Duke @ North Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 15, 2019 ) Duke 74, North Carolina 73

Seventh-ranked Duke won’t be facing a vintage North Carolina team when it visits the Dean Smith Center on Saturday night for an ACC contest, but the Blue Devils will be primed for an emotional battle when the teams celebrate 100 years of a rivalry that ranks among the best in the country. Duke has won four straight contests while the Tar Heels continue to struggle, including losses in six of 11 games at home this season.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski told reporters his team was looking ahead to the game against North Carolina in their previous contest against Boston College as the Blue Devils shot 37.7 percent from the field and needed to rally for a 63-55 victory Tuesday. “We didn’t have the right mindset before the game,” Duke sophomore point guard Tre Jones told the media. “We were focused on the game, but we weren’t hungry like we should be.” The teams will wear special commemorative jerseys for the matchup and the Tar Heels hope to draw out their best for the rivalry game after losing 11 of their last 15 overall, including the last two despite the return of talented freshman guard Cole Anthony from a knee injury. “Didn’t make shots, didn’t make free throws,” North Carolina coach Roy Williams told reporters after Monday’s 65-59 loss at Florida State. “I don’t think about optimism, pessimism. We got to get to practice, try to work and see if we can get better.”

TIME: 6 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN

ABOUT DUKE (19-3, 9-2 ACC): Freshman center Vernon Carey Jr. recorded his third straight double-double and 11th overall with 17 points and 10 boards against BC to leave his team-leading numbers at 17.8 and 9.0, respectively. Jones continues to enjoy a solid second collegiate season, averaging 16.3 points over the last four games to boost his season mark to 15.7 to go along with 6.7 assists - most in the ACC. Freshman guard Cassius Stanley is contributing 12.0 points per game on 50.3 percent shooting from the field while 6-9 freshman forward Matthew Hurt adds 10.9 points, but had just two versus Boston College.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (10-12, 3-8): Anthony is averaging 21 points, but connected on just 10-of-36 combined from the field in his first two games back after missing the previous 11 and has led the way with 19.5 per game with 3.5 assists overall. Junior forward Garrison Brooks (14.9 points, team-high 9.0 rebounds) struggled the past two games with 15 total points on 7-for-23 shooting while forward Armando Bacot (10.5, 8.1) has nine double-doubles, tied for second among Tar Heels freshmen all time. Senior guard Brandon Robinson (13.1 points) missed the Florida State game and is expected to be out 2-to-4 weeks with an ankle sprain.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The rivals have split the last 100 meetings with each team compiling a total of 7,746 points in the process.

2. North Carolina senior G Christian Keeling, a transfer from Charleston Southern, scored a season-best 14 versus Florida State.

3. The Tar Heels won the first-ever meeting between the teams 36-25 on Jan. 24, 1920 at Duke and leads overall 139-112.

PREDICTION: Duke 82, North Carolina 72