College basketball's greatest rivalry adds another chapter
Posted: Wed Feb 6 10:33 AM
Durham, NC (Sports Network) - The college basketball world will be fixated on Durham, North Carolina this evening, as the much anticipated showdown between the sixth-ranked Duke Blue Devils and third-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels takes place at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The lead in the ACC will be on the line in this one, as both Duke and North Carolina come into the game at 7-2 in league play.
Mike Krzyzewski's Blue Devils were cruising along through their schedule, but like most teams in the ACC, keeping that pace is difficult when you face the caliber of opponent the conference has to offer game-in and game-out. As a result, Duke has split its last four games, but did survive a tough outing against Miami-Florida this past weekend, topping the Hurricanes in overtime, 78-75.
Roy Williams' Tar Heels have a bit more momentum coming into this matchup. Since dropping its first two league tilts, UNC has run off seven straight victories, including a 76-61 romp over Virginia the last time out.
This is the 226th installment in one of the most heated rivalries in all of sports. The Tar Heels hold a 128-97 advantage all-time and have won four of the last five meetings over the Blue Devils, including three straight in Durham.
The Tar Heels are as dangerous an offensive team as there is in the nation, as the squad is putting up 92.3 ppg, on a steady .488 shooting. The success is not limited to the offensive end though, with UNC boasting a +7.5 rebounding edge, while forcing 17.0 turnover per game. The centerpiece to the North Carolina attack is All-American Tyler Hansbrough. The reigning National Player of the Year, Hansbrough has continued to dominate in his senior campaign, shooting .522 from the floor and pacing the team in both scoring (22.1 ppg) and rebounding (7.8 rpg). What probably makes Hansbrough more effective is the fact that the other four starters have the ability to take over a game as well. None more than star point guard Ty Lawson, who is both a prolific scorer (15.3 ppg) and one of the nation's premier distributors (151 assists). Backcourt mate Wayne Ellington can fill up the basket as well (15.0 ppg) and teams with Danny Green (13.5 ppg) to form a potent long-range duo. The two are both shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arc and have combined for 101 of the team's 170 three-pointers to date. Deon Thompson (11.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg) rounds out the starting five and aids Hansbrough along the frontline. In the win over Virginia, Ellington had a strong game, finishing with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists. Green netted 17 points, while Hansbrough recorded a double-double with 15 points and 13 boards. Lawson just missed his own double- double, tallying 10 points and nine assists.
Duke has enjoyed success at both ends of the floor this season and as a result is boasting a +16.8 scoring advantage. Offensively, the team is netting a solid 77.8 ppg. while limiting the opposition to 61.0 ppg. Sophomore Kyle Singler is one of the more versatile players in the ACC, leading Duke in scoring (15.8 ppg), rebounding (8.2 rpg) and steals (1.7 spg). Gerald Henderson is a terrific all-around player as well, averaging 15.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per outing. Guard Jon Scheyer rounds out the double- digit threats on the team at 13.0 ppg. Nolan Smith (9.5 ppg) gives Duke yet another offensive option. It wasn't what the Blue Devils had planned in Durham this past weekend, but Duke was able to rally from a 16-point second-half deficit to get by a tough Miami team in overtime. Scheyer led the way with 22 points. Henderson played a key role in the win as well, netting 18 of his 19 points after halftime. Greg Paulus added 18 points to the cause. Although he hit just 5-of-23 shots from the floor, Singler notched 17 points, while completing a double-double with 10 rebounds. The Blue Devils were able to escape with the victory despite the fact that the team converted just 32.9 percent of its shots in the game, including a horrific 19.4 percent in the first half.
