, 5-1 in the ACC. The Heels are tied for first place with Duke and Florida State, which holds wins over both UNC and the Blue Devils. Click here to view the UNC/GT box score.

• File photo by Arianna Hoffmann
• Zeller is making a push for first-team All-ACC

After all, Carolina embarrassed itself at Florida State a couple weeks ago, and the Wolfpack arrived in Chapel Hill the proud possessors of a 4-1 ACC record. Enthusiasm understandably has risen since Mark Gottfried arrived in Raleigh — and the ‘Pack will welcome a tremendous recruiting class into the program next year — but none of that could stave off a 74-55 beating versus the Heels.

UNC competed in spirited fashion from the opening tip, overpowering State’s smallish frontline to win the rebounding battle 48-26. Any hope the ‘Pack had of winning likely died when Richard Howell landed in foul trouble in the first half and ultimately fouled out in the second.

Tyler Zeller’s torrid stretch continues apace. The senior big man appears to have regained the form he attained during last season’s NCAA Tournament, and his 21-point, 17-rebound performance versus State spearheaded Carolina’s inside dominance. He scored quickly and efficiently, hitting 8-for-11 from the floor.

His frontcourt partner, John Henson, contributed nine points, 10 rebounds and five blocks, suffocating Wolfpack forward C.J. Leslie (3-for-12 field goals) and helping limit the Pack to just 37 percent shooting from the floor.

• File photo by Arianna Hoffmann
• Barnes leads UNC in scoring with 17.4 ppg

But the Tar Heels regrouped and dominated early in the second half to claim their first ACC road win 82-68. Carolina’s performance may have been its most determined of the season, as the Heels launched a 19-0 run that effectively decided the outcome.

Just when everyone was ready to relegate Harrison Barnes to something other than serious All-American contender, the sophomore forward played magnificently. Barnes scored 27 points in diverse fashion: He shot 8-for-14 from the field and aggressively drove to the rim, converting 10-for-12 on free throws.

Barnes has suffered criticism for his sloppy ball-handling in one-on-one situations, but Carolina last night assisted him as a dribbler by utilizing high screens to open a lane. Overall, UNC’s offense appeared more structured than the organic, freelance game Roy Williams prefers. Perhaps the second half will serve as a springboard both for Barnes individually and the team’s collective approach to scoring points.