North Carolina sets up pivotal ACC semifinal clash with Duke

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — RJ Davis had 23 points and five 3-pointers, Ven-Allen Lubin added 10 points and 13 rebounds, and No. 5 seed North Carolina beat fourth-seeded Wake Forest 68-59 on Thursday in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals for coach Hubert Davis' 100th victory with the program.

North Carolina (22-12), which has won eight of its last nine games, advances to play No. 1 seed Duke in the semifinals on Friday. Duke coach Jon Scheyer said it’s a “real longshot” that freshman star Cooper Flagg will be able to play because of an ankle sprain.

Wake Forest (21-11) was looking to advance to its first ACC Tournament semifinals since 2006.

Jae’Lyn Withers rattled in a 3-pointer from the corner with 4:35 left to give North Carolina a 57-56 lead and the Tar Heels never trailed again.

North Carolina went ahead 63-57 with 2:04 left after six straight points. Ven-Allen Lubin went 1 of 2 at the free-throw line, but he blocked a shot at the other end and Davis sank his fifth 3-pointer in six attempts. Lubin capped the run with an alley-oop dunk.

After Hunter Sallis ended Wake Forest’s field-goal drought that lasted nearly five minutes, Lubin threw down a putback dunk to make it 65-59 with 1:27 left.

North Carolina guard Drake Powell jumped to intercept an inbounds pass and Seth Trimble was fouled with 31.8 left before making 1 of 2 free throws for a seven-point lead.

Trimble also finished with 10 points for North Carolina, which avenged a 67-66 loss at Wake Forest on Jan. 21.

Sallis led Wake Forest with 25 points. Tre’Von Spillers had 10 points and nine rebounds, and Efton Reid III grabbed 10 rebounds.

Davis turned his left ankle with 6:49 left in the second half when he stepped on the foot of Juke Harris on a drive. After a short break, he made two free throws to give North Carolina the lead at 54-53.

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