On February 3rd, 2024, North Carolina hosted its in-state rival, the Duke Blue Devils. A highly anticipated matchup between two top-10 teams in the nation and one of the best rivalries in all of sports.
The Tar Heels came into this matchup after losing a heartbreaking game to Georgia Tech, 74-73. They didn't let this game carry over and used that emotion to drive them to this dominant victory.
They played with a renowned sense of confidence and a physical edge from the jump, which allowed them to build an early lead and never look back.
No matter how many times Duke made a push in the second half to try to come back, the Tar Heels never flinched and halted every run with one of their own.
Thanks in large part to their front court, both had monster double-double games. Harrison Ingram scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and also came away with four steals in that contest. His effort and defense were a major key to UNC securing this victory.
Long-time Tar Heel Armando Bacot also imposed his will on the game, scoring a game-high 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing 5 assists, a complete all-around performance.
Read: Why Duke vs. North Carolina still reigns as college basketball's gold standard
Another performance that should not be overlooked was Seth Trimble coming off the bench to score 10 points, bringing immense energy and defensive pressure. Now, being the senior voice on this current Tar Heel team, he can explain to guys like Kyan Evans and Jonathan Powell how to keep their anxiety down and what to do to make an impact in this type of game immediately off the bench.
The Tar Heels were able to get out in transition off great defensive stops and steals, and that kept Duke on their heels, which is something this current Tar Heel team needs to emulate this Saturday.
North Carolina has a great blueprint on how to defend home court against a dangerous all-around team like the Duke Blue Devils. If they can execute the same way they did when they last won at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, they can secure their biggest win of the season and put the entire nation on notice.
Tune in for this blue-blood collision this Saturday, February 7th, with a tip-off start time of 6:30 p.m. EST.