***DUKE VS NORTH CAROLINA OFFICIAL GAMEDAY THREAD***

[krzyzewskiville]

It's here. I can't wait.

Always the biggest game of the year - arguably the best rivalry in all of sports. What a great night at Cameron it will be!

Duke is favored by -8.5 right now...That seems about right.

Game is slated for a 9pm est. tipoff and will air on ESPNHD.

Duke 83

UNC 70

GO DUKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DiehardDukeFan4Life]

I'm so ready for this game. It's one of the two biggest and best games of the season each year.

Duke 84
UNC 72

 

[OldasdirtDevil]

No sporting event brings out my passion like Duke vs UNC. The Tar Heels are always ready for this game, but if that wasn't enough they were embarrassed in their last outing. It's going to be a tough game imo. I hope we smoke 'em, but I'll take the W by whatever score.

Duke 79
UNC 74

OFC

 

[dbav]

GIVE 'EM HELL DUKE!

 

[Yasuo3750]

82-50

 

[Crank_it_loud]

Going with 82-50 as well.

Kennedy Meeks scores all 50 for UNC while Okafor scores 0.

 

[Heyman25]

I have a simple formula for this game. The number 82 is one of my favorite in Duke basketball history, currently Duke is ranked #4 and UNC is ranked #15, thus you take the difference in rankings.

Duke 82
UNC 71

OFC

 

[Willcampbell]

Duke 71
UNC 67
OFC

 

[HonkeyT]

I think we are the best team in the country. I know we took a couple of knocks after the holiday break but we have found ourselves again and I think we blow these Chodes out.

92-64 Duke

 

[Swim_Bike_Run]

We have to minimize their offensive boards. The get 44% of the shots they take back from hitting the glass.

Storyline:

Crazies are back in full effect, Tyus continues to play great in big games, their need to double Jahlil creates open looks from 3 and Cook has a big game and wears the gas face all night. Jones & Winslow have good nights too.

Duke: 80
Holes: 70

 

[Laettner]

Heels come out smoking but cool off in 2nd half;

Duke - 78
UNC - 71

 

[sheyduke]

Another good game and a win for Duke!

Duke -80
UNC -69

 

[GTHC_ GTH!]

The Game. Can't wait. I expect one of 2 outcomes. The first is Carolina plays well early and the game is close at half. Maybe a 5 point lead either way. Then in the second half, Duke plays well and starts to pull away as the better team and at home. Duke wins by about 11 or so.

Second, Duke plays like the best team in the country (which I think they are. Kentucky is there too) and it turns into the Notre Dame game, the 82-50 game. If so, Duke wins by 20 plus.

Since I hate Carolina, I am going with option 2. GTHC, GTH!!

Duke 87
UNC 65

 

[BluePhil]

True Blue wins the day

Baby Blue rues the day

 

[spike05rk]

Duke 78
real bad guys 68

 

[HeLooks2MuchLikeDave]

I see a win. Alot of energy tonight. We might come out a little too amped up and miss some shots, but we will make up for it on the defensive end early on. The game will eventually get away from UNC and the game will be out of reach in the 2nd half.

Duke: 83
UNC: 68

Paige scores 12 of his 14 points in garbage time

 

[HuffyJB]

^ I was about to post the same thing about Paige. He'll get 16, and 12 will come in the last three minutes when the game is decided.

 

[dbav]

Originally posted by Heyman25:
I have a simple formula for this game. The number 82 is one of my favorite in Duke basketball history, currently Duke is ranked #4 and UNC is ranked #15, thus you take the difference in rankings.

Duke 82
UNC 71

OFC

Haha, very scientific Heyman. Color me impressed.

 

[dukiejay]

I think it's going to be a very good game.

Duke 82
UNC 75

 

[Neners]

One of my best friends just surprised me with tickets to the game! This has literally been the best morning ever! PS The last game I went to, Duke won by 32. Just sayin'.

 

[Mpm277]

Can't wait for tonight... The crazies better freaking bring it!

 

[DukeDenver]

Duke 92
UNC 87

Entertainment.

Tyus and Paige duel it out.

 

[Mpm277]

Originally posted by Neners:
One of my best friends just surprised me with tickets to the game! This has literally been the best morning ever! PS The last game I went to, Duke won by 32. Just sayin'.

TIL I need new friends.

 

[Skeelow22]

DUKE 85

Unc 68

 

[skysdad]

I hope it isn't close but I'm going with

Duke 83
UNC 77 OFC

 

[Showenuff]

I know it's the Rivalry. I know all to well you just can never tell how this one goes. But looking at how we are playing and how they are playing, if we don't win this game I'll be surprised. If the pattern holds true, it sure seems like our Freshmen ALWAYS step it up huge in big games. Well kids, this is big. GET SOME !

 

[timo0402]

Trying to work today, not easy. LOVE these games and i'm pumped for tonight. LET"S GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JCColsCane]

I sure hope that those of you picking a big spread are right, but I will take a 1 point win if we can get it. Carolina needs this game in the worst way, and I think they will show it the whole game.
It may take some time for us to match their intensity, but I think we will. I believe Paige will have a big game and his team will feed off him. Duke wins, but I believe it will be tougher than most think.
Go Duke!!!


JC-OFC

 

[aah555]

If this were not the Duke-UNC rivalry, I'd say Duke easily based on what we've seen from both teams of late.

But, I bet we see a very different UNC team than has shown up for most of this season. I think we'll ultimately win b/c we're a little better IMO and playing at home, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if UNC grabs a lead early and keeps this close most of the way (if not the entire way). The talent gap between Duke-UNC is not as great as the performance gap -- and, my guess is that UNC will play to its maximum potential tonight.

 

[Heyman25]

Coach 1K has to have his boys ready for this game, and if not, he has failed them. Big game for UNC sure, but in my mind even bigger for Duke. OFC

 

[aah555]

Originally posted by Heyman25:
Coach 1K has to have his boys ready for this game, and if not, he has failed them. Big game for UNC sure, but in my mind even bigger for Duke. OFC

I've seen plenty of Duke-UNC games where the home team comes out tight / over-anxious b/c of all the build-up / pressure -- especially when you consider that arguably 3 of our 4 most important players on the team have never played in this game before. It will be interesting to see how they handle the start of the game.

In this rivalry, it often seems the road team provides a more focused effort -- while the home team often has a hard time channeling the energy in a positive way (particularly early in the contests).

I don't know the precise numbers, but I wouldn't be surprised if the road team has been ahead at half in over 50% of the duke-unc contests over the past 5 or so years.

 

[BOOGIEMAN1914]

Lets...Go....Duke!!!!!

 

[timo0402]

aahh that would be a great stat to look up. One thing i have certainly noticed that (other than 2010) we've gotten behind at CIS against them early and have come back each time. I'm hoping, like the ND game, we come out and just punch them in the mouth and take away any hope they have of winning.

If we can do that, it'll be a fun night, if not, it'll be a typical rivalry game, back and forth, edge of your seat.

 

[bleediteveryday30]

Nerves are a mess already. I don't know how I will make it through the day waiting for this game. I have to work until 8:30. So I will be rushing to get home and into my Duke garb. Now, I think this is going to be a tough game. Carolina needs to win this game in order to jump start their season again. Things have really fallen off for them lately. So, I think they will come out hitting on all cylinders. I believe we could be a little tight early and things could be tough for a little while. I could see us hitting our stride just before and after half-time. Coach 1K will have our boys prepared. These kids want it, and I think they will show that tonight no matter the end result. We are at home, we are Duke, and we have the best kids in the country. So, I think we win. LET'S GO DUKE!!!!!

DUKE 82

HOLES 78

 

[AlanInNJ]

I'm looking for our upperclassmen to take the lead tonight. Okafor, Winslow and Jones come out tight, but Amile keeps us in the game on the glass, and Cook hits a few threes in the first half. I expect a tight game in the first half. But after a spirited halftime talk by Coach K and leadership by our upperclassmen our young guys come out to play and fuel a 20 to 4 run to open the second half and blow the game open. NC closes the gap a little at the end, but Duke cruises to a double digit win.

Duke 81
UNC 68

Go Duke!

Alan

 

[Showenuff]

Tyus? Tight? In a big game? NAH ! I look for Cook to smoke their ass with the 3 ball tonight. I also look for some serious foul trouble coming baby blue bigs way trying to compete with JahZilla.

 

[The Right Blue]

Originally posted by Showenuff:
Tyus? Tight? In a big game? NAH ! I look for Cook to smoke their ass with the 3 ball tonight. I also look for some serious foul trouble coming baby blue bigs way trying to compete with JahZilla.

They had a clip of a Quinn Cook interview and he sounds sick as a dog. Hope that doesn't affect him tonight.

 

[FearTheBeard]

Duke 82
UNC 77

UNC players attending class this week 0

Somehow a freshman Okafor has a better game than sophomore Meeks. I know, I know. The idea sounds preposterous, but there's a chance it could happen.

 

[HeLooks2MuchLikeDave]

Big Game Jones don't get tight. In Tyus we Trust.

 

[FearTheBeard]

UNC-Duke game days are the two slooooowest days of the year. It's like being a kid on Christmas Eve night. You want to go to bed at 5pm so the morning seems to come faster.