The Duke Blue Devils are the 2011 ACC champions. Duke won the 2011 ACC Tournament with a 75-58 win over North Carolina in the championship game, and likely clinched a No. 1 seed when the 2011 NCAA Tournament field is announced on the Selection Sunday show.
Nolan Smith scored 20 points and won the tournament's Most Valuable Player award to lead the Blue Devils. Smith suffered a toe injury in the quarterfinal win over Maryland, but rebounded with two outstanding games to lead Duke. The Blue Devils' defense was stifling, holding North Carolina to 34 percent shooting.
The Tar Heels couldn't pull off a third straight miracle comeback, and fell relatively meekly in the end. Harrison Barnes had 16 points to lead the Tar Heels, but shot just 6-15 and could not replicate his 40-point performance in the semifinals. The Tar Heels will likely still be a very high seed in the NCAA Tournament, but it has to sting to see their rival celebrating winning the ACC title.