UNC Basketball: Keeping It Heel Staff Picks vs Duke
By Mark DeMott
The UNC basketball team will have a lot on the line when they host their Tobacco Road rivals on Senior Night.
Carolina vs Duke always feels like the biggest game on the schedule. But with the Tar Heels squarely on the bubble, the final game of the regular season has even more on the line than usual. UNC has won three straight “must-win” games and will look to make a national statement against a Duke team that is the hottest in the ACC. This game will also be Senior Night for Leaky Black, Armando Bacot, and Pete Nance, setting up what should be a very emotional night in the Smith Center. Will the Tar Heels defeat the rival Blue Devils and pick up a massive win for their NCAA Tournament resume? Find out what our staff thinks below!
Nick Delahanty
I can’t believe we’ve reached the end of the regular season already!
Before I get into my pick, shout out to the seniors on their ‘senior night.’ If it ends up being your last game at the Dean Smith Center, we thank you for all your contributions to the UNC basketball program, both on and off the court!
Now, to the game, we’ve all had circled on our calendars for months now. Round two of the historic matchup between North Carolina and Duke.
I feel a lot more confident in the Tar Heels going into this one, mainly because of the recent play of Pete Nance and Leaky Black. Remember, when these two teams last met, North Carolina couldn’t knock down shots from deep, but as of late have figured it out a bit.
Especially at home, this team seems to play better, as the crowd is definitely the “sixth-man.” In a must-win type of game with their backs against the wall, I expect the UNC basketball program to get the job done and end the regular season on a strong note.
Prediction: North Carolina 67, Duke 62
Mark DeMott
Leaky Black deserves a big senior day, and I think he will do a great job limiting Daria Whitehead defensively. Carolina’s guards have taken a lot of heat this year, but I love their fearlessness and wouldn’t want any other backcourt in a big game.
Carolina delivers.
Prediction: North Carolina 77, Duke 70
Aaron Conrad
The rivalry once again takes center stage at the post important time of the season. Duke is playing arguably their best basketball right now. UNC has put together a couple of wins and seems to be coming into form. It’s always been so hard to tell with this team though. They must make threes. There is no other way around it. It is crazy that last season at this time, they were playing spoiler and ruining Coach K’s black tie affair. Now duke can essentially do the same for the Tar Heels tournament hopes. That’s what makes it a rivalry like no other. Because they are at home and only because they are at home, I’ll take UNC in a thriller.
Prediction: North Carolina 82, Duke 81
Spencer Schultz
It’s truly must-win territory. A loss and the Heels will need to win the ACC Tournament to participate in March Madness.
There are several things to watch in this game, particularly if Armando Bacot can get going. He’s coming off a one-point performance against Florida State earlier in the week, arguably the worst outing of his career. Look for UNC to get him going early.
Prediction: North Carolina 74, Duke 71
North Carolina hosts Duke on Senior Night. dark. Next
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