UNC Basketball: 3 keys to beating Duke in first game against Jon Scheyer

Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; The North Carolina Tar Heels walk off the court as forward Armando Bacot (5) is supported after sustaining an apparent injury following a play against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half during the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

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UNC Basketball Armando Bacot Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

Get the ball to Armando Bacot

This should not come as a surprise to anyone that has watched Carolina basketball this season when the ball is in Bacot‘s hands’ good things happen. Armando is in the conversation for ACC player of the year, averaging 17.7 points and 11.4 rebounds a contest.

In the two wins against Duke last year he averaged 17.5 points and 14 rebounds, in their loss in the Dean Dome he had only 12 points and 5 rebounds. Bacot should have favorable matchups in the post against Duke come Saturday.

If the Blue Devils put freshman Dereck Lively on him he should be able to play bully ball to get to his spots for hook shots. Lively has proven to be a solid rim protector, averaging 2.5 blocks per contest. However, most of his blocks have come from being the help defender on the weak side and not when he has been matched up 1 on 1. Bacot should be able to use his size and experience in a matchup against Lively to not only score the ball but do what he does best and dominate the glass on both the offensive and defensive end.

The other player for Duke that should see time trying to stop Bacot will be the transfer from Northwestern, senior Ryan Young. Young is the big man Duke can go to for offense this season between him and Lively. Young will not pose nearly the defensive resilience that Lively will but could be a little more of a handful for Bacot on the offensive end.

Truly the only thing that has been able to slow down Armando this year has been Leaky Black and his inability to stretch the floor with his shooting. Black is one of the best defenders in the ACC and can take away the opposing team’s best offensive player on any given night. But his limitations on the offensive end can sometimes slow down his own team’s offense.

Their last game against Pittsburgh is a good example of this. The Panthers were practically leaving Black by himself and daring him to shoot. Anytime the Tar Heels would throw it down to Bacot the man responsible for Black would immediately double down on Armando making it tough for him to get his shot going as he ended 3-10 on the night from the field.

It might be worth it for Hubert Davis to explore different lineups to stretch the floor and give his all ACC player room to work in the paint. Puff Johnson has missed the last several games but could provide that type of ability to stretch the floor if he can play on Saturday.

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