Duke Energy and Progress Energy said today they have agreed to a 2-year rate freeze and $825,000 in contributions to social programs in Kentucky in exchange for getting their corporate merger approved in that state.

The agreement hints at the kinds of concessions the two North Carolina electric utilities might consider in this state to win approval from the N.C. Utilities Commission.

Charlotte-based Duke and Raleigh-based Progress announced the agreement with Kentucky's Attorney General this morning. The two companies announced their proposed merger in January, which would form the nation's largest electric utility with 7.1 million customers in six states.
 

Upper Room Christian Academy junior is no longer committed to Louisville.

updated 9:20 p.m.

NEWARK, N.J. -- All season long, North Carolina coach Roy Williams warned that eventually, star freshman Harrison Barnes would miss a clutch shot.

Sunday, in the most frenetic and pressure-packed of circumstances at the Prudential Center, he missed two.

With the ultimate comeback on the line – a trip to the NCAA Final Four, after a failure to even make the field last March – Barnes-led UNC came back from an 11-point deficit against Kentucky only to lose 76-69 when Wildcats guard DeAndre Liggins made a big 3-pointer, while Barnes and point guard Kendall Marshall failed to make four shots in the final 62 seconds.

Not your December's Barnes

North Carolina and Kentucky have changed significantly since the two met on Dec. 4 in Chapel Hill.

The Tar Heels won that one, 75-73, even though freshman forward Harrison Barnes did not play well.

In 25 minutes, Barnes scored 12 points but missed six of his 10 field-goal attempts, committed three turnovers and was limited to four rebounds.

DURHAM – Plagued by turnovers, shooting a dismal percentage from the field, the Duke women's basketball team never found an offensive rhythm against Kentucky.

Making baskets has been a problem of late.

Still, the No. 3 Blue Devils found another way to knock off another ranked team, this time easing by the No. 10 Wildcats with a 54-48 victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Propped up by their defense, the Devils forced 22 turnovers and held the Wildcats to 39.1 percent from the floor, holding senior Victoria Dunlap to 10 points and limiting the team’s leading scorer’s impact on this nationally televised game.

updated: 5:08 p.m.

CHAPEL HILL -- Entering the season, fans were looking to North Carolina’s highly-touted freshmen to lead their team back to prominence. But with a much-needed victory on the line Saturday, it the juniors who made the biggest impact for the Tar Heels down the stretch.

While point guard Larry Drew II clamped down on defense, 7-footer Tyler Zeller scored 12 of UNC’s final 16 points to top No. 10 Kentucky 75-73.

It was as close to a must-win as you could get this early in the season for the Tar Heels (5-3), considering they had already lost three games, fallen out of the top-25, and were facing serious questions about their toughness, offense, and ability to improve.

C.J. Leslie said Wednesday morning that he hasn't made a final list
of schools that he is considering, but that he is most interested in
Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, N.C. State and Oregon.

North Carolina's basketball tradition could land its football team in the Music City Bowl.

The Music City is lining up a potential hoops-themed matchup between the Tar Heels (8-4) and Kentucky (7-5) for their bowl game on Dec. 27 in Nashville, Tenn.

The two winningest programs in college basketball history meet annually, and are set to play this Saturday in Lexington, Ky., but the football teams haven't met since 1990.

Evidentally, new Kentucky coach John Calipari did not choose which games former Word of God star John Wall would miss as punishment for having recruiting expenses paid by an agent, Lexington Herald-Leader reporter Jerry Tipton reports on his blog.

Without ever saying John Wall’s name, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports, University of Kentucky president Lee Todd acknowledged on Tuesday that one of the school’s basketball players faces questions about his amateurism that could affect his eligibility.

Last week, Southeastern Conference Mike Slive last week told ESPN.com that
the player was Wall, a heralded freshman point guard and former Word of
God star.