VCU has first day's top upset, beats Duke

~ North Carolina eliminates OVC's Eastern Kentucky.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Duke's done.

Eric Maynor hit a 15-foot jumper with 1.8 seconds left to give Virginia Commonwealth a 79-77 upset victory over the Blue Devils in the first round of the NCAA tournament Thursday night. Maynor finished with 22 points, six of them in the final 1:24.

Duke lost a first-round game for the first time since 1996. The loss also ended the Blue Devils' string of Sweet 16 appearances at nine. It was the longest active streak and second-longest behind North Carolina's 13-year run.

Fittingly, it was VCU (28-6) that knocked off George Mason -- the tournament's surprise team last year -- in the Colonial Athletic Association championship game. Maynor sealed that 65-59 win by scoring nine of his 20 points in the final 2 minutes.

Greg Paulus scored a career-high 25 points for Duke, seeded sixth in the West Regional. Josh McRoberts added 22 points.

The Rams (27-6) never led by more than two points. They overcame a 13-point first-half deficit and also trailed by as many as 11 in the second.

Jesse Pellot-Rosa's 16-foot jumper gave VCU a 72-71 lead with 2:03 remaining. The Blue Devils (22-11) tied it three times, the last time at 77 when DeMarcus Nelson went coast-to-coast to hit a layup with 10.3 seconds left.

Maynor took the ensuing inbound pass and carried the ball across center. Driving to the paint, he pulled up and hit a perfect jumper from just above the foul line and over Duke's Jon Scheyer.

North Carolina 86, Eastern Kentucky 65

North Carolina spent the early minutes of its NCAA tournament opener looking like a top seed determined to beat down an overmatched opponent.

The Tar Heels then needed almost the rest of the game to do it.

Tyler Hansbrough of Poplar Bluff had 21 points and 10 rebounds to help the Tar Heels beat Ohio Valley Conference tournament champion Eastern Kentucky in the first round, giving coach Roy Williams an NCAA-record 18 straight years with at least one tournament victory.

Reyshawn Terry added 18 points on 8-for-9 shooting for the Tar Heels (29-6), who advanced to face ninth-seeded Michigan State in the second round of the East Regional on Saturday. The victory marked the 24th time in 25 appearances North Carolina has won at least one NCAA tournament game, while Williams surpassed mentor Dean Smith's previous record of 17 straight years with at least one NCAA win.

Still, it was an emotional day for Williams. A team spokesman confirmed Williams' sister died Wednesday night.

Williams was on the sidelines as always Thursday night.

North Carolina led by as many as 27 points in the first half, then watched the 16th-seeded Colonels (21-12) claw to within four points early after the break.