North Carolina (26-4, 13-2) at Duke (26-4, 13-2)
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Durham, N.C., Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314)
Fast break:
Just think, UNC had a 10-point lead with 2:09 left in the first meeting
before the really bizarre happened. The fluke basket knocked in by
Tyler Zeller, Seth Curry’s travel before hitting a 3, and then Austin
Rivers’ 3 at the buzzer is what Duke needed to win. The Blue Devils hit
14 3s to UNC’s one, and it took a miracle to win. If the teams play at
the very same level again in Durham, UNC will win by 12. Carolina is a
better team, but if it can’t keep Andre Dawkins, Curry and company from
reigning 3s, it will lose. On the flip side, UNC scored 84 points the
last time on Duke with just one 3. UNC must go inside over and over and
over, try to get the Plumlees in foul trouble, and get to the FT line to
make up for the imbalance due to Duke’s 3s. The x-factors in this game
might be whichever player is more productive, UNC’s Reggie Bullock or
Duke’s Ryan Kelly. Duke’s bench gets a slight edge unless UNC freshman
P.J. Hairston suddenly discovers a jump shot that has been missing for
two months.
Forecast: UNC, 83-77.
For the rest of the ACC basketball games, click here.
