Tobacco Road takes a turn: Duke survives scare as UNC falls in overtime

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- It was a tale of two cities along Tobacco Road on Thursday night as fans from Durham to Chapel Hill rode emotional highs and lows during the NCAA Tournament's opening round.

In Durham, crowds at Devine's and EO's Athletic Club watched in near silence as No. 1 seed Duke trailed Siena by 11 points at halftime. The Saints threatened to become only the third No. 16 seed ever to upset a No. 1.

Fans leaned forward on barstools, barely speaking, as the Blue Devils slowly chipped away at the deficit. Duke rallied late to secure the win and advance to the second round.

"They could have played a little better," said Corrina, a Duke fan, who admitted the tense first half was a wakeup call for the top seed.

Some fans insisted they never lost faith. Others said a win was a win -- even an uneasy one.

Across town in Chapel Hill, the mood at Top of the Hill on Franklin Street was far more volatile as North Carolina squandered a 19-point lead against VCU. The Tar Heels went to overtime before ultimately losing in heartbreaking fashion.

"The rotation was sloppy, the guard play was inconsistent," said UNC law student Kyle Junkin. "The front court was fantastic, but when a key member of the front court goes down like Caleb Wilson, you're susceptible to losing to a team like VCU."

Still, many Carolina fans stayed loyal through the disappointment.

"If you're ever a Carolina fan, you're always a Carolina fan," said Ed Braswell, a 1973 UNC graduate. "I've been there for Michael Jordan, all the ups and downs."

With UNC eliminated, Duke now stands as the only Triangle team moving on. The Blue Devils will face TCU in the tournament's second round.