Carolina-Dook. The ugliest of all of the 4-letter words. The Greatest Rivalry in NCAA hoops. There are a ton of "great football rivalries"....but only one in basketball truly makes the sports world stop. Here is the breakdown.
WHO: North Carolina vs Duke
WHAT: Greatest rivalry in college basketball
WHEN: Wednesday, 9 pm
WHERE: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC
The top two teams in the ACC will battle for first place in Durham. North Carolina (19-2, 8-1 ACC) vs Duke (17-2, 7-2 ACC). Carolina brings with it the nation's highest scoring offense [92.2 ppg] against a Duke program that prides itself on being able to defend like rabid dogs...and also have a high scoring team themselves [82.5 ppg]. No team has shot over 50% against them all season.
You have JJ Reddick and Rashad McCants....both can score from anywhere on the court. Sean Dockery and Jackie Manuel will both have their hands full guarding these guys. You have Sean May and Sheldon Williams battling on the inside. Williams is more of a shot-blocking/rebounding bruiser while May is more of a finesse player who has great hands and finishes well around the basket. Daniel Ewing has got to keep in step with Raymond Felton...the Heels go as Felton goes. An interesting contrast will be with Shav Randolph and Jawad Williams. Both are power forwards....but Jawad wonders around all over the place...and Randolph, who has struggled at times, must be able to keep up with him [and a certain freshman I mention in a bit].
How about depth? Lee Melchionni brings some solid shooting and play off of Duke's bench. But, does Duke have any way to deal with Marvin Williams? The freaky freshman has been on a tear of late. He dumped 20 on NC State, then made some great individual plays against Florida State.
If you think this game will be good...imagine what it SHOULD be! Remember, Luol Deng defected the NBA and Shaun Livingston skipped out on Duke and went straight to the NBA. Both would be starting right now for the Blue Devils. As for Carolina...JR Smith jumped [litterally] to the NBA and JamesOn Curry [who just dumped in 22 pts for Okie State], who was released from his scholarship due to a drug scandal, could both be wearing Carolina blue. Even without them....you have Raymond Felton, JJ Reddick, Rashad McCants, Marvin Williams, Sheldon Williams, Sean May, Daniel Ewing, Roy Williams and Coach K out there.
Some major NBA talent out there! And some major NBA talent of the sidelines as well. Both UNC coach Roy Williams and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski were wooed to be Phil Jackson's replacement as coach of the LA Lakers. Williams declined while Coach K thought hard about heading out west before ultimately staying put [good choice K].
Most people who don't live in the Carolinas don't realize that while Dookie V....errrrr....Dick Vitale is jumping and screaming on ESPN.....on Jefferson/Pilot sports [WBTV -3 in Charlotte] Billy Packer will be gleaming about these two programs....and the fact that his Wake Forest has beaten both of them this year.
Anyways...enjoy the game!
North Carolina. Duke. ACC rivals. Eight miles of road. Two shades of blue.
Let?s throw the stats out there.
*This will be the 218th time that these two proud programs will meet [UNC leads 123-94]. Duke is 46-42 at home...including winning 7 of the last 8.
*Duke has won 14 of 16 against North Carolina.
*North Carolina is favored in this game. The last time UNC was favored going into Duke was back in 1995 when Stackhouse, McInnis and Sheed went in to play a Coach K-less Heels team....and that may have been the best game played between the two. Jeff Capel's half court shot and the double-overtime thriller.
*Only once has the rivalry been played on February 9. The Heels won that game way back in 1957....and they also went on to win the National Championship that season.
*This will be the 37th time they?ve met when both were ranked in the Top 10.
*North Carolina brings in the nation's top scoring offense [92.2 ppg] while Duke brings in the ACC's top scoring defense [63.8].
*Both of these two have the biggest margins of victory in the ACC [UNC #1 - +22.8; Duke #2 - +18.7].
*Who is the better shooting team? Of the ACC teams, UNC is #1 in FG%, FT% and 3pt%. While Duke is noted for their ability to hit the three....Carolinahas actually hit FOUR more 3-pters than Duke this season while taking 28 less attempts. Duke is 3rd in the ACC in all of those categories.
*Three of the top five 3-pt shooters will be in this game. Raymond Felton [46.8%], Rashad McCants [42.6%] and JJ Reddick [42.4%] are 2nd, 4th and 5th in the ACC respectively.
*Six of the top 13 scorers in the ACC will be in this game. JJ Reddick leads the conference in scoring [22.8]. Sheldon Williams, Rashad McCants, Daniel Ewing, Sean May and Jawad Williams [all average between 15.2 and 16.2 ppg] are the others in the top 13 of scorers.
*JJ Reddick has only averaged 13.2 pts on 32% shooting in five career games against Carolina.
*The game featues the ACC's top two rebounders, Sheldon Williams and Sean May.
QUOTES:
*Sea May on Duke's depth at center....
"They have a big white kid that they bring in. I don't know his name."
*Sean Dockery on Raymond Felton's speed...
"(He's) like a horse or a cheetah or a Corvette or something. Something like that. He's pretty fast."
*Roy Williams on Cameron Indoor Sweatbox...
"I do not believe that Mike turns the heat up over there. I don't think he's any more competent than coach Smith, and coach Smith never could have found the thermostat to turn it up. I just don't think that happens. I think if it gets hot in there, it's because it's 65 degrees outside"
*Sean Dockery on if he wants to get the heat and scrutiny that JJ Reddick and Rashad McCants constantly gets...
"Of course. J.J. ... he gets all the girls, and Rashad gets all the girls."
NORTH CAROLINA
G-Raymond Felton
G-Jackie Manuel
F-Rashad McCants
F-Jawad Williams
C-Sean May
BENCH-Marvin Williams, Melvin Scott, David Noel, Quentin Thomas.
DUKE
G-Daniel Ewing
G-Sean Dockery
F-JJ Reddick
F-Shavlik Randolph
C-Sheldon Williams
BENCH-Lee Melchionni, Demarcus Nelson
North Carolina Tar Heels Message Board
Duke Blue Devils Message Board
Atlantic Coast Conference Message Board
25 comments:
Nice picture of coach K on the floor. How many championships has UNC won in the last 25 years?????????????????
The Devils, even in an off year, still possess that desire for perfection and are much better than anyone predicted. The Heels have it all and even have a coach
that dislikes the Devils as much as the alumni do. Having said all that, they play this one at Cameron and it will be a great game. At the end of the day, it will be the Heels with many pro talents versus the Devils and their always pursuing of perfection. J.J. will decide this one. He'll either be there or he won't. As a former Iron Duke, I'll be excited for either team that pulls it out!
Coach K on the floor!!! He's just practicing so that Wednesday night he will have an escape when his team take a good ol Tarheel Butt-whippin!!!
Duke will prove they are a top 10 team. Coach K always find a way to get the most out of his team, plus his other 3 coaches know what this game is about. Do not forget the crazies. It will be close but Duke will pull it out
As a Duke fan I can testify to the fact that this is the best rivalry in college sports. Unfortunately for Duke,UNC is begining to reassert themselves as a national powerhouse. Nevertheless, look for Duke to try to work the ball into Shelden Williams who is a better post player then May in my opinion. This will open up the outside for my man J.J. Redick who I see trying to win the game for Duke again. The biggest key however, is whether Duke can stay out of foul trouble with that thin bench. If they get in foul trouble it's over.
To the fan (obviously from Duke) as to how many National Champs. in the last 25 years the Heels have won- 2-our third was in 1981- sorry, just outside your count. You have three- ever in the last 15 years- we have 4 (1957 too) total- not a place to boast.
Total ACC Championships, overall wins (only Ky bests UNC), series record- dream on Dukies. Wish for it, claim it is a down year, but the ABC world is back- sorry. By the way, life will be hard on 2/9.
there is a reason the sky is Carolina Blue... :)
The point I was trying to make was in regard to the cheap shot of Coach K on the floor. In his tenure at Duke Coach K has won 3 national titles to Carolina's 2. Carolina lost to Indiana in 1981 (check your facts). Prior to the 1982 title was the 1957 win. Carolina 3, Duke 3 all with Coach K. The only thing Dean Smith gave the game was the four corners offense and subsequently the shot clock. The only thing Williams does better than Coach K on game day is wear nicer suits. Coach K is the best in the business and I doubt there is a sports writer or college AD who would disagree with that. (Not a place to boast?)
Get a clue. Sean Dockery will guard Felton and Daniel Ewing will check Mccants. If you're going to write about the sport's greatest rivalry try to get it right. If you're talking about recent history it's no contest; Duke owns the ACC and last time I checked UNC is still a member.
Just a few of the additional things Coach Smith gave the game: pointing out the player who earned the assist, huddle at the foul line before a foul shot, holding up hand with "tired signal" with automatic return to play when rested and domination over Dook during his tenure. Dook has won its share lately, but the Tarheels are back and will win tonight.
OK, I can understand it if you UNC fans (grads) can't spell Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy,NY) but D-U-K-E is easy. Save your not-very-funny sarcasm for the folks at Clemson.:-) Shows you what a public school education will get you,eh?
UNC HAS 4 NCAA TITLES ,1924,1957,1982,1993. DUKE HAS 3 NCAA TITLES 1991,1992,2001. CHECK THE FACTS OUT ON THERE WEBSITES UNC HAS 1 MORE NCAA TITLE THAN DUKE,AN WHO WON THE MOST HEAD TO HEAD BATTLES-DEAN VS MIKE DEAN SMITH WON LIKE 26 TIMES,AN MIKE ONLY WON 8 SO TELL IT LIKE IT IS
OK, Mustangman, I will check "there" websites. "There" is spelled "their" in this context. Did you go to UNC also?
Dear Mr. Mustangman,
According to NCAAsports.com the tourny goes back as far as 1939 (UNC did not win that one either). Maybe in 1924 UNC won the championship in ski-joring? Yes, I know that will send you running to your dictionary, if you own one.
http://tarheelblue.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/111402aab.html
All you dumb Carolina fans can shutup,Coach K owns you guys you cant win in Cameron. So much for Duke being on a lower level then the heels. I cant stand all you dumb Heel fans talking bout Dean Smith,yea he was great but he's gone and lets face it Roy Williams cant beat Duke and either can the Tar Heels. Gooooooooooo Duke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's funny I hear nothing from this chat but the crickets rubbing their legs to the baleful moon since DUKE beat unc tonite. Life is good on Franklin St. and you can tip your cups at the Carolina Coffee Shop tomorrow. But you will have to face the fact that Coach K is now 30-28 vs. Carolina. Put your paper back on the bar and tip too much. You are losers and the sky is Carolina blue to remind us each day how much we hate you. Sleep well tonight. We are out here, waiting to beat you again.
Carolina still OWNS dook.......Carolina 123 wins Dook 95 wins and Dook still can't win a football game.......Dook has to come to the DEAN DOME and we will see who gets a butt whipping....won't be no cameron crazie's there for u to depend on.......
Anyone who wears sneakers with a suit deserves to faint in public.
D-U-K-E is no.1 in my playbook and has always been. Dean Smith WAS a good man and coach,but he is gone Roy Williams will NEVER do for unc what smith did. and JJ reddick ill name my next son after him K-JJ
MONPONSETT: "Anyone who wears sneakers with a suit deserves to faint in public."
Actually....many coaches around the country [including UNC coach Roy Williams against FSU the very next day] were wearing sneakers as part of the "Coaches Against Cancer" as a sign of unity and just to get the cause out there. The coaches also encouraged anyone attending the games...whether they were fans, staff, or media members....to do the same.
So where are all of the carolina fans now! Are you cowering in a corner with the little turtles from maryland. What a game! Duke's defense dictatated the flow of the entire game. All I heard before the gane was " carolina has 5 first rounders they are gonna blow out Duke". PLEASE!! Carolina, face it, YOU CANNOT BEAT DUKE!!. Just face it Coach K is the best coach ever and williams(take your pick gary or roy) cannot match up against him. Duke,in a down year, will win the ACC again. Carolina, when was the last time you won the ACC??????? Maryland, shut up once every 10 years is nothing to brag about.As Always. GO DUKE.
Way to go, Dukedawgy, I like your style.
shut the fuck up mustangman. Duke owns unc and reddick could take THEIR whole team by himself anyway. unc cant handle all of dukes depth and yea they got lucky last sunday but everyone knows if duke just would have held onto the ball they would have won. felton, may, mccants, whatever, dukes got so much more depth, so until unc wins a title in this day in age, all tho i did like your little dates and titles, but it just shows they have sucked in the past few years. Duke is the best basketball program in then nation, always have been and always will be regardless of titles, they also have the best coach. anyone who talks bad about duke is just jealous and mad they are not them. especially people who talk about redick. he is the best shooter in the nation. JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
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