Forget Michigan/Ohio State, UCLA/Southern Cal, Louisville/Kentucky, Army/Navy, Alabama/Auburn, Boston Red Sox/New York Yankees because there is only one rival game that gets everybody’s attention and that is Duke and Carolina…
I have noticed that ESPN has NOT made this contest such a big deal as they did last year with almost every commercial and promo promoting that this war was going to be Coach K’s final fitting tribute at home. Unfortunately for ESPN and a stunned Cameron crowd with celebrities and tons of Alumni who had played for Coach K Carolina did not lie down and spoiled the party and celebration. With so much egg on their face ESPN quickly went to other programming. But that was last year. This season it will be Carolina’s expierence of 2 juniors and three seniors vs DUKE who will probably start one junior and 4 freshmen who have never been on a contest correctly labeled “the battle of the blues”.
Every Duke starter except for Mitchell who is 6’8 like Black is bigger that their Carolina matchup. Dereck Lively II who was the number one recruit coming out of High School last year comes in at 7’1 on a 230 frame but he is only averaging about 4 and a half points a game. Since Bacot is so important to Carolina both offensively and defensively I would prefer to see him on Lively.
Kyle Filipowski who I have seen several times on the tube 🚇 is as good as anybody in the league this year as the seven footer can kill you from both the inside and outside. Slowing him down will be a key to this game. I am not sure even Black could hold him because of the 4 inch difference in height. Nance will probably get the defensive assignment.
The other probably forward is Mark Mitchell who at 6’8 and 220 is like a bull in a China 🇨🇳 Shop and Leaky will probably have him to defend.
The only upper Class man to start will be junior captain Jeremy Roach 🪳 who is the glue of the team and as he goes the team goes. Still hurt or not RJ Davis has to step up and hold Roach down and not get torn up like Cummings did to him in the Pittsburgh game.
Tyrese Proctor the southpaw freshman will get the start with Dariq Whitehead still out with a injury at the shooting guard position. Love who always has big games against the Blue Devils May have to have another big game because nobody knows if Davis even with his fingers taped up will be able to score from the outside.
Carolina must get some points from their bench so that the starters can get some rest. Puff, Dunn, Washington and Nickel have to find away to contribute. Duke plays a ton of players so their starters will get ample rest.
Bottom line I feel the game will come down to a couple of factors: Number one can RJ Davis shake off a off game last time out and even still be a little beat up help Love with the scoring load in the backcourt and lead by example like he has all season.
Number two: Can someone hold Filipowski to a moderate scoring game and not have him have a career game like many opponents have had this year against the Carolina’s porous defense.
Number three: Can Bacot stay out of foul trouble with all of the bodies that Duke will throw at him all evening and not pick up some weak offensive charging fouls.
Number four: probably the most important factor will the Duke freshmen be able to handle all of the hype and pressure of playing North Carolina for the first time. On the other hand will all of the expierence of the upper class men for Carolina be the difference…
Regardless let’s get ready to rumble…
I have noticed that ESPN has NOT made this contest such a big deal as they did last year with almost every commercial and promo promoting that this war was going to be Coach K’s final fitting tribute at home. Unfortunately for ESPN and a stunned Cameron crowd with celebrities and tons of Alumni who had played for Coach K Carolina did not lie down and spoiled the party and celebration. With so much egg on their face ESPN quickly went to other programming. But that was last year. This season it will be Carolina’s expierence of 2 juniors and three seniors vs DUKE who will probably start one junior and 4 freshmen who have never been on a contest correctly labeled “the battle of the blues”.
Every Duke starter except for Mitchell who is 6’8 like Black is bigger that their Carolina matchup. Dereck Lively II who was the number one recruit coming out of High School last year comes in at 7’1 on a 230 frame but he is only averaging about 4 and a half points a game. Since Bacot is so important to Carolina both offensively and defensively I would prefer to see him on Lively.
Kyle Filipowski who I have seen several times on the tube 🚇 is as good as anybody in the league this year as the seven footer can kill you from both the inside and outside. Slowing him down will be a key to this game. I am not sure even Black could hold him because of the 4 inch difference in height. Nance will probably get the defensive assignment.
The other probably forward is Mark Mitchell who at 6’8 and 220 is like a bull in a China 🇨🇳 Shop and Leaky will probably have him to defend.
The only upper Class man to start will be junior captain Jeremy Roach 🪳 who is the glue of the team and as he goes the team goes. Still hurt or not RJ Davis has to step up and hold Roach down and not get torn up like Cummings did to him in the Pittsburgh game.
Tyrese Proctor the southpaw freshman will get the start with Dariq Whitehead still out with a injury at the shooting guard position. Love who always has big games against the Blue Devils May have to have another big game because nobody knows if Davis even with his fingers taped up will be able to score from the outside.
Carolina must get some points from their bench so that the starters can get some rest. Puff, Dunn, Washington and Nickel have to find away to contribute. Duke plays a ton of players so their starters will get ample rest.
Bottom line I feel the game will come down to a couple of factors: Number one can RJ Davis shake off a off game last time out and even still be a little beat up help Love with the scoring load in the backcourt and lead by example like he has all season.
Number two: Can someone hold Filipowski to a moderate scoring game and not have him have a career game like many opponents have had this year against the Carolina’s porous defense.
Number three: Can Bacot stay out of foul trouble with all of the bodies that Duke will throw at him all evening and not pick up some weak offensive charging fouls.
Number four: probably the most important factor will the Duke freshmen be able to handle all of the hype and pressure of playing North Carolina for the first time. On the other hand will all of the expierence of the upper class men for Carolina be the difference…
Regardless let’s get ready to rumble…
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