Carolina composure: The Tar Heels think they’re ready for the test of nerves that always seems to be a factor in Cameron Indoor Stadium. But keep in mind that Kendall Marshall, Harrison Barnes, Reggie Bullock and Leslie McDonald have not played a game in the building, and John Henson has been in one.
If Duke comes out hot, the rattle issue will come into play.
Perimeter shooting: Of late, the Tar Heels have shot with Duke-like accuracy from the outside.
Barnes, Bullock, Dexter Strickland, Marshall and even Henson lit up Boston College’s half-court defense and then duplicated the performance against Florida State.
In its quest to keep the heat on Marshall, the Devils can’t give the shooters any extra operating space. If so, the Heels will beat Duke at its own game.
Duke interior offense: With Tyler Zeller and Henson, the Tar Heels have the edge in the offensive paint.
Duke is used to dealing with that situation, of course, but the Plumlee brothers, Ryan Kelly and Kyle Singler need to limit the damage, particularly on stick-backs by Henson.
- Likely starting matchups:
Kendall Marshall – Nolan Smith
Dexter Strickland – Andre Dawkins
Harrison Barnes – Kyle Singler
John Henson – Ryan Kelly
Tyler Zeller – Mason Plumlee
- My guess: Duke, 77-72.
Columnist
Comments
I'll be honest
Tue, 02/08/2011 - 16:53 — Heels20As impressed as I've been with our team during this win streak, I still just don't see us winning this game. I'm not saying it won't happen, but the Devils have homecourt advantage, a superior back court and more experience. Not really expecting a blowout, but if I was a gambling man, I'd put my money on Dook.
2006 ring a bell !?
Tue, 02/08/2011 - 22:32 — gvillegatrBig under dogs and came out with the win. This team is at least equivalent to that team. Not to mention this yrs team is deeper. DUIke wasn't that shabby either with G-G Reddick and Co.
DUIke -10 is what this game opened at in Vegas today.
Don't forget
Tue, 02/08/2011 - 17:12 — JPDOhioThe K'Vinci Code that ensures that the zebra's will tow the line in Cameron.
True
Tue, 02/08/2011 - 17:41 — Heels20I try not to pay attention to that though. The best teams know how to win despite bad officials. Unless we finish the game with 100% shooting from the field and free throw line with 0 turnovers, then we can't expect to blame anyone but ourselves for the loss.
i know
Tue, 02/08/2011 - 22:02 — JPDOhioI just love the K'Vinci Code concept.
The 2 losers he was referrring to
Tue, 02/08/2011 - 16:26 — hat_in_handThe 2 losers he was referring to are the Pack and the Canes. Both use RBC Ctr as their home.
The obvious
Tue, 02/08/2011 - 12:32 — SurferIf the Heels can keep up their results in the turnover, rebounding and shooting percentages, I like their chances. Bottom line, anything will be an improvement over last year's game at HIS.
DICKIE DooooKIE AND DREW WHO
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 18:50 — BULLREADERPlease, please, please GET RID OF SELF-SERVING DICKIE DOOKIE!!! All he is is loud, biased, and out-of-date. He is even uglier than Kski.
I GOT IT: let dickie doooookie BABYSIT drew who (WHO CARES)!
Congrats Heels-- all of you!! I saw CARLOLINA BASKETBALL: Skill, Smiles, Passing, Hugs, Talk among players on the floor, Congrats from and to the Subs!!
IN SHORT: FUN TO WATCH AND CAROLINA PRIDE RESTORED!!!!!
You guys grumble about Caulton but--
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 18:28 — SFPNCNativeIf Dickie Dookie and Mike Patrick are there, I think I'll just turn down the sound and watch it! I'm out of the TarHeel network range, so I cannot get Woody Durham on the radio like most of you can. Sometimes I wonder if the Dookies dropped Vitale on head one too many times!!! Go Heels!!!
Wow I have been super hard
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 16:00 — unc098Wow
I have been super hard on Toots in the past but you guys take it to a whole new level. Feel somewhat vindicated though
Not to worry;
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 14:41 — Shoreman67As I have been tacitly reminded in a previous post, there is a team, other than Maryland, that has perhaps played Duke better than any other team in the conference at Cameron. Historical statistics will show that the Heels do have more victories there than the Terps, so I will concede that he is technically correct.
So, its on to Durham to pad the Tarheels record there. I like the Heels to win this game. I see "Spider Man" Henson, swatting their attempted shots around like flies, thus frustrating the Dookies and providing facebreak attempts and open tri-fectas for the fleet Barnes & company.
Good luck Heels; hope you can come away with a win against Darth & the Evil Empire.
Barnes on offense...
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 14:10 — UNC1998> than Singler on defense. I see him having a large night.
Yes
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 19:32 — gvillegatrAnd especially so knowing how loose the DUIke rims are.
Depends on the zebras
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 13:53 — ezuncThey will decide who wins the game as is most of the cases in the ACC. If your team wears blue then the majority of the calls go your way. I would love to see the stats on block/charge calls and what percentage go the BLUE WAY. It is just amazing to see how many fouls are called when their big men go up for a shot but they can knock players to the floor without any fouls called. Every team in the ACC needs to change their colors to blue because 80% of balls going out of bounds are always blue. Finally, the most important calls may be how many noncalled goal tending Henson gets away with. I do however agree that Duke and UNC are the cream of the crop in the ACC. I also believe that UNC is at least 10 points better than Duke. However, if Roy or K had the calls go against them in the percentages that they go for them they would both have heart attacks or get thrown out of games. You have to expect some home cooking but not in away games like these 2 teams get. I will pull for the team that the refs are pulling against so good luck to the zebras.
TUDORS TOKENS
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 13:43 — Kamano1955I've had to endure this guys bias reporting for years now. I don't mind so much that he refuses to give Carolina a fair and balanced report as I just dislike his style. Petty and vindictive. A small time reporter from a small time paper. I think he either takes a liking to a coach and program or he doesn't and that is what drives every thing he writes. Completely unprofessional and unfortunately exactly what we see coming out of the liberal media as a whole!
Kamano1955, you had me going
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 16:21 — msshainKamano1955, you had me going with you a bit until you threw in the liberal media angle ... say what? you dittoheads need to beck off the O'Reilly juice, Limbaugh sauce, Fox News feeding fenzy, whatever it is. We are talking sports here, Bud; getting a bit tired of not being able to read any blog without a liberal as the source of all evil zombie brainwashed diatribe being inserted. Really don't care about your politics in the sports section Dude. Now if you are a Duke fan, let's rumble!!
POT CALLS THE KETTLE BLACK
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 19:59 — Kamano1955WOW........talking about a diatribe! Can't fight the facts, Jack!
Not all sports fans are
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 22:46 — unc098Not all sports fans are LIBERALS or CONSERVATIVES..... I understand the frustration of posters who actually use sports and the subsequent blogging as an entertaining escape from our non-stop 24/7 neo civil war. Are we all drinking the kool aide of whatever "team" we have joined??? this is the one arena where we can enjoy talking about our favorite teams and have good natured smack talk with our brethren of different fan bases. I called Pammy1 down during the past election for just such a comment and we are both ardent Tar Heel fans so I can't be to high and mighty.
Just an observation.
INDEPENDENT FAN
Tue, 02/08/2011 - 11:04 — Kamano1955I'm not an R or a D......I simply made an observation of fact about how news and media are reported these days. The wacko here is the guy that lost his cool and went off on a smug, superior and quiet ignorant diatribe!
No slam on you bud. Just a
Tue, 02/08/2011 - 11:20 — unc098No slam on you bud. Just a general comment. The media is biased in the direction of profit. Which ever way the wind blows that can sell some ads. I am always amused when I listen to both Lib and Con talk shows ( which I don't do frequently ) at how similar they are. And they are always selling Gold and preaching to the choir. Mostly entertainment really. Not a lot of substance.
TUDOR'S Musings
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 12:50 — tarheelyankTudor has never gotten over his ECU-ABC mentatlity. From the days when he was at the Times covering his alma-mater in Greenville and disliking the Heels because they beat them all the time and really did not want to play them. He loves Coach K and loves to hate UNC and well he should.They both give him and his partners at the N&O something of national attention to put his by-line with.He certainly is not going to get a lot to write about out of Raleigh wiith those two losers in the RBC center.
Two losers in the RBC
Tue, 02/08/2011 - 13:12 — richardfocTwo losers in the RBC Center? Please elaborate.
Just a guess
Tue, 02/08/2011 - 14:06 — SurferI have no idea for certain who Tarheelyank is referring to, but if I had to guess, I would say Sid and TOB. Maybe he ment to say RBC and Murphy Center?
the writings
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 16:42 — heelsno1by CT are a joke, only not funny.
Carlton -- typically Wrong
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 11:48 — chuckde424Carlton,
When I read this piece, I thought to my self "wonder when Carlton attended Duke" and, I mean, what can you expect from the Raleigh paper's sports commentator. However, then I remembered your last few articles about UNC Basketball. You have continually be a harbinger of doom for the Tar Heels. You predicted this four game stretch would be difficult for the Heels . . . so far the first 3 games have been 20+ point victories. Now you pick Duke to beat the Heels. Who knows, maybe you'll be right this time, but my bet is that the Heels will continue to surprise you. Why don't you try to surpirse us someday and actually try to be objective. I'd be shocked.
I think you meant...
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 11:08 — shadleKendall Marshall, not Kyle Marshall.
And, if he gets in foul trouble early then I think the Devils have an excellent opportunity to go up big. Despite Drew II's weaknesses, he was a body to put on the court as a passable PG. Now that he's gone, the bench looks at lot thinner in the backcourt.
Drew II
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 11:33 — melvinfurdOne of Drew's many weaknesses was - when things get tough, quit.
Drew who?
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 16:24 — msshainDrew who?