North Carolina just blew its shot at the ACC Tournament championship game in perhaps the worst way possible. With just 4.1 seconds left in the semifinal matchup against No. 1 seed Duke on Friday, UNC was called for a lane violation on a potential game-tying free throw.

SportsLine's model just revealed its college basketball picks for the North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Duke Blue Devils in the ACC Tournament semifinals on Friday night

Following a controversial loss to the Duke Blue Devils in the ACC Tournament, the North Carolina Tar Heels found themselves under pressure as Selection Sunday approached. Many questioned whether they had done enough to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament,

The No. 1-ranked Duke Blue Devils, after winning the ACC championship, are the No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament East Region, which means starting its expected run to the Final Four close to home.

Duke, the winners of the ACC Tournament, received a No. 1 seed in the East Region. Why it matters: North Carolina's appearance in the tournament was not a given, with many experts pointing to their weak showing against elite teams this season.