Duke Vs UNC 2/9/17: Preview
When two notorious programs who play in the same conference meet, it can get ugly. When two notorious programs who play in the same conference and hate each other meet, it can get extremely ugly. When Duke and North Carolina meet it's so ugly it's beautiful.
There is no shortage of bad blood between two of the most winningest programs in college basketball history.
The two teams lie only 10 miles away from one another, making proximity a huge part of the shared hatred. From the Outer Banks to the Carolina Mountains, there is one you hate and one you love. Duke or Carolina.
Matchup History: Coach K will lead the Blue Devils in his 83rd matchup against UNC. He has been the victor in 43 of the matchups while Carolina head coach, Roy Williams, has struggled to find equal success. Roy Williams has gone 11-16 in this brutal rivalry but he is looking to build off his last win which came back in 2016 after narrowly squeaking out a four point victory.
Series History: Anybody who follows this rivalry will have instant bitter memories just from reading one name. When I say Austin Rivers, Carolina fans think back to the heartbreaking 3 pointer that he buried over Tyler Zeller as time was expiring. When I say Jerry Stackhouse, Duke fans immediately remember the one handed reverse dunk all over two Blue Devils. No matter the outcome tonight, this game should not disappoint at all.
What's at stake for North Carolina: In what has been a stacked ACC this year, UNC finds themselves atop the leader board, edging FSU out by half a game. UNC can use all the in-conference wins they can get as they are jockeying for ACC and NCAA tournament seeding. North Carolina has serious potential to be a 1 seed if they keep up their strong play. The Tar Heels have been a team this season that looks like they can make a serious post-season run. The scoring attack has been led by Junior forward, Justin Jackson, who is averaging just a shade under 19 points a game. Also, look for Kennedy Meeks on the glass tonight as he will be battling Senior Amile Jefferson all night. The boys in baby blue will need Joel Berry II to score and assist tonight as he should be a game changing force. Although they are playing their most hated rival, North Carolina sees this game as just another road test as they end their season with one of the most challenging schedules in the nation. UNC will face UVA twice, one of which might come down to a very pivotal season ender.
What's at stake for Duke: With Coach K back on the Duke sideline, the Blue Devils are looking more and more like the team most thought they would be, following a lackluster first half of the season. Duke finds themselves sitting in a mediocre (by Duke standards) 6th place. Duke's season has been highlighted by Grayson Allen, and not his ability to get to the hoop. After tripping multiple players again this year, Allen was suspended for only one game which invited tons of criticism. As one of the most judged players in the nation, Allen has handled himself politely, issuing apologies to coaches, fans, and players. Despite Allen being the focal point of this Duke season for reporters to bash about, something else emerged; Coach K was on temporary leave. This left Duke fans discouraged as Coach K left at a climatic part of this season. Jeff Capel took over the head coaching duties and guided the Blue Devils to a 4-3 record. Duke will need Luke Kennard to continue to light up the score board and Grayson Allen to do a little bit of everything if they want to control the tempo tonight. They will also need a solid contribution from freshman phenom, Jason Tatum, who looks like a promising first round draft pick.
What to expect: Expect the Cameron Crazies to be absolutely insane, and the Blue Devils to walk out of their sweatshop of a gym being happy customers.
