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CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina will head up the road Saturday to face Duke in the first meeting between the iconic rivals, and Friday, four Tar Heels were available in the Smith Center to field a variety of questions.

The primary topics were moving on from the home loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, the environment at Cameron Indoor Stadium, what play might be most targeted by the fans, and a scouting report on the Blue Devils.

Below are videos of all four interviews as well as some notes and pulled quotes from what they had to say:

*UNC forward Pete Nance spent the last four years playing alongside Ryan Young at Northwestern. Now, Young plays at Duke, so Nance was asked multiple questions about how often they speak, if they are good friends, and about Young as a player, whom Nance says he will be matched up with a lot when both are in the game at the same time.

“We talk a couple of times a week,” he said. “We’re the same year, we came in together at Northwestern. He’s a really good friend of mine, but we both have talked about it, not tomorrow. It will definitely be fun competing against him for a change.”

*Matched up together?

“Probably,” Nance replied. “We both play center at times, and I think that would be a fun matchup if we are in there together.”

*Young isn’t the bounciest player, but he’s effective. Nance offered a scouting report.

“He’s really smart, he’s really smart,” he said. “He knows how to use his body, he uses angles well, he plays really hard, he’s a good rebounder. He’s a great player for sure.”

*How aware was Nance of the UNC-Duke rivalry growing up and his thoughts on playing in it?

“Very aware, I don’t know how you can’t be,” he said. “My whole life I’ve been watching this rivalry, some of the great games that have gone on. I’ve definitely been very tapped into it my whole life, and it’s just surreal that I’m a part of it now.”

*Bacot has known Duke guard Jeremy Roach for a long time having played basketball together and against each other since they were kids. But Bacot doesn’t much care for roach anymore. Bacot is a Tar Heel and Roach is a Blue Devil, and that’s enough for him.

“Now I hate him,” Bacot said.

So, they don’t ever get together anymore, not even in the summer? Bacot shook his head and said, “Uh uh, hate him,” he said.

*The win last year at Duke was an emotional one for Bacot. He hadn’t had the typical UNC experience, and with the Heels having been blown out at home by Duke a few weeks earlier, Bacot invested a ton in the game. His focus was at an all-time level, and he performed scoring 23 points on 10-for-11 shooting from the field and grabbing seven rebounds.

It thrust the Tar Heels into a new level of groove and also defeated Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski in his final game at Cameron. Afterward, Bacot was very emotional with his team, and expressed that to the media as well.

“I just knew so much was at stake during that game, I just knew it was a huge signature win, and that’s really all it was,” he said. “Our mindset going into that game was we knew we just wanted to fight, and whatever happens happens. And I think we did a good job of that, so I just was excited.

“And then I talked to Coach (Roy) Williams, and we were both emotional. So I think it was that carrying over, too.”

*Williams was not at the game, but he and Bacot spoke on the phone right after the game, and his former coach expressed plenty of emotion.

“It was one of those moments I knew he was real proud of me, so it meant a lot to me,” Bacot said.

*The win at Cameron last year was a signature win for the UNC players and the program. Saturday night doesn’t offer that level of history, but it is Jon Scheyer’s first Duke-UNC game as head coach and it’s Hubert Davis’ second year. Bacot says this game is another signature opportunity for the Heels.

“I think this game is probably as big as the other one because you get two newer head coaches with Coach Scheyer being a new head coach, and this is the first time Coach Davis has matching up with him,” Bacot said. This rivalry has been going on for so long, and it’s only been like four coaches that have coached in the rivalry, in a sense.

“Just being able to be the first game of the new chapter of it is huge.”

*This will be the first Duke-UNC game without either Krzyzewski or Dean Smith on one of the sidelines since 1961.

“That’s what I’m saying,” Bacot said. “It’s huge, and it’s a new look and will shape how the 10-20 years will look with the different coaches.”

*Several Tar Heels will be playing in their first Duke-UNC game Saturday, notably Pete Nance, Tyler Nickel, Seth Trimble, and Jalen Washington. So, what will Love tell them about the game, what to expect, and any other thoughts he will pass on to them?

“I’ll definitely tell them the atmosphere is like no other,” Love said. “Just going in, we’ve got to be poised and just play our game.”

*The Tar Heels got a lot of questions about last year’s wins over the Blue Devils in Coach K’s final home game and final game period, which also came in the Final Four. Love said that’s all in the past.

“Last year is last year,” he said. “We handled business last year, but like I said, it’s last year. And after this (Pitt loss Wednesday night), it’s next game up.”

*Many of Duke’s players have not played in this rivalry yet, but the core of Carolina’s players have quite a bit of experience in these games. Love says that gives them a bit of an advantage, especially over at Cameron.

“I feel like we know what to expect as far as when things go left or how loud the crowd gets,” he said. “I feel like we’ve been in those situations and know what to expect.”

*This is still a basketball game Saturday night, and the Tar Heels are coming off a game they could have won, but mishandled the last 44 seconds, and also weren’t up to par in some other areas. Love said among the things Hubert Davis has stressed the last couple of days focused on the mistakes that were consistent throughout the game.

“Just our executing from as far as being in the right spots, knowing the plays, running our plays with pace, making strong moves, everything that goes into executing our offense,” Love said.

*Love was asked to give a scouting report of Duke.

“They play hard and they play as a team,” Love said. “They’ve obviously got (Kyle) Filipowski as the head of the snake. They play hard, they deny the ball, so we’ve got to get open, make strong moves, and just do what we do.”

*RJ Davis said he would not have played last weekend if the Tar Heels had a game scheduled. He was banged up multiple times during the win at Syracuse a week ago Tuesday, but UNC had an open slot on the schedule and did not play, so Davis didn’t have to miss a game. He did play in Carolina’s loss at home to Pitt on Wednesday, and says he is feeling much better now.

“I’m doing well mentally and physically, I’m in a better spot now,” he said. *Davis described the extent of his injury.

“I got hit (in) the eye and went through some protocols to make sure I’m good,” he said. “I sat out just to get back to recovery-wise and make sure I feel good leading up to the next game. I went through the protocols, passed the testing, did some individual workouts just to get my legs going again, and get a good feel energy-wise.”

*Davis said his mind is already on Saturday night, and in some respects he’s “already there.” But it isn’t hard to think back to last year’s two wins over Duke because they will forever remain historic.

“The whole moment, embracing it, not just from playing from being a part of history,” Davis said. “We were the first two (Duke-UNC) teams to play (each other) in the Final Four. And then just to look around and see that moment and embrace it, and also get a win, especially those last two games. That was very special to us.”

*While the Heels got plenty of questions about what happened last year, they have moved on, as Love said. Davis did, too.

“Last year is last year,” he said. “We have a whole different team, they have a whole different team. We’re eager to win and so are they.”

*The hype video played on the video boards in the Smith Center used to have a clip, with audio from UNC play-by-play announcer Jones Angell’s all when the Heels won at Duke in Coach K’s final game there. But that was removed from the hype video in December and no longer appears. Davis was asked if removing it was part of the program moving on from the two wins a year ago.

Interestingly, while most of the Tar Heels watch the video that plays right before the starting lineup is announced, he says he doesn’t. So, he didn’t even know.

“They took that out,” Davis asked smiling. “I didn’t realize that. It depends on my mood if I’m paying attention or not.”

Davis said sometimes he looks up, but usually his head is down and he’s locked in.