There’s no bigger rivalry in college basketball than Duke vs UNC and while the bragging rights alone are enough to motive either team, the Tar Heels are playing for much more Saturday – their post-season lives.
As of Friday evening, NCAA Tournament bracket expert Joe Lunardi has UNC as one of the first four teams left out of the big dance. When picking teams to participate in the invite-only event, the selection committee breaks down each win and loss into quads. Quad one wins include home games against teams ranked 1–30, neutral games against teams ranked 1–50, and away games against teams ranked 1–75.
UNC has played in 11 quad one games. Their recored against those opponents is a dismal 1-10, with their only victory coming against UCLA back in December at Madison Square Garden. When evaluating the Tar Heels’ resume selectors will note their six-game win streak to close the season, but a win against 2nd ranked Duke would bolster their resume enough to punch their March Madness ticket.
There’s a lot on the line for UNC Saturday and head coach Hubert Davis is ready for ALL of it and the emotions that come with it.
“The emotion of senior day. The emotion of playing your last ACC regular season game. The emotion of playing Duke. I want all of it,” Hubert said with a straight face that showed he meant every word. “I want all of it,” he repeated. And I want all of it to come out in competing and playing, and competitively fighting. I want all of it.”
In other words, HD wants all the smoke. And that’s the message and attitude the Tar Heels will have to bring to the Dean Dome Saturday night.
On paper the Blue Devils should beat UNC. The betting sites has the Blue Devils defeating UNC by double digits. But anything can happen in this rivalry and if the Tar Heels come out with the level of fight and urgency their head coach expressed during his Thursday afternoon press conference, they’ll have a chance to solidify their post season plans.
