Duke at North Carolina: 2021-22 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
By Joey Loose
Duke and North Carolina renew their rivalry in Chapel Hill; will the Blue Devils roll or can the Tar Heels pull off a big win?
TV schedule: Saturday, February 5, 6:00 pm ET. ESPN
Arena: Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Duke (18-3) has had quite the season, emerging as the heavy favorite in the ACC in Mike Krzyzewski’s farewell season as head coach. The Blue Devils have mostly taken care of business, aside from a pair of close losses since conference play began. They’ve now won four straight games and look to keep the ball rolling against their rivals.
For Duke, freshman forward Paolo Banchero (17.8 ppg, 8.3 rpg) is one of the best young stars this season, while junior forward Wendell Moore Jr. (14.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg) is doing his fair share for the Blue Devils. Banchero had 21 points in their recent win over Notre Dame, a game in which this defense played a starring role. Freshman forward AJ Griffin (9.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg) is another important name to keep an eye on, especially with how he’s played in recent weeks.
Duke sits 9th in the AP Top 25, 12th in the KenPom ratings, and 12th in the most recent NET rankings. They are by far the best team in the ACC in all metrics, while the team is in the top 20 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. On the court, there’s a lot of talent on this Blue Devils team. The offense has been phenomenal at times and they just had their best defensive effort against the Fighting Irish this week.
None of that matters to North Carolina (16-6), the bitter rivals in their first year with Hubert Davis as head coach. The Tar Heels aren’t on that top-tier level, but they’ve played some solid basketball at times this season. They don’t have any bad losses this season, and sit 8-3 in ACC play, entering this game on a four-game winning streak.
Four Tar Heels are having more than 13 points per game, led by junior forward Armando Bacot (16.5 ppg, 12.5 rpg) who’s having a fantastic season. Bacot just had 19 points and 22 rebounds in an overtime win over Louisville, and he’s not the only one who starred last Tuesday. Senior forward Brady Manek (13.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg) had 24 points and has been a key piece since transferring from Oklahoma. Other names to watch include sophomore guards Caleb Love (15.3 ppg, 3.5 apg) and RJ Davis (13.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg) who will certainly make their presence felt.
North Carolina is 37th in the most recent KenPom rankings and 35th in the NET rankings. The Tar Heels are in the top 25 in offensive efficiency, though the defense is lagging a bit behind. This looks like it’ll be an NCAA Tournament team, but a win over their bitter rivals will certainly help solidify that resume.
Duke has the talent advantage, but let’s not disparage what the Tar Heels put on the court. Bacot is a weapon, but Banchero is just a little bit better. North Carolina doesn’t force turnovers, but they shoot the ball well from outside. If the Blue Devils can limit that long-range game and pound the ball inside, they can quiet that Carolina crowd pretty quickly.
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The atmosphere will be fantastic in Coach K’s final trip to Chapel Hill. With these kinds of rivalry games, you almost have to throw out the rankings and comparisons, because anything can happen on these nights. On paper, North Carolina looks a few steps behind Duke, but it doesn’t mean this can’t be a magical night. However, the Blue Devils have been playing better ball in recent weeks and pull out a close and hard-fought contest.