AP Photo

There have been some wild, crazy endings to North Carolina-Duke games over the 233-game history of the rivalry, and the one that happened here on Wednesday night at the Smith Center will take its place as one of the craziest and most memorable of all – if not the most.

The Tar Heels’ sophomore Harrison Barnes gave his team an 82-72 lead with 2:38 to play, and the game appeared over. Writers on press row went back to the media room to write their stories, most of those in attendance waited for the minutes to melt away, and even the Tar Heels appeared content to hold on and escape.

But it wasn’t over.