Heels Embracing the Moment and Importance of Saturday's Game
CHAPEL HILL – Try as one might, the best way to describe when North Carolina and Duke play in basketball is to simply say, “Carolina-Duke,” or “Duke-Carolina,” depending on how a fan roots.
It stands out from the rest of both teams’ schedules, and somewhat the college basketball landscape each season, even when one or both teams are a tad down. This time around, however, they are far from struggling.
As the No. 7 Tar Heels (24-6 overall, 16-3 ACC) venture up the road to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday, they will do so riding a five-game win streak and with a chance to outright win the ACC regular season title. The No. 9 Blue Devils (24-6, 15-4) have won three straight games, eight of their last nine, and can earn a tie atop the ACC with a victory.
A ton is on the line. First place on the line or not, the Heels can’t wait to get over there and get after it.
“Definitely,” UNC veteran forward Armando Bacot replied Friday when asked if the players talk much about outright winning the ACC this weekend.
“But going into a game like Duke is no more motivation we need other than just to win the game. It’s one of those games you circle on the calendar every year, you want to go in there and win. But it makes it even better than something like that is at stake.”
In addition to determining the top of the pecking order for the ACC Tournament, which will be played next week in Washington, D.C., a spot opening NCAA Tournament play in Charlotte is also on the line. And, perhaps the Tar Heels can slide into a No. 1 seed in one of the four regions.
They understand so much is on the line Saturday, and embrace that reality. A veteran, mature, experienced team, UNC isn’t running from this moment, it is running into it instead.
“I think we’re hungry. I don’t think that should come as a surprise,” graduate guard Cormac Ryan said. “There’s not really a lot you need to get motivated to go play in Cameron, especially wearing this uniform. We know what’s at stake, we’ve known that, and we’re happy that we’ve put ourselves in this position. But I’d be lying if I said we’re satisfied.”
This isn’t an unusual position for the Carolina program going into a regular season finale. Since 2001, UNC has met Duke in the final game of the regular season eight times with a chance to win the ACC regular season title, and has won all eight: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2019.
Doing so a ninth time in as many of these situations likely requires Carolina’s best performance of the season. The Tar Heels beat the Blue Devils, 93-84, in Chapel Hill five weeks ago, but Duke is playing its best basketball of the season, and heads into the class favored by several points
The Heels, however, are comfortable with where they are at this most-important stage of the season, with the intent on continuing to improve.
“I think we’re in a good spot right now,” said senior guard and ACC leading scorer RJ Davis. “I think we’re doing a good job of taking it one game at a time. We’re moving in the right direction, and Saturday being our last regular season game, we’ve got to continue to keep doing the things that we’re doing.”
The Heels know what’s on the line, they know Duke is playing its best basketball of the season, and they know the challenge going into the Devils’ frenzied hall is unlike anything they’ve dealt with all season.
But they are ready.
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