Tag: UNC vs. Duke

What Hubert Davis said after North Carolina’s win over Duke

Here is what UNC Basketball head coach Hubert Davis said after the Tar Heels beat Duke on Saturday night.

The North Carolina Tar Heels got back on track Saturday night, beating Duke to extend their lead in the Atlantic Coast Conference. After a loss to Georgia Tech on Tuesday, the Tar Heels earned a big win over their rival.

After a back-and-forth start from both teams, UNC grabbed a 10-point lead at halftime. From there, the Tar Heels never really looked back. They had control of the game, playing to their tempo.

UNC fought off a few late pushes from the Blue Devils, but it never felt like the game was out of control. Armando Bacot finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds, and transfer Harrison Ingram added 21 points to pace the Tar Heels.

Duke didn’t have an answer for either Bacot or Ingram as UNC bullied it in the paint on Saturday night. Following the impressive win, head coach Hubert Davis met the media to talk about his team’s effort in the win.

Here is what Davis said following the game to the media:

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

WATCH: Recruiting target shares UNC locker room celebration after beating Duke

Five-star recruiting target Caleb Wilson shared video of the UNC basketball program’s celebration after the big win over Duke.

The North Carolina Tar Heels ended a two-game losing streak to rival Duke on Saturday, winning the first of two regular-season matchups for 2024.

North Carolina started fast, grabbing a 10-point lead at halftime. In the second half, the Tar Heels held off a few Duke pushes and hit big shots to win. They did so with a few big recruiting targets watching.

Five-star recruits Jasper Johnson and Caleb Wilson were on official visits to North Carolina for the game, taking in the program and the big game. After the game, Wilson shared an awesome video of the team celebrating in the locker room with Hubert Davis coming in. Check it out:

Wilson will wrap up his visit tomorrow and has already taken visits elsewhere in his recruitment. The Atlanta, Georgia, native is one of the top players in the 2025 class, ranking No. 6 overall in the 247Sports recruiting rankings. 

He’s become a top priority for the Tar Heels in that 2025 class and I’m guessing being in an environment like this didn’t hurt their case.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

UNC students, fans rush Franklin Street after Tar Heels dominate Duke

Rushing Franklin Street has become a tradition after UNC basketball victories. It happened again on Saturday night after the Duke game.

As soon as the final buzzer sounded in the Dean Dome on Saturday night, pandemonium ensued.

UNC largely dominated Duke from opening tip in a 93-84 victory, extending its lead in the ACC to two games. Armando Bacot had a career game, tying his season high with 25 points while grabbing 10 rebounds, plus Harrison Ingram pulled in a double-double himself of 21 points and 13 rebounds.

North Carolina took care of the ball and took advantage of sloppy ball-handling from the Blue Devils, building an 8-point halftime leading by scoring 10 points off turnovers. The Tar Heel defense frustrated Duke big man Kyle Filipowski and prevented the Blue Devils from ever getting into rhythm.

That pandemonium we referred to earlier?

Tar Heel fans rushing Franklin Street.

Rushing Franklin Street is an annual tradition when UNC beats Duke. It’s become heightened in recent years – see the Final Four win and Coach K’s final game in Cameron Indoor for examples. With the Dean Dome being within walking distance from downtown Chapel Hill, rushing Franklin Street is the perfect postgame tradition.

North Carolina and Duke match up again on Saturday, March 9. Will there be another dash to the pavement then?

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Armando Bacot bullies Blue Devils in the paint, Tar Heels dominate in first Tobacco Road matchup

UNC center Armando Bacot had been struggling the past couple games. He enjoyed a double-double in leading UNC to a huge win over Duke.

Before the UNC-Duke men’s basketball game even tipped off, Armando Bacot talked about how emotional Saturday was going to be.

Bacot, who is amongst the best big men in Tar Heels history, was going to be playing in his last UNC-Duke game at home.

Boy, did Bacot ever show out against North Carolina’s biggest rival.

After going three games without double-digit point or rebounds totals, Bacot recorded a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double in leading UNC to a 93-84 win.

With the victory, North Carolina (18-4, 10-1) extend its first-place lead in the ACC to two games.

Duke (16-5, 7-3) big man Kyle Filipowski had a respectable game, scoring 19 points and grabbing five rebounds, but Bacot clearly won this battle. Bacot backed down Filipowski with relative ease, whether spinning around him or backing him down.

You could see Filipowski’s obvious frustration, as evidenced by him nearly clotheslining RJ Davis in the second half.

It wasn’t just Bacot giving the Blue Devils issues – how about Stanford transfer Harrison Ingram? He was seemingly automatic from downtown, making a game leading five 3-pointers, while scoring 21 points and pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds.

UNC and Duke shot fairly similar percentages from the field, but it was ball movement and ball security that ultimately made the difference. North Carolina build an 8-point halftime lead thanks to 10 points off turnovers – while the Blue Devils had none, plus UNC dished out 17 assists to Duke’s seven.

In need of another signature win after Tuesday’s disappointing loss at Georgia Tech, the Tar Heels came through against their archrivals.

Franklin Street is going to be crowded tonight.

Player of the Game

Harrison Ingram might’ve continued his hot tear, but Player of the Game goes to Bacot.

He was a machine down low, scoring 23 points for a game two points off his season-high. Bacot was a vacuum, also pulling down 10 rebounds.

What’s Next 

North Carolina plays host to a struggling Clemson team on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Tigers (14-7, 4-6) were ranked when the two programs faced off in early January, but their weak non-conference schedule is showing in ACC play.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Armando Bacot reveals what his favorite win over Duke is

UNC basketball standout Armando Bacot revealed what his favorite win over Duke is as the two teams get set to face off again.

Despite a career year from big man Armando Bacot, 2023 wasn’t a great season for the UNC men’s basketball program.

The Tar Heels were tabbed the Preseason Number One team, but made the wrong kind of history by missing the NCAA Tournament. To make matters worse, archrival Duke gained bragging rights in the twice-a-season series with a sweep.

2022 was much better for North Carolina, which made an unexpected run to the NCAA Championship Game against Kansas. For their own bragging rights in the rivalry, the Tar Heels beat Duke in two-of-three matchups – once in Coach K’s final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, then a second time in the storied Final Four clash.

On College GameDay this morning, UNC star big man Armando Bacot was asked about which of those two victories meant more.

Later today will be Armando Bacot’s final time playing Duke in the Dean Dome, as the Tar Heels and Blue Devils are set to tip-off at 6:30 p.m. ET. This game has major implications atop the ACC – UNC gains a 2.5 lead on Duke with a win, while the Blue Devils would move a half-game out of first with their own victory.

It’ll be tough to replicate the satisfaction from those two 2022 victories over Duke, but a Tar Heel win later today would certainly be sweet for Bacot and Co.

[lawrence-related id=22227]

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

ESPN ‘College GameDay’ crew makes picks for UNC-Duke showdown

Here is who the ESPN ‘College GameDay’ analysts picked in the UNC vs. Duke showdown on Saturday afternoon.

North Carolina is getting set to host Duke on Saturday for the first of two matchups this season. The Blue Devils swept the season series a year ago and the new-look Tar Heels are out for some revenge.

Coming off their first loss in Atlantic Coast Conference play on Tuesday at Georgia Tech, the Tar Heels are hoping to avoid having a losing streak. On the other side, Duke is coming in red hot as they have turned things around following a few losses in conference play earlier this season.

With the two teams getting ready for battle, ESPN’s “College GameDay” was on UNC’s campus for the show on Saturday morning. And to close the show, they made their picks for games including this one in the Dean Dome.

While UNC is the favorite, two of the three analysts picked Duke. Seth Greenberg and former Blue Devil Jay Williams both picked Duke.

The lone prediction for UNC? Former Tennessee star Andraya Carter.

Former Blue Devil and current broadcaster Jay Bilas did not make a pick because he will call the game Saturday night.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

UNC vs. Duke: The best signs from College GameDay

UNC and Duke renew their rivalry on Saturday night in Chapel Hill but before tipoff, we look at the best signs from ESPN’s College GameDay.

North Carolina and Duke will add another chapter to their storied rivalry on Saturday night as they clash for the first time in 2024.

With North Carolina sitting atop the Atlantic Coast Conference at 9-1, Duke is 1.5 games behind them and can essentially catch up with a win. A UNC win moves them to 2.5 games ahead of the Blue Devils in early February.

It will be another electric atmosphere in the Dean Dome as the Tar Heels look to snap a two-game losing streak to Duke after the Blue Devils swept the season series a year ago. But before tipoff, ESPN’s College GameDay was in the Dean Dome to preview the game and as always the fans in attendance brought some awesome signs.

Let’s take a look at some of the best signs from ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday that poke fun at the Blue Devils.

Latest USA Today bracketology has UNC clinging on to seed

In order to keep a hold on a top seed in the NCAA Tournament, the UNC men’s basketball team needs to beat Duke on Saturday night.

You know the football motto Any Given Sunday?

In college basketball, that motto translates to Any Given Night. This particularly applies to those unthinkable upsets, both in the regular season and the NCAA Tournament. The most insane one in recent memory occurred in last year’s Round of 64, as 16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson University upset 1-seed Purdue.

Another crazy upset – this season – occurred in Atlanta, Ga. on Tuesday night.

Despite RJ Davis giving UNC a 1-point lead with several seconds remaining, Georgia Tech upset the third-ranked Tar Heels, 74-73, on Naithan George’s own clutch layup.

There’s no doubt North Carolina is going to slip in the rankings a bit, but how much?

The Tar Heels’ loss also puts their chances at a top regional seed in jeopardy, but that is all fixed if they beat Duke on Saturday.

Even thought UNC would still hold first place in the ACC, regardless of the result, the USA Today Bracketology explains why a North Carolina loss could change their NCAA Tournament outlook.

“The loss to the Yellow Jackets was Carolina’s first in more than a month and the team’s first in ACC play. The Tar Heels are 1½ games ahead of the second-place Blue Devils heading into Saturday’s matchup in Chapel Hill.”

It’s hard to believe the Blue Devils would slide into a top seed if they won, but it’s also equally as difficult to believe UNC would hold onto a top seed with a loss.

I think North Carolina comes out with a lot more fire in Saturday’s Tobacco Road rivalry matchup. Knowing head coach Hubert Davis, he had a good, long conversation with his players about what they need to fix.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Could Duke be the opponent Armando Bacot needs for a breakout game?

Saturday is going to hit home for UNC center Armando Bacot, as he’s playing his last UNC vs. Duke home game against old friend Jeremy Roach.

Last year, Armando Bacot was undoubtedly the best player on UNC.

He was a walking double-double, rebounding machine and – despite double-teams every game – able to score at east near the rim.

That’s why this year, compared to his historical standards, Bacot is struggling.

The Tar Heels’ starting center has gone three straight games without scoring – or rebounding – in double-digits. He’s still backing guys down in the paint, but isn’t finishing. Bacot is shooting free throws at a more productive clip, making nearly 78% from the line this year compared to 67% a season ago, but isn’t playing as aggressively.

Good news for Mondo – Duke comes to town on Saturday, Feb. 3.

This matchup works pretty well in Bacot’s favor, as he’s averaging 15.1 points per game on 53.3% shooting, 9.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in nine matchups against the Blue Devils.

With Saturday also being Bacot’s last home game against Duke, let’s hear what he had to say.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C22DW9IsSdB/

“I’ve been on the same team with Jeremy (Roach) since he was in the sixth grade and I was in the seventh grade,” Bacot told InsideCarolina. “We played AAU all the way up. Jeremy’s a great player and I love playing against him, he always has a great game against us so I need him to play bad. Me, RJ and Jeremy, we’ve all got the same manager, so we do a lot of things together. We talk all the time, but we haven’t really talked this month. We all know what’s at stake coming up and we definitely want to take it to them.”

Saturday isn’t just any UNC-Duke game, but also a battle between old friends.

Bacot started his high school career in Virginia – at Trinity Episcopal – before transferring to IMG Academy. Roach played high school basketball in Virginia – for Paul VI Catholic – all four years.

Going back to the numbers, producing less on the stat sheet isn’t a product of poor play from Bacot, but instead due to the availability of more scoring options.

Wheres RJ Davis was the only other consistent scorer on North Carolina last year (Caleb Love was inconsistent), the Tar Heels also have Cormac Ryan, Harrison Ingram, Jae’Lyn Withers, Elliot Cadeau and much-improved sophomores in Seth Trimble and Jalen Washington.

What better time to have a rebound game than against your biggest rival?

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Harrison Ingram to get first on-court taste of Tobacco Road rivalry

Playing in the UNC vs. Duke men’s basketball game is a special treat. Tar Heels forward Harrison Ingram will get to for the first time.

Harrison Ingram has thoroughly exceeded expectations as a member of the UNC men’s basketball team.

Not only has the Stanford transfer added some much-needed scoring to an experienced Tar Heels roster (12.1 points per game), but he’s made things easier on Armando Bacot down low.

Ingram has grabbed at least 13 rebounds in each of UNC’s past four games. He has nine games with double-digit board totals and – in recent weeks – has been North Carolina’s best post player.

As productive as Ingram’s been this year, there’s one thing he hasn’t done – experience the UNC vs. Duke rivalry.

Ingram’s done his homework, though – and has experienced it from a fan perspective.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C22NT7SsuKx/

“I grew up watching basketball, so every Duke-UNC game, I watched that,” Ingram told InsideCarolina.” “But actually, the only visit I took to UNC –in high school – was to the Duke-UNC game. I was at one where Wendell Moore hit a buzzer-beater to win the game, I was here for that one. It went into overtime, then there was the game winner.”

While he saw that buzzer-beater back in 2020, maybe Ingram will send the Tar Heel faithful onto Franklin Street with a buzzer-beater of his own.

A North Carolina victory would give itself plenty of breathing room atop the ACC. If Duke wins, things get a lot more interesting.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.