North Carolina (15-14, 5-10) vs. No. 9 Duke (21-5, 11-4)
Smith Center, Chapel Hill
4:00 p.m., CBS (Jim Nantz and Billy Packer)
PREGAME QUOTES
David Noel
"For me [this game] is like no other. Watching it and finally getting to play in one was crazy--just the atmosphere of being out there and being on the court and having fans cheer for you and boo you and things like that. You get chills up and down your spine.
"Now that we get to play them a second time, it will be the same atmosphere. Now that we get to play them at home, I think it will be more [exciting]. It should be a great win."
LINK: UNC Players'
Pregame Quotes
Mike Krzyzewski
"I think that it is a great game for our players whether it's their first game or they've been here. People all over the country grow up watching Duke -Carolina games. This game is exciting, but we try to make all of our games exciting. The fact that this is our last game of the season and there's going to be a large crowd there, added to the fact that our game here was such a good game. I think that it is great preparation for us going into the ACC Tournament, but more specifically the NCAA Tournament."
Duke Scouting Report
by Brett Ayers
Offensive Schemes -
Duke is a team that first, second and possibly third in
their line of thinking wants to run the ball up and down the court. They
love getting three point shots for Ewing, Redick, even Duhon off the
dribble in transition. If you do not get back and pick up you will get lit
up from long distance by a team that is truly unselfish in all ways. In
the half court, here is where Duke has a tendency to struggle. They do not
have the great one-on-one player(s) of the past five or six seasons. They
are still using that traditional high pick and roll, usually with Ewing,
that has been their trademark of the past five-plus seasons. Now, however,
they have thrown in a new wrinkle by putting in an option for Redick to
run along the baseline and come off a pick from Jones on the low block
instead of having Redick just wait for Ewing to come into the middle off
the high pick and roll and set up for the kick out. Duke will also run a
lot more double post free lance motion, and when Randolph and Horvath are
in they will have those guys pop out to the perimeter frequently.
Defensive Schemes - Well, there will be no surprises here. Duke will man
up, maybe extend it to the full court and possibly even spring a trap or
two on the Heels. Once again, like with UConn, the keys for UNC to beat
this tough bumping, grabbing, holding defense is to get a lot of good high
and wide spacing along with a lot of off the ball picks. If UNC tries to
run the high pick and roll stuff against Duke they will get eaten alive by
the much more aggressive Duke defense. Raymond Felton will find himself starting
the offense out at the half court line. Duke will also cheap shot on the
defensive end, especially Jones. Carolina can not let this bother them
or let him get in their heads. Ignore him and move on. Duke is the kind
of team that will fall apart psychologically if you are able to be patient
offensively and score on them with some ease. This is where they have been
programmed by Coach K to take their cue from: defensive success. If it is
not there, they tend to let other parts of their game go haywire.
Players to Watch:
Dahntay Jones - A guy who has been scoring a lot more for Duke, sans the FSU game.
A guy who, and don't be fooled by the shooting outburst, wants to do two
things. He first wants to get to the offensive boards and second wants to
bait you into getting out of your game. Don't let him get
to the offensive glass, keep him in front of you and don't let him bait you
and you will neutralize Dahntay. He shoots better off the dribble and
with someone in his face then when he has wide open shots. He tends to
think about it and aim it too much.
Chris Duhon - Not having a great season points wise, but still capable, and even
more so, of lighting you up from any distance at Cameron Indoor. A very poor
on the ball defender with average foot speed. He will push the ball all
game long and a guy you need to jam up right off the rebound.
J.J. Redick- He is just a freshman, but has range once he starts running
out of the tunnel to warm-up. Not a very good on the ball defender and
shoots better off the set coming towards his right shoulder than coming
towards his left because he squares better. If you stay on top of the
baseline picks and stay tight with J.J. off the high picks you should be
fine. Don't leave your feet on his pump fake.
Daniel Ewing - The last of this very good guard group that carries this team.
Daniel is a kid who can also put points on the board in a hurry. Loves to
come of that high pick and roll for the pull up around the free throw line.
Also likes the pull up along the baseline. Will shoot the three but a much
more comfortable shooter inside the arc.
Shelden Williams - Has really started to come into his own in the second part of the
season. Big, wide and has both a left and right handed jump hook from 5- to
7-feet out. Is still very mechanical in his movements and not very quick
off his feet. Has the tendency to be like a bull in a china shop at times
down low. Takes everything to the rim with two hands.
Probable Starting Lineup:
Chris Duhon (6-1, G, Jr.) – 9.2 ppg, 6.7 apg
J.J. Redick (6-4, G, Fr.) – 15.0 ppg, 41% 3pt
Dahntay Jones (6-6, F, Sr.) – 17.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg
Shelden Williams (6-9, F, Fr.) – 7.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg
Casey Sanders (6-11, C, Sr.) – 4.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg
Key Reserves:
Daniel Ewing (6-3, G, So.) – 11.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Shavlik Randolph (6-10, F, Fr.) – 7.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg
Nick Horvath (6-10, F, Jr.) – 4.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg
Sean Dockery (6-2, G, Fr.) – 3.8 ppg
Duke Info
Schedule
Stats
Roster
Photo Gallery
Dahntay Jones ... J.J. Redick
Daniel Ewing ... Mike Krzyzewski
(Photos courtesy the AP.)
Series Notes
by Duke Sports Info
This will mark the 214th meeting between Duke and North Carolina with the Tar Heels holding a 122-91 series advantage. However, Duke has won 11 of the past 12 meetings in the series, including a current six-game winning streak vs. the Tar Heels. Under Mike Krzyzewski, Duke is 26-27 vs. North Carolina.
The series was dubbed "Rivalry of the Century" in 2000 by the NABC and prior to this season was an overwhelming choice as the nation's fiercest rivalry in an ESPN.com survey of coaches and players. The Duke-North Carolina series was the runaway winner of the nation's top rivalry (69%), followed by Duke-Maryland (12%).
- Duke has a four-game winning streak in the Smith Center entering Sunday's game
- Sunday's game will be the 130th straight between Duke and North Carolina that at least one of the schools is ranked in a national poll. That streak dates back to Feb. 25, 1955.
- Two of the youngest teams in the nation will square off for the second time this season - the two teams combined sport 12 freshmen (six per team)
- Duke's average margin of victory during the current six-game winning streak over UNC is +17.5