Duke Basketball: Keys for Blue Devils in revenge game against UNC

3. Concentrate on preventing Cameron Johnson and Luke Maye getting inside

This UNC team has plenty for Duke to worry about, as they’ll already know. The senior pairing of Johnson and Maye will be one obstacle that Coach K will be very aware of. The pair combined for 56 of UNC’s 88 points in Durham, and they only scored one three-point shot between them. As a team, it’s going to be a hard slog for Duke, on Saturday.

Whoever’s at the center of the Blue Devil defence is going to have a hard time dealing with UNC’s cut towards the basket. Marques Bolden and Javin DeLaurier will be the leading figures in preventing as many Tar Heel scores as is possible, and their positioning and ability to maintain shape will prove most important in limiting the UNC offence.

While UNC’s inside offence remains the biggest threat, they’ve got the ability to hit the three ball when they’re hot, too. With focus on the likes of Johnson, there’ll remain threats coming from all angles. Sophomore guard, Coby White is UNC’s biggest deep threat. He couldn’t get it going the last time these two teams met, but shouldn’t be let loose. Tre Jones and his defensive set should be able to conserve any perimeter threat UNC has, in reality.

UNC’s toughness and determination remains the main threat on the inside. Duke will need to come into this game with grit and their own determination, but this comes hand in hand in a rivalry game of this caliber, and the chance to get revenge.

This is the last regular season game for both Duke and UNC, which does make it all the more special, albeit, there are bigger things for both teams to build towards as the ACC tournament and NCAA Tournament both approach.