Blue Devils star Filipowski rejects tripping Ingram

DURHAM, N.C.– Duke star big guy Kyle Filipowski said he didn’t intend to trip North Carolina forward Harrison Ingram during the very first half of Saturday night’s rivalry game after the two got tangled as Filipowski safeguarded a shot by Ingram.

“I’m not really too sure how that entire circumstance took place, to be sincere,” Filipowski said after the seventh-ranked Tar Heels’ 84-79 win against the ninth-ranked Blue Devils. “I was truly just getting up. My foot slipped. I don’t understand how I caught him. That’s really all I’ve got.”

Ingram had missed out on the shot, and both players ended up on the flooring near the 6-minute mark. But as Ingram got up to run back on defense, replays showed Filipowski kicking up his right leg and tripping Ingram pull back to the wood near midcourt.Editor’s Picks

North Carolina coach Hubert Davis right away started desperately motioning for authorities to look at the replay, but there was no whistle, stoppage or evaluation as the competition fight continued.But the play got

some extra attention considered that former Duke player Grayson Allen had multiple tripping occurrences a number of years earlier, consisting of one against Elon in December 2016 that led to a one-game team suspension and another the previous season against Florida State that caused a reprimand from the ACC.Ingram turned back to inform official Ted Valentine that he believed he had actually been tripped throughout the series. Later, Ingram informed reporters he felt Filipowski had tripped him however he was”not truly sure “and had not seen a replay yet.”I thought he did,”Ingram said, discussing those were his sensations in the minute.

“I’m not sure if it was a basketball play or not.”Filipowski said he didn’t see Ingram behind him as he got up, though replays showed Ingram putting his hands on Filipowski’s back as he got to his feet and attempting to jump over Filipowski’s legs.”I didn’t even understand he was back with me, “Filipowski stated.”I thought I was the only one left [in the backcourt], however that’s practically all I can remember.”North Carolina’s win clinched the ACC regular-season championship, the program’s first straight-out title

since 2017.