THE REVIEW IS IN RED.
The rivalry. As Duke fans we all know about it, we all have memories of past battles both good and bad. Stackhouse’s sick under the hoop dunk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv2b6zXBJiE). Capel’s buzzer beater to force OT (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAZvnJ_sngI). Redick lighting up UNC for 35 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iPAmUCfB5A). Hansbrough dominating Duke in his four years then Gerald Henderson dominating Hansbroughs nose with his unintentional elbow, though as a Duke fan I like to think it was intentional (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGHaLUgrzi4). It is the rivalry that all college basketball fans can tune into and get excited about, and the first chapter of this years rivalry begins Wednesday, 8 pm, Cameron Indoor Stadium. Let’s play!
Match-ups to watch:
Nolan Smith vs. Kendall Marshall
Kendall Marshall is coming off his career game, 9 pts and 16 assists, taking over for Larry Drew II who left UNC. The Freshman looks like the future PG for Roy Marshall
Result: Duke
Nolan Smith absolutely was unstoppable...again. He kept Duke in the game in the first half when they would've been blown out and he won the game for Duke in the second half. Kendall Marshall is a great player, did a great job in the first half of getting into the lane whenever he wanted and distributed to the big men. Marshall is scary because he isn't big time NBA talent and will probably be at UNC for a long while. In the end though Nolan had a career night with 34 pts, his stock will rise even more for POY after this performance.
Both teams have big men with NBA hype, Zeller and Henson for UNC and Mason Plumlee for Duke. You have to give Duke the slight edge on big men depth but then for overall offensive talent you have to give the edge to Tyler Zeller for UNC. In the end I think it is a draw, but if Duke can get either or both of UNC’s big men in foul trouble the edge will swing big time to Duke. Not because Duke will then pound inside to its big men, but because offensively Henson and Zeller mean a lot for UNC and without them on the court Duke can really focus on the perimeter players for UNC.
Result: UNC
Zeller and Henson played well tonight especially in the first half. They dominated the boards and were threats offensively, the Duke big men were really worthless. Duke's big men played better in the second half and UNC's played worse but if Duke wants a championship they NEED NEED NEED consistent play out of the big men. UNC's big men showed that Mason Plumlee has a long way to go before he can be relied on every night.
Kyle Singler vs. Harrison Barnes- Edge: Duke
Again we have a Duke Senior vs. a UNC Freshman, and again the experience will reign supreme. Barnes may end up being a better pro either next year or later but right now Singler is by far the superior college player even with Barnes playing his best ball of the year right now. It will be very interesting to see how Barnes reacts to the pressure of the rivalry and the Cameron Crazies. Barnes had a ton of pressure on him early on this year and folded, he is now playing his best ball because UNC has faded from everyone’s focus and Barnes' hype has totally died due to his lackluster performance. Barnes will be the main focus for the Cameron Crazies and he has to respond well, like Hansbrough used to, in order for UNC to have a chance.
Result: Draw
Kyle Singler could not throw the ball in ocean if he was swimming off the coast of North Carolina tonight. Ended the night 3-17 with 10 pts. Harrison Barnes started off hot tonight but then Kyle Singler did what he can do and made Harrison disappear. Even Dickie V was wondering where Barnes was calling out Barnes name even though Reggie Bullock had the ball in the second half. Barnes is a great talent, but right now is a passive player who cannot carry this UNC team yet on a night by night basis. Barnes ended with 9 pts on 3-8 shooting.
UNC Role Players vs. Duke Role Players – Edge: Duke
Quite simply UNC can’t measure up to players like Seth Curry, Andre Dawkins, Tyler Thornton and Ryan Kelly. This very well could be where the game is won or lost, Dawkins and Curry need to be hitting shots to take pressure off Smith and Singler. Thornton will have to D-up Marshall to keep him from being the distributor he was against FSU Sunday. Dexter Strickland is a nice player and will be the one I will keep a close eye on Wednesday, he can score and can do it in bunches when he gets going. Outside of Barnes, Zeller and Henson, its Strickland that can carry UNC’s offense at periods of time for UNC much like Dawkins and Curry can for Duke. The edge has to be Duke’s though because instead of having 1 player that can go for 20+ any night like Strickland they have 2.
Result: Duke
Seth Curry....welcome to Duke my friend. UNC fans cringed when they heard that Curry was transferring to Duke and the reason they did so was because of what Curry can do and did tonight. Curry took the game over for about 5 minutes while Duke was coming back and taking the lead in the second half. There was nothing UNC could do. As a Duke fan you have to hope this is a sign of things to come and that Curry will step in as the 3rd go to offensive option for Duke the remainder of the season. Curry finished with 22 pts, while Dexter Strickland, Justin Knox, Justin Watts, Leslie McDonald and Reggie Bullock ended with 17 pts total combined.
Coach K vs Roy Williams- Edge: Duke
Coach K is on his game right now and after last years blow out win (http://espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=300650150) has to have a mental edge on Williams. Overall these two are 7-7 against each other. Roy
Result: Duke
Coach K said something at halftime. I have to guess most of it would not be appropriate for this "family friendly" blog. Whatever it was it worked. Duke played no defense in the first half, Duke played great defense in the second half. Duke couldn't get any offense going in the first half, Duke got whatever they wanted in the second half. Duke got murdered on the boards in the first half, Duke murdered UNC on the boards in the second half. Coach K proved once again he is the superior in game coach to the great recruiter Ol Roy. Best Coach in American sports earned that title tonight with that halftime speech and second half.
Prediction: Duke 88 – UNC 74
The game will be close most of the way even maybe with UNC in the lead at halftime. Duke at times has struggled to get off to good starts and this may happen again in a game with so much pressure. In the second half Duke usually has found its offensive and defensive groove and will do that again here. Duke will get it going and shots will be falling and with little over 7-8 minutes left will cap off a big run on UNC with a steal leading to a dunk. Roy Miami
Actual: Duke 79 - UNC 73
The game wasn't close in the first half, as predicted Duke came out real slow. Much slower than I anticipated, but it was slow. Also as predicted Duke came out in the second half and found its offensive and defensive groove. Instead of a big steal and dunk being the play to cap a big run for Duke it was a Nolan Smith "and one" off a steal that capped the run with around 8 minutes left. As predicted the Crazies went crazy, Ol Roy called time outs (almost passed out), the youngsters for UNC folded and Duke didn't exactly cruise to the win but weren't really threatened the rest of the way.
Next Up: @ Miami, Sunday 5:45pm
Duke needs to worry about a let down after this emotional win. Duke has struggled on the road and Miami will be hungry. Duke needs to come out better than they did tonight and put the struggling Canes away early.
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