This year’s regular-season ACC title is on the line as the Blue Devils and Tar Heels duke it out in Cameron Indoor this Saturday. Sure, records and rankings go out the window when these adversaries hit the hardwood. But what’s happened since Duke took the eight-mile drive to the Dean E. Smith Center in February, and what’s at stake for their final regular-season match? Take a look:
Last meeting: When the Tar Heels and Blue Devils met a month ago, North Carolina stifled any flurry of Duke offensive production, dominating defensively with nine steals and forcing 11 turnovers, scoring 19 points off TOs. UNC utility player Harrison Ingram posted four steals himself along with a 21-point-13-board double-double performance to bother the Blue Devils on both ends. It was a battle in the post for bigs Armando Bacot and Kyle Filipowski — Bacot won the majority of their matchups, notching a team-high 25 points to lead the Tar Heels to a decisive 93-84 victory.
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UNC: The Tuesday after besting Duke, the then-No. 3 Tar Heels struggled to guard Clemson on the perimeter and registered their fifth loss of the season. Dropping another game to Syracuse, UNC almost fell out of the AP top 10, but has since redeemed itself with five consecutive victories, which included RJ Davis’ record-breaking 42-point performance against Miami (FL). In their most recent game, the Tar Heels dominated Notre Dame by 33 points behind Davis’ 4-6 shots from three… and Bacot’s career-high 2-2 triples… A surprise to nearly every fan in the Smith Center.
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DUKE: Meanwhile, the Blue Devils have lost just one matchup since — the 83-79 slugfest against Wake Forest, which ensued the viral court storming in which Filipowski collided with a student, causing him to hobble off the court. Duke’s Monday bout against NC State saw dominance on the offensive glass, with the Blue Devils nabbing 19 offensive boards for 23 second-chance points. Currently ranked No. 13 in the nation for 3PT percentage (38%), the Blue Devils struggled to get accurate looks against the Wolfpack, netting just 9 balls on 30 attempts from afar (30%). Though trailing by three at half — Filipowski had yet to put a point up — Duke found its cadence in the second behind Jeremy Roach and Jared McCain’s combined 27 points.
What will make the difference? Three-point efficiency, control of the possession and the rebounding game. Both teams average eight three-pointers per game and are capable of making massive runs from the perimeter. UNC barely got the rebounding edge last game, 35-34, and out-rebound the Blue Devils on average 41-36.7 this year — an advantage on the glass could be the difference. However, turnovers and defensive moves will halt momentum on either end, as North Carolina showcased in their last matchup, which ultimately decided the game. The Cameron Crazies tenting outside the arena will be in for a treat this Saturday.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHO
