Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: Tar Heels vs Duke season finale preview

By Alec Lasley

Feb 9, 2017; Durham, NC, USA; The Cameron Crazies taunt North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) as he throws the ball in from the sidelines in the second half of their game against the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 9, 2017; Durham, NC, USA; The Cameron Crazies taunt North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) as he throws the ball in from the sidelines in the second half of their game against the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 18, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (4) dribbles up court during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Dean E. Smith Center. The Tar Heels won 65-41. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports-
Feb 18, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (4) dribbles up court during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Dean E. Smith Center. The Tar Heels won 65-41. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports- /

Role Players Who Need To Step Up

Duke: Freshman G; Frank Jackson

The most under-appreciated of the freshman for Duke, Jackson is averaging 10.3 points a game and 2.3 rebounds.

In the initial matchup, Jackson provided a spark off the bench scoring 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting.

Coming off his best two game stretch of the year, Jackson is playing great at an important time for the Blue Devils.

Scoring a career high against Florida State (22 points), that was his highest scoring output since the second game of the season, when he scored 21 points.

With Grayson Allen nursing an ankle injury, Jackson’s play could be crucial for the Blue Devils.

North Carolina: Senior F; Isaiah Hicks

It’s senior night for Isaiah.

The former sixth man of the year in the ACC, Hicks has been very inconsistent in his play this year.

Hicks, who didn’t play in the first matchup due to a hamstring injury, has been nonexistent in his play the last five games since his one game absence.

In these last five games, Hicks is averaging 5.4 points per game in only 18.4 minutes a game. Before the Duke game, he was hitting his stride, averaging 14.2 points in 22 minutes per game in the nine games prior to his injury.

He could still be nursing the hamstring injury or it could be mental, either way, Isaiah will need to step up in order for the Tar Heels to win, and hopefully end the funk that he is in.

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