Unlike the UNC women's basketball program's first two NCAA Tournament opponents, this upcoming one is a very, very familiar foe for the Tar Heels.
If twice wasn't enough, North Carolina and Duke will meet for a third time this season with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line. The rivals split the previous two meetings, as this one will ultimately serve as the tiebreaker.
While it's likely that you already know plenty about the Blue Devils, we're going to give you some insight on Kara Lawson's team.
Well, let's dive into what you need to know about the Duke Blue Devils:
Duke Blue Devils
Overall record: 28-7
Conference Record: 14-4
Home Record: 15-1
Away Record: 8-6
Neutral Site Record: 5-0
Meet the Team
Head Coach
Kara Lawson (Fifth Season): Career Record- 96-40
Key Players
Toby Fournier may just be the most impactful player in the country that hasn't started a single game for her respective team.
The 6-foot-2 freshman has been a sparkplug off the bench for the Blue Devils, as she leads the team in scoring with 13.4 points per-game. She's making the most of her minutes (as she averages just under 20 minutes per-contest), making her presence felt from the moment she checks into the game.
Fournier missed Duke's Round of 32 matchup against Oregon due to illness, but Kara Lawson said the star freshman will be back in action on Friday afternoon.
Jackson played a major role in the Blue Devils' victory over Oregon on Sunday, scoring 20 points while connecting on five three-point field goals. She scored 14 of her 20 points in the third quarter alone, helping guide her team to a Sweet 16 berth.
North Carolina has to make sure they keep an eye on her while she's on the court, because it would be far from ideal if she goes on a hot stretch offensively like she did against the Ducks.
Richardson had a tremendous performance against the Tar Heels in the last meeting between the two teams. The senior guard from Charlotte, North Carolina scored 23 points while connecting on 9 of her 15 shot attempts, draining five three-pointers in the Blue Devils victory.
North Carolina hopes that she emulates her performance from the first meeting between the two squads, a game in which she connected on just two of her 16 shot attempts from the floor.
Projected Starters
No. 2 Taina Mair
No. 3 Ashlon Jackson
No. 4 Jadyn Donovan
No. 12 Delaney Thomas
No. 24 Reigan Richardson