The rivalry between Duke University and the University of North Carolina is one of the most intense and storied in college basketball history. This matchup, often referred to as the "Battle of Tobacco Road," has captivated fans for decades and has become a staple of American sports culture.
Both Duke and North Carolina have rich basketball traditions, boasting numerous conference championships and national titles. The rivalry began in 1920 when the two teams first faced off on the court, and since then, their matchups have been highly anticipated events that draw massive crowds.
North Carolina certainly brought the energy needed to win college basketball's fiercest rivalry, as the Heels' fourth-ranked defense swarmed early and fueled punishing opportunities in transition — the average UNC possession lasted just 10 seconds in the opening six minutes. Eleven seconds after a Jared McCain layup, UNC's star freshman point guard Elliot Cadeau surged down the floor and found an open Cormac Ryan, who nailed Carolina's first triple of the game that gave his team an early 13-8 lead.
Jeremy Roach, one of three Blue Devils with 20-points Saturday, found the range with consecutive triples and tied the game at 22. However, Carolina's pesky defense once again fueled an immediate response — UNC outscored Duke 19-7 on the afternoon in points off turnovers — as Ryan poked free a steal near mid-court and converted a layup through contact in transition to cap off an 8-1 run. A balanced scoring approach remained fruitful for the Heels, with six players scoring at least four points by the break, and a Bacot layup sent UNC into the locker room up 45-35.
On the other end of the court, I don’t love the offensive matchup for the Devils, as the Heels should hang with Filipowski on the roll.
That’s Duke’s primary way of scoring, and North Carolina ranks above-average in ball-screen roll-man PPP allowed (.96 PPP allowed, 65th percentile) — the UNC forwards are proving themselves as skilled defenders, including Bacot, Jalen Washington and Harrison Ingram.
Duke’s won the last two battles 62-57 and 63-57, respectively, both games flying Under closing totals between 143 and 145.
We should see a similar game script, with Duke viciously denying North Carolina’s pace-and-post and the Heels defending Filipowski in the pick-and-roll while both teams effectively clean the glass.
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