ATLANTA -- Round three went to Duke. By knockout.

But will there be a fourth round -- in Minneapolis, site of the Final Four -- for the Blue Devils and North Carolina, both of whom raised more questions than answers Sunday in Duke's 79-53 stampede to the ACC tournament championship?

Duke's problem is one of health, and it is becoming a serious problem. Already without starting center Carlos Boozer, who is expected to miss at least the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament because of a broken bone in his right foot, the Blue Devils watched in horror as All-American point guard Jason Williams crumpled to the Georgia Dome floor in the second half Sunday after turning his left ankle.

As Williams lay there, face down and pounding the floor with his right fist, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski hurried across the court, the postseason surely passing before his eyes. The announcement was encouraging afterward: a mild sprain, nothing to keep Williams from playing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Thursday against a 16th-seeded lamb in the East Regional at Greensboro, N.C., where Duke is expected to be the top seed.

"I think the early prognosis is that he'll be fine by Thursday," Krzyzewski said afterward. "But we don't know how much practice he'll have between now and then."

Nor can they be entirely sure Williams will, in fact, be ready Thursday -- not that it matters much, because Duke probably won't need him to win. But even then, as optimistic as they may be Sunday, the Blue Devils couldn't be positive Williams would be ready for the second round. Ankle sprains are inexact injuries. North Carolina's Max Owens missed several weeks with a turned ankle earlier this season. And this ankle has been bothering Williams for almost two months.

Even with Williams, Duke will have to continue playing, at least through two rounds, with a rotating group of reserve big men that include 6-foot-5 football player Reggie Love, who grabbed eight rebounds Sunday against a huge UNC front line featuring 7-1 Brendan Haywood and 6-11 Kris Lang.

"Those three kids that have played center for us have been unbelievable," Krzyzewski said of Love, starter Casey Sanders and reserve Matt Christensen, who combined for five points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots in 40 minutes. "Our guys never have to worry about them. They're doing their job. I'm very proud of those guys."

Whatever its health or depth situation, at least Duke (29-4) enters the NCAA Tournament with the momentum of a four-game winning streak punctuated by its third consecutive ACC tournament championship.

Not so, North Carolina (25-6). The Tar Heels are playing some of their least cohesive basketball since a two-game losing streak before Christmas. North Carolina is 4-4 in its last eight games, including a loss to last-place ACC team Clemson and blowouts against Virginia and Duke (twice) by an average of 20 points per game.

"After the game (Sunday), I told the team I was disappointed and this is difficult, but we've got to learn from it and move on -- quick," Doherty said. "Everyone's got to get better, players and coaches, and get ready for a game Thursday or Friday. I told them we're in better position than last year, and (last year they) almost won a national championship."

That much is true. The Tar Heels wobbled into the NCAA Tournament as an eighth seed and reached the Final Four before losing to Florida. In that tournament, Forte was red-hot and becoming one of the best players in the country, while Haywood was starting to dominate games at both ends of the court.

Recently, though, Forte has been slumping and Haywood has been somewhat ineffective. In his last four games, Forte is 27-for-78 (34.6 percent) from the floor. Haywood averaged 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in the ACC tournament -- All-Star numbers -- but still the Tar Heels struggled. North Carolina only pulled away late from ninth-seeded Clemson in the first round, then battled to the final seconds with sixth-seeded Georgia Tech in the semifinals before being wiped out by Duke. The Blue Devils led 50-30 at the half, scored the first five points of the second half, and cruised.

Only one of those teams looked qualified to reach the Final Four in Minneapolis. And that one, Duke, needs two key players to regain their health -- fast.

Gregg Doyel covers the ACC for The Charlotte Observer and is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.