North Carolina’s Armando Bacot reacts during the first half of a college basketball game against St. Peter’s in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA tournament, Sunday, March 27, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola) The Cinderella story of the 2022 NCAA Tournament is dancing no more. Just days after becoming the first No. 15 seed in March Madness history to earn an Elite Eight berth, Saint Peter’s fell in lopsided fashion to No. 8 seed North Carolina 69-49 on Sunday, the third-largest loss in a regional final since 2000. The outcome sets up a Final Four matchup of the Tar Heels vs. No. 2 seed Duke in one semifinal, after Kansas meets Villanova in the first semifinal at 6:09 p.m. ET Saturday. UNC jumped out to an early 9-0 lead in the finale of the tourney’s second weekend, the Peacocks’ biggest deficit of the tournament, and kept its foot on the gas throughout. Fifteen minutes into the first half it was 27-9, and with just over 15 minutes left in the second half, the Tar Heels extended their lead to a game-high 27 points. Saint Peter’s chipped away down the stretch behind a huge second-half performance from Fousseyni Drame, who had 10 of his 12 points in the final frame, but the result for UNC was never in question. Dominance in the paint led UNC in part to its comfortable win, with Armando Bacot scoring 20 points and bringing down a whopping 22 rebounds. As a team the Tar Heels pounded the paint to the tune of 34 points as well, with 26 of their 69 total points in this one coming on layups. UNC’s win sets up a first-ever NCAA Tournament matchup between Tobacco Road rivals Duke and North Carolina set to be played Saturday in New Orleans. The two split the season series with each winning in the other’s home arena, most recently with the Tar Heels playing spoiler to the Blue Devils in what was Coach K’s final home game as head coach. SHOWDOWN OF ALL SHOWDOWNS 🔥 For the first time ever, Duke & UNC will face off in #MarchMadness… and on the biggest stage 🙌 pic.twitter.com/V2mRr03sqg — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 27, 2022 SHOWDOWN OF ALL SHOWDOWNS 🔥 For the first time ever, Duke & UNC will face off in #MarchMadness… and on the biggest stage 🙌 pic.twitter.com/V2mRr03sqg — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 27, 2022 The 2022 #MFinalFour 👏#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/Wy48Nvo16l — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 27, 2022