MBB: Duke at Carolina, Saturday 3/6 6 pm, ESPN Pregame and In Game Thread

[Kedsy]

I would like to add a predictive stat from Ol Roy's highly regarded statistics department: If we win on Saturday, we should have scheduled the game. If we lose, we should not have scheduled it.

Will Rogers would be proud.

[Natty_B]

Based on one tweet I saw Duke is wearing “the brotherhood” uniforms in this game. I wonder why they haven’t been worn earlier this season since everybody loved them - maybe because last time they were worn Duke lost by 30. Anyways I approve and say wear them as the “road” uniforms the rest of the season.

[Albar33]

is this the 1st time we have played while both being on the bubble in final weekend? high stakes!

Sportsbetting3.com has Duke at +3.5 -115 so going to be a close one.

[Bob Green]

I’m going to post game keys so everyone can look back tomorrow to see how wrong I was:

1. Foul trouble - Matt Hurt and Mark Williams have to avoid foul trouble and stay on the court.

2. Offense - Matt Hurt needs to score a lot of points. Carolina will look to shut him down like they did the first game.

3. Defense - We must contain Carolina’s guards and chase them off the 3 PT line.

[TruBlu]

We should expect a really tough game today from the cheaters, since this is their (alleged) senior day.

GTHC

[scottdude8]

The more I think about this game, the more I wonder if we might see a lot of 2-3, and potentially even start out in it to throw off UNC. They struggled against it against Syracuse, Mark is a dream middle man in that zone, and keeping Hurt on the floor is a MUST, which the zone can help with. Make the Tar Heels shoot as well as they did against us in the first matchup to have a shot. Obviously we’d have to overcome the rebounding disadvantage, but still... call it a hunch.

[DavidBenAkiva]

The more I think about this game, the more I wonder if we might see a lot of 2-3, and potentially even start out in it to throw off UNC. They struggled against it against Syracuse, Mark is a dream middle man in that zone, and keeping Hurt on the floor is a MUST, which the zone can help with. Make the Tar Heels shoot as well as they did against us in the first matchup to have a shot. Obviously we’d have to overcome the rebounding disadvantage, but still... call it a hunch.

I am expecting to see the zone at some point in this one. Mark and Matt can both tap out rebounds. It will take a concerted effort on behalf of the guards to clean up rebounds to make it work.

[TywinBlue]

With multiple kerolina big men, look for them to get physical with Mark and Matt.
They can afford to trade foul for foul; we cannot.

Would LOVE to see a bounce back game from Roach:
Our staff gave Roach the point guard scolly that Love desperately wanted; Love had Duke posters on his wall growing up in St. Louis.
Love had his best game of the season and scored 25 points against us in sending a message to our staff that they picked the wrong guy.
Today Roach can grow up and answer that challenge or cause Duke to look for transfer point guards next year.

Duke is 58 in NET ratings; kerolina 43- Right now we are not dancin', they are.
Last home games for Seniors usually means more to the home team.

Prove me wrong, Duke !

9F 3000

[SkyBrickey]

Today Roach can grow up and answer that challenge or cause Duke to look for transfer point guards next year.

We all want to see a big game out of Jeremy, but let's not toss him under the bus if we lose. Freshman point guards almost always struggle, even during non-pandemic years. Tyus Jones was the rare exception. I'm looking forward to seeing how he develops in the off-season and I expect him to have a better year next year with Griffin, Banchero and a sophomore Williams as upgraded offensive weapons.

[SavDukeGrad]

I would feel better about this game if we had a closer. Matt is a great shooter, but he seems like a pretty quiet guy who just doesn’t have that alpha personality.

I think back to some of some of our great victories in recent years, and we almost always had a guy who just refused to lose, even if we weren’t the best team.

2016 in CH - Brandon Ingram put the team on his back and we beat a better team. I remember there were reports he had to be carried to the bus, he was so spent.

2012 in CH - Austin knew he was going to take and hit that shot. And again, we beat a better team, who had let us hang around.

Tyus in 2015 in Cameron. Nolan in 2011 in Cameron just put the team on his back. And of course Tre in CH last year. All just refused to lose.

I always feel like we have a chance in this game with Coach K on the bench - he has almost always out coached Roy. But this year, I’m just not sure it’s enough. Hope I’m wrong.

[mattyoung18]

I think our guards come out strong tonight and complement Hurts hot shooting and hopefully we get a big win.

[Music man55]

I think our guards come out strong tonight and complement Hurts hot shooting and hopefully we get a big win.

I like the way you think Matty. I hope you’re right😎

[-jk]

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Let's Go Duke!

-jk

[mattyoung18]

I like the way you think Matty. I hope you’re right😎

I'm trying to bring the good vibes my Duke friends.Confidence!

[Sixthman]

I think our guards come out strong tonight and complement Hurts hot shooting and hopefully we get a big win.

Guards need to play like they have nothing to lose; own the game.

[chrishoke]

I'm afraid we will lose by 5-10 points - not feeling it.

[CameronDuke]

Offense has come out the gates slow for Duke.

[WHOneedsSOX]

North Carolina playing football in the key.

[YmoBeThere]

That was kinda similar to what happened to Kawhi Leonard against the Warriors...

[CameronDuke]

Duke is getting the dogs walked on them right now!