Tag: UNC vs. Duke

The Athletic unanimously picks Duke to beat UNC in Final Four

The Athletic released their predictions for Saturday’s game and they all picked Duke to beat the UNC basketball program.

The UNC basketball program has come a long way in the first year under head coach [autotag]Hubert Davis[/autotag]. After suffering some blowout losses to Kentucky, Purdue, Tennessee, Wake Forest, and Miami, the Tar Heels were on the bubble and their NCAA Tournament hopes hung in the balance.

But the Tar Heels turned it around with a winning streak and then an upset of Duke in the season finale. They continued that momentum into the NCAA Tournament where they have won four straight and punched a ticket to the Final Four.

However, at least one publication’s predictions were a clean sweep for predictions. The Athletic released their preview as well as predictions for Saturday’s showdown and not a single one of the 11 analysts picked the Tar Heels to upset Duke. Instead, they rolled with Coach K and the Blue Devils.

Here’s how I look at it.

There’s A LOT of hype in this game for the Final Four and rightfully so, because it is the first time they have met in the NCAA Tournament. It’s also Coach K’s swan song and he gets another shot at the Tar Heels after being embarrassed at home back in March.

With that…. the pressure is on Duke. And it’s not even close. Duke has the most to lose here compared to the gain that both teams have. With most of the analysts predicting Duke to win, I think UNC would prefer to fly under the radar.

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Eric Church cancels concert to attend UNC-Duke Final Four showdown

UNC Basketball superfan Eric Church canceled a show to attend Saturday’s FInal Four game between the Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils.

Eric Church fans in Texas will have to wait a little longer to see the country music star in concert.

The North Carolina native has postponed a stop on his “Gather Again” tour on Saturday as he was slated to play at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. But being a diehard UNC basketball fan, Church can’t miss this opportunity to watch them take on their arch-rival in the Final Four.

Church released this statement on the decision:

“As a lifelong Carolina basketball fan, I’ve watched Carolina and Duke battle over the years but to have them matchup in the Final Four for the first time in history of the NCAA Tournament is any sports enthusiast’s dream,” Church wrote, according to multiple reports. He continued: “… it’s that same type of passion felt by the people who fill the seats at our concerts that makes us want to be part of a crowd at a game of this significance.”

While Church will be in attendance for the first-ever NCAA Tournament matchup between the two programs, his fans aren’t happy. They took to his Facebook page to express their frustrations about the canceled event.

But missing an event like this would be too much to pass up for the die-hard fan.

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Former Duke standout JJ Redick calls out UNC fans for ‘inferiority complex’

Former Duke Blue Devils great JJ Redick says that UNC basketball fans are suffering from an ‘inferiority complex’

It’s not a secret that the UNC-Duke rivalry is among the most popular and most heated in all of sports. North Carolina flat out doesn’t like Duke, and Duke doesn’t like North Carolina.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

The rivalry has gone on for decades with the two teams combining for 11 national championships and 38 Final Fours as dozens of legendary players have played in the rivalry. By the way, UNC leads in national championships and Final Fours plus all-time wins in the rivalry in case you needed a reminder.

But Saturday’s game will be the biggest in the rivalry’s history but a mile with everything on the line.

Going into Saturday’s Final Four game, former Duke standout JJ Redick spoke on the rivalry during an appearance on ESPN’s ‘First Take’ and had an interesting quote about UNC fans in general, saying they have an “inferiority complex” when it comes to Duke. No, seriously. Here’s what he said via 247Sports:

“And Marcus (Spears), you bring up the word ‘hate,’ the hatred between Auburn and Alabama fans. And my comment to that is I’ve always felt that Carolina fans hate Duke fans way more than Duke fans hate Carolina fans. And the reason is that people that go to Carolina — and there’s a lot of people in North Carolina that are UNC fans that didn’t go to Carolina — but people in North Carolina and UNC fans all over the country, the have an inferiority complex. They have an inferiority complex, and that’s just part of the rivalry.”

You can talk to both sides of the rivalry and I really don’t think anyone believes this at all. These are two legendary programs in a storied rivalry, so I understand why Redick might throw some more fuel on the fire.

Or maybe he’s upset UNC spoiled his senior night….

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