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UNC Basketball: Beating Duke is all North Carolina fans can hope for

By Carson Brown

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MARCH 29: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts against the Auburn Tigers during the 2019 NCAA Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional at Sprint Center on March 29, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MARCH 29: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts against the Auburn Tigers during the 2019 NCAA Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional at Sprint Center on March 29, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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Would a win over Duke make up for a demoralizing season for the UNC basketball program?

Things have been ugly in Chapel Hill, North Carolina this season, and that’s speaking kindly on the matter.

When coming up with positives, there are very few for a Tar Heels team that is below .500 for the first time in more than 15 years. UNC is now 8-9 overall, and far from a team with legitimate potential for competing in March. The last time a Roy Williams-coached team had a losing record, it prevailed to win the national championship (2004-05). Let’s face it, though, this team isn’t built the same way that one was.

It may hurt North Carolina fans to hear, but some need to realize the truth; that a turnaround like that shouldn’t be expected. Cole Anthony may be returning in the near future in spite of the team’s struggles, but how much does that change? Anthony is an incredible leader who comes equipped with loads of talent. However, he’s not enough; not for this team. This UNC squad isn’t tournament bound, so there’s only one way to make this season successful.

Beat Duke.

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Taking down the Blue Devils would be more than enough to keep my fellow Tar Heel fans and I pleased. At least with respect to how the season is currently going. Everyone knows the value of this rivalry, and how much it means for both sides, so the Tar Heels’ matchups with Duke have become everything at this point. The issue with this, though, is the fact that Duke has remained a powerhouse during the current — and hopefully short — demise of North Carolina.

The chances aren’t great for UNC, but with this rivalry, we know anything can happen. Either side can win this game, despite the disparity in talent. That’s what makes it the greatest rivalry in sports.

It’s the one-hundred year anniversary of the rivalry this season, and hopefully it comes with a couple of upsets. Just imagine Cole Anthony going into Cameron Indoor Stadium and playing a masterpiece of a game, and silencing the Duke crowd that UNC fans despise so much. Duke versus North Carolina is as anticipated as Christmas morning, and what a gift a Tar Heel win would be for the Carolina faithful.

it’s a dark time in Chapel Hill, but come February 8th, if Vernon Carey Jr. and the Duke Blue Devils come to town and leave with a loss, then all is well. Some may disagree with me on this, but at the end of the day, North Carolina hoops fans have been extremely spoiled. A down year with a couple of victories over the Blues Devils is more than enough to satisfy me…for now.

Next. Tar Heels fall to fifth-ranked Cardinals. dark

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