When you have as decorated a history as UNC and Duke have, there are always going to be games within the game that fans will be looking towards and could determine the outcome of the game.
Caleb Wilson vs. Cameron Boozer
The marquee matchup that everyone is going to be keeping their eyes on is the two freshmen superstars, Caleb Wilson and Cameron Boozer. A clash between arguably the top two picks in this upcoming draft, with the atmosphere that Chapel Hill is going to bring, this is going to be cinematic.
Both athletes are leading their respective teams in points and rebounds, and are the focal point of each team's offensive attack. Boozer is slightly more versatile on the offensive end, but when Wilson puts his head down, few defenders can stop him. The biggest difference in this matchup will come down to which player can get more stops.
Caleb Wilson's mobility and length will give Boozer problems on most possessions. Boozer is a smart and fundamental defender, but his lateral quickness and vertical athleticism are not as elite, and could result in less effective shot contents and defensive stands if its one on one.
Seth Trimble vs. Isaiah Evans
This is a make-or-break mathcup for the Tar Heels. Trimble is a seasoned upperclassman known for his leadership, defensive activity, and two-way game. As the athlete who has played in the most Duke vs. UNC matchups, he will need to be the player to settle his team down when emotions and energy get too high.
Isaiah Evans is the dark horse for the Blue Devils team. His ability to space the floor and catch fire at any given moment makes Duke an extremely hard team to guard. All the eyes are going to be on Cameron Boozer, but it could turn into an Evans-type outbreak if UNC is not careful.
Trimble needs to be in his hip pocket at all times. Chasing him off the line and making him put the ball on the floor. Forcing help reads instead of rhythm shots. If Trimble is caught ball-watching like he was against Stanford and SMU, Evans will get open shots, get into a rhythm, and it will be a long night for North Carolina.
Now, Trimble doesn't need to put up huge numbers; he needs to hunt switches onto slower defenders and use his strength to get into the paint and kick out to the open man when the defense overhelps. If Trimble is collapsing the defense, Evans' spacing advantage shrinks.
Derek Dixon vs. Caleb Foster
Being a freshman guard in this type of matchup brings an immense amount of pressure, but it could also propel players to new heights if they handle the moment correctly. Derek Dixon needs to play with pace but under control.
Caleb Foster is a third-year guard who is a true point guard, a steady organizer, and has a defensive-first mindset. He will be picking up Dixon full court and forcing him to play out of control and try to force him to make mistakes.
Dixon has shown to be a natural shot maker who is more comfortable shooting catch and shot threes rather than off the dribble. If he can keep his assist-to-turnover ratio down and continuously move off-ball to get open shots, he could get his confidence up, and we have seen what kind of performance he can put on if he's feeling it.
There are so many different things that fans and spectators will be looking at during this highly antipcated mathcup. However, these matchups you want to keep your eye on as they will most likely determine the outcome of this game. Tune in this Saturday Febuaray 7th, with a tipoff time of 6:30 p.m EST.