WATCH: Caleb Love hits tough shot to lift North Carolina to title game

It was a highly anticipated game for a reason, and Duke vs. North Carolina certainly lived up to the billing.

The two teams traded blows in the second half, seemingly going punch for punch down the stretch. In the end, North Carolina came out on top 81-77, ending Duke’s season — and, therefore, ending Mike Krzyzewski’s coaching career.

With 18 lead changes, it was nothing short of an instant classic.

CALEB LOVE ONIONS pic.twitter.com/OsxCv9uSOV

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 3, 2022

Duke had the lead at halftime, 37-34, but North Carolina went on a run to start the second half to make things interesting. The two teams traded blows down the stretch, always seeming to have an answer for one another. Ultimately, North Carolina struck the final blow.

Armando Bacot led the charge for North Carolina, pulling down 21 rebounds in addition to his 11 points before fouling out with 46.7 seconds to play. Caleb Love led the Tar Heels in scoring with 27 points, including the dagger three with 24 seconds to play. It only added to his massive NCAA Tournament this year.

For Duke, Paolo Banchero scored 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the Blue Devils with a double-double. The Blue Devils ran into foul trouble in the first half, but managed to fight through it into the second half to add to the craziness of the game.

The last time Duke and UNC played, the Tar Heels defeated the Blue Devils in Krzyzewski’s final home game to end the regular season. This time, they played spoiler again, sending Coach K into retirement in thrilling fashion.

It was the first-ever matchup between the blue blood rivals in the NCAA Tournament stage, and the stakes were high. Now, North Carolina is heading to the national championship for the first time since winning it all in 2017. The Tar Heels will take on Kansas on Monday in New Orleans.