Samantha Axon, Reporter
@SAxonCourant
It’s one of the biggest rivalries in the NCAA, and it is the last game of the season. The number 8 North Carolina Tar Heels will travel to Durham, North Carolina to face off against the number 17 Duke Blue Devils for the second time this season. You can catch this game On Saturday, March 5 at 6:30 on ESPN.
The last time that these two teams saw each other was on February 18th in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Despite being plagued by numerous injuries on top of a younger team, the Blue Devils would ultimately come out on top. The Tar Heels had been winning by a couple points with 1:19 left in the game until Grayson Allen made a pair of free throws to put Duke in the lead, 74-73. The score would remain the same until the end of the game, partially due to a key block on the final play by the Blue Devils’ freshman Derryck Thornton.
The Blue Devils have excelled on offense throughout the season, while their defense has been slowly weakening. Sophomore guard Grayson Allen leads the team in all main offensive aspects: points per game, assists, and field goal percentage. During Allen’s most recent game against Wake Forest, he recorded his 4th 30+ point game of the season. On the defensive side, Allen leads the team in steals per game, averaging 1.1.
Even though Allen is a very strong player within the team, his presence at upcoming games is currently being questioned. Allen has been accused of intentionally tripping Louisville’s Ray Spalding as well as Florida State’s Xavier Rathan-Mayes. No punishments have been placed on the sophomore player, but it is not out of the question. Duke is already short on players due to injuries, and cannot afford to lose another key player.
But, Duke’s defense is not looking as strong as it once was. 8 of the team’s last 10 opponents have made at least a half of their 2-point attempts. The Blue Devils have usually been able to make up for opponents’ ability to score as the team averages 81.6 points per game. This is the 17th highest in the NCAA. The Blue Devils will most likely struggle in a game where opponents either have a strong defensive presence and / or team with strong shooters in the paint.
North Carolina may prove to be a challenge for the Blue Devils. The Tar Heels 83.1 points per game, the 11th highest in the NCAA. They are also strong in the paint, making 50.7 percent of their attempts. During a game against Temple earlier this season, they outscored the Owls 42-12 in two-pointers. Since Duke struggles blocking such shots, the Tar Heels can use this to their advantage.
Photo contributed by Hoops Habit
Sophomore Joel Berry II has been flying under the radar, but has improved the team drastically. Berry leads the team in both steals and assists per game. He has not usually racked up a large amount of points each game, which has not allowed him to stand out among the team. But, he has been improving his point total recently which has been able to put him on people’s radars. During UNC’s loss to UVA two games ago, Berry scored a career-high 21 points. Regardless, his ability to succeed defensively has helped the team the most.
Prediction: Even though Duke has beat the Tar Heels in the past, North Carolina want this game more. North Carolina is tied for first in the ACC with Miami. In order for UNC to be the sole winners of the ACC, they need to win this game and have the Hurricanes lose to Virginia Tech. Duke is not in the running for the championship, and the game would possibly help or hurt their ranking in March Madness. The ACC tournament would be a better place for the Blue Devils to increase their ranking, and therefore this game is not make or break for them.
