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The Chronicle
WEDNESDAY February 11, 2009
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No. 6 DUKE
vs.
No. 3 UNC
CAMERON • WEDNESDAY • 9 p.m. • ESPN/RAYCOM
Seniors’ RIVALS BATTLE FOR ACC LEAD last shot at home win by Stephen Allan The chronicle
I
’ve only taken one walk of shame in my entire Duke career. And let me tell you, it wasn’t pretty. I had been waiting more than two months for this particular Saturday night rendezvous. March 4, 2006—a date I’ll never forget. I entered Meredith that evening as a wide-eyed freshman, hopeful and excited, only to walk all the way back to East Campus from Cameron Indoor Stadium as a basketball lover scorned. No. 1 Duke 76, No. 13 North Carolina 83. I think my friends and I would have considered ourselves the most devastated people on the planet that night, if we hadn’t just seen J.J. Redick cry at center court. The somber sight of the greatest scorer in ACC history in tears—and its contrast to the pregame image of Lee Melchionni kissing the same spot of Coach K Court in blissful gratitude—has, sadly enough, come to define Duke Basketball over the last three years. What a long and strange walk it has been. There have been a few Melchionni-floorsmooch-type highs, sure. Last season’s win at North Carolina, the Dock Shot and Dave McClure’s buzzer-beater over Clemson in 2007 are the first things that come to mind. But there also have been some J.J.-waterworks-type-lows, like the finishes to both of the past two NCAA Tournaments. These contrasting stories—of great success, untimely collapses and poignant characters—are what make tonight’s game so compelling, beyond the fact that it’s Duke against North Carolina. And these same stories are also why starting Greg Paulus tonight seems so right. As a senior, Paulus has been through it all. Walking into the starting point guard job on a top-ranked team in 2006, guiding a rebuilding squad that caught national flak in 2007 and facing what I only can imagine to be brutal emotions associated with recovering from injury and losing that starting honor. In the evolving narrative that is Duke Basketball, Paulus’ career seems to reflect
Shiner
See shiner on page 15
bythenumbers 92.3
The average amount of points the Tar Heels score, 10 points more than any other team in the league
61
Duke is about to face the biggest battle of styles it has encountered this season. One team in one shade of blue will run a high-octane, run-and-gun offense against another team in another shade of blue favoring a stifling man-to-man defense. But for everything that No. 6 Duke and No. 3 North Carolina represent this season, the Blue Devils’ offense could play a major role in determining the outcome of the most renowned rivalry in college basketball Wednesday in Cameron Indoor Stadium at 9 p.m. Based on three of Duke’s past four halves, however, that may not be the best news for head coach Mike Krzyzewski. “Right now, the offensive identity is how many shots can we miss and still win a game—it’s a tremendous offensive philosophy,” Krzyzewski said with a smirk. “We’re trying to incorporate more people and not just the 3-point shot.” The cog that has made the Blue Devils (20-3, 7-2 in the ACC) roll so far has been their defense, which is holding opponents to just 61 points per game, the best in the ACC. Contrast that to the Tar Heels (21-2, 7-2), who average 92.3 points per game, more than 10 points better than the next conference foe, and it would seem that whichever team exerts its will would win. Last year’s games, though, suggested that one style took over the game for both teams—and ironically, each team won using the other’s identity. It was Duke which outshot North Carolina in the first game in Chapel Hill for an 89-78 victory, and then the Tar Heels did not let the Blue Devils score over the final 5:42 to win 7668 in Cameron a month later. As such, a strong collective offensive effort could wind up being necessary if the tempo goes in North Carolina’s favor. Gerald Henderson, who has been one of the few consistent offensive threats, averaging 15.2 points a game, said it was important to avoid having one player try to carry the offensive load. “That’s not when we’re at our best,” Henderson said. “We’re at our best when we’re making connecting plays, guys are finding each other and you don’t know who just scored.” Duke’s 78-75 overtime win over Miami Saturday illustrated just how extreme its offense can be. At halftime, the Blue Devils had a woeful 19 points—tied for a season-low—on just 7-
The average amount of points Duke allows per game, better than any team in the ACC. UNC ranks 12th
40
The number of times Duke and North Carolina have met when both teams are ranked in the top 10
chronicle file photo
The No. 3 Tar Heels shoot for their fourth straight road win over the No. 6 Blue Devils Wednesday at 9 p.m. of-31 shooting. In the second half and overtime, though, Duke exploded for 59 points while converting 16-of-38 shots. One major switch that could boost the offensive potency is Krzyzewski’s decision to insert senior point guard Greg Paulus back into the starting lineup ahead of Nolan Smith. Although not as quick or stout on the defensive side of the ball as Smith, Paulus provides nearly unlimited range from beyond the arc and, most important, a huge boost of leadership that the team desperately needs, Krzyzewski said. In 11 conference games, Smith has just seven assists and only played seven minutes against Miami. “It’s almost like, all of a sudden, you’re into intense conference play, we’re not functioning as well offensively and there’s even more pressure on [Smith],” Krzyzewski said. “[Coming off the bench] is a good thing for Nolan. Nolan is very much a developing player.”
32-33
Head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s record against North Carolina at Duke. He is 14-12 in Cameron
10.5
Driving distance, in miles, from Cameron Indoor Stadium to the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill
Paulus will have his hands full on defense in containing the Tar Heels’ Ty Lawson, arguably the fastest player in college basketball. Not starting Smith to defend him, though, may not matter as much since Krzyzewski said no one player can defend the speedy guard one-on one, especially on the fast break. As last year showed, though, it is not an impossible task—in fact, the game in which Lawson played was the one when the Tar Heels won with defense. And with a Blue Devil squad that North Carolina head coach Roy Williams calls the best he’s seen since his arrival to Chapel Hill, Duke has newfound reason to hope to defend its home court against its rival for the first time since 2005. “It takes 40 minutes to beat us here, especially at home with our crowd,” said junior Jon Scheyer, who has lost to North Carolina at home twice. “Hopefully, third time’s the charm.”
1
The Blue Devils’ ranking, according to statistical guru Ken Pomeroy. The Tar Heels are No. 3
0
The number of times Duke’s seniors have beaten North Carolina at home. Tyler Hansbrough owns three wins
the chronicle
12 | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2009
THE GAMECHANGERS W
High school teammates Wayne Ellington have emerg month—and could determine
by Madeline Perez
F
The chronicle
or much of the year, Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson were all anyone would talk about. But when the season began to wear on North Carolina’s floor leaders, Wayne Ellington stepped up. In moments when Hansbrough and Lawson struggled offensively, Ellington proved to be clutch when it counted. And while the Blue Devils will already have their hands full containing Hansbrough and Lawson, Ellington just might be the game-changer they need to watch. For the past two seasons, the junior guard has largely played second fiddle to his teammates. Despite a few breakout games, including a career-high 36 points against Clemson last year, Ellington has been somewhat inconsistent. He has only showed brief glimpses of the explosive player he had the potential to become. But in the past few weeks, Ellington has established himself as one of the strongest offensive presences in the ACC, averaging 15 points while shooting nearly 41 percent from beyond the arc. “I just kind of got in a groove,” Ellington said. “Once I saw a couple go in, I felt like I was good from there. As I started going, I felt like I was in the flow of things in games and I wasn’t forcing shots. I was just letting it come to me.” Last week, Ellington exploded for 34 points against Mary-
land, including seven 3-pointers. The Episcopal Academy graduate followed up his dominating performance by dropping 20 points, six assists and six rebounds Saturday against Virginia. Ellington may have Miami to thank for helping him discover his shot. Early in conference play, the junior struggled finding an offensive rhythm. But he couldn’t miss against the Hurricanes, hitting seven 3-pointers in a stretch under 10 minutes. Ellington’s recent emergence as a go-to scorer for the Tar Heels is eerily reminiscent of his high school teammate and Tobacco Road foe, Gerald Henderson. Both Ellington and Henderson have broken out and are well on their way to career seasons. Despite the rivalry, the two regularly keep in touch, offering support and keeping up with each other’s performances. “Early in the season we were both struggling a little bit, and we always kept in touch and gave each other little confidence boosters,” Ellington said. “We’re both aware of how each other is playing and kind of feed off of it.” But the two also offer each other criticism. “We haven’t talked much this year, but I’m sure we’ll talk a little trash,” Ellington said. “I’m more focused on going over there and getting a win than talking trash to him right now. He can’t really say much to me. I’m 3-1 against him.” Like every player on North Carolina’s roster, Ellington is undefeated in Cameron Indoor Stadium. And although he respects the rivalry, he already knows what it takes to walk away with a win. “It’s Duke,” he said. “Anytime you’re playing Duke, you’re motivated and excited for the game. It’s one of the biggest rivalries in college basketball. “We go over there with a chip on our shoulders.”
ellingtonbythenumbers
15
Average number of points per game, ranking behind Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson
50.0
Field goal shooting percentage in league play, second-best on his team and fifthhighest in the ACC
34
Points he scored Feb. 3 against Maryland, including 21 points from making 7-of-9 3-pointers
44.3
3-point shooting percentage in ACC games this season, third-best in the conference
19.3
Average number of points per game in ACC play, ranking seventh-highest in the conference
31
Total points in four games against Duke, 16 of which came in his last contest in Cameron
the chronicle
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2009 | 13
WITH BROTHERLY LOVE
s Gerald Henderson and ged as elite players in the last the outcome of tonight’s game
G
by Joe Drews The chronicle
reg Paulus’ former days as a star prep quarterback have been well-documented. So have the past gridiron successes of forward Kyle Singler and former captain DeMarcus Nelson.
But Duke fans may not know that at least one Blue Devil used to excel in a sport that is about as different from basketball as possible: golf. “I was pretty good,” said forward Gerald Henderson, who was a scratch golfer at his peak. “My long irons were pretty good... but my short game was just OK. My three-footers—I used to choke. It was bad.” Fortunately for Duke, Henderson chose to keep playing the sport in which his athleticism prevents any such struggles from within three feet. His play around the rim—from thundering alley-oops to tip-ins where he seems to hover just longer than physically possible— has highlighted a two-month surge in which he has been the Blue Devils’ best player. Since Duke’s loss to Michigan Dec. 6, Henderson has averaged 17.8 points per game on 53.8 percent shooting, including 43.5 percent from beyond the arc. Starting with Duke’s 6658 win at Florida State Jan. 10, in which he was the Blue Devils’ sole source of offense in the first half, Henderson has scored 19.8 points per game and asserted himself as one of the top players in the ACC. “The last month or two months, whatever it’s been, he’s obviously elevated his game,” junior guard Jon Scheyer said. “He’s a mismatch. No one can match up with him in the country.” And while Henderson’s maturation into a star is just now gaining national attention, it has been coming for a long time. He struggled with what was then thought to be an asthmarelated problem two years ago, averaging just 19 minutes per game. He showed flashes of breaking out last season before fracturing a bone in his wrist against North Carolina,
starting a decline in his production and a corresponding season-ending slump for Duke. Now that he’s healthy, he’s finally turning into the player many believed he would become. “He’s not surprised me because I thought that would come at the end of last year,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “I’ve always believed that Gerald would be a very special player, there’s no question about it.” Henderson’s increased aggressiveness has been evident. Since he started his tear after the defeat at Michigan, Henderson has attempted double-digit field goals in every game but one. “That’s something that I’ve emphasized,” Henderson said. “I can contribute more on offense and get myself more opportunities to score the basketball. Earlier in the season, I wasn’t giving myself the best opportunities to score. I think that was a big thing.” But Henderson has not gone into games looking to take them over by himself, he said. It just ends up happening. Lately, it’s been happening a lot. “There’s different times when guys get in a groove, where I’m hitting a shot or I’ve scored a few times in a row, but that’s something that just happens in the flow of what we’re doing,” Henderson said. And while Wednesday’s game has obvious on-court implications, it will also feature a battle between former Episcopal Academy stars Henderson and Wayne Ellington. But the Tobacco Road rivalry hasn’t divided the friends. “I texted him after his game the other day,” Henderson said. “He’s starting to play really well.” To say the least, so is his former high school teammate.
hendersonbythenumbers
CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO
15.2
40.8
18.9
Average number of points per game, making him the second-highest scorer behind Kyle Singler
3-point shooting percentage this season, the highest on the Blue Devils
Average number of points per game in ACC play, ranking eighth-highest in the conference
53.7
13
15
Field goal shooting percentage in league play, the ACC’s highest percentage of any player
Average number of points per game in his career against North Carolina
Consecutive games in which he has scored more than 10 points, including four games with 20 or more
the chronicle
15| WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2009
thebreakdown
SHINER from page 11 the emotions and the progress of the program and its fans. Our freshman year was supposed to be the fairytale one, with J.J. and Shelden Williams taking down the Tar Heels at home en route to the Final Four. And now, in our senior year, we have one last shot at defeating North Carolina in Cameron. Despite three years of heartbreak, we’re putting ourselves out there— Paulus quite literally—one last time. The order, though, seems pretty tall, especially given Duke’s last two performances and UNC’s position as an NCAA title favorite. Then again, the order was taller for the Tar Heels coming into Cameron three years ago, when their four freshmen—Tyler Hansbrough, Bobby Frasor, Danny Green and Marcus Ginyard—outscored Duke’s six seniors 55-51, and Redick made only one of his last 16 shots on the night. The Blue Devils can win this game tonight. They really can. But they’re going to need to shoot lights out from the field. They’re going to need their guards to exploit the Tar Heels’ defensive weakness (hole on perimeter D, thy name is Ty Lawson). And they’re going to need to concede the fact that Hansbrough is going to get his points in the paint and instead focus their energies on stopping UNC’s backcourt production. I don’t think I ever quite understood the Duke-UNC rivalry until now, realizing how desperate some of my classmates, who have tented all four years, are to see a victory. One of my friends even told me the other day that she would rather see a win at home over North Carolina than see Duke go to the Final Four this year. Although I’m not that big of a Crazie, I wouldn’t mind getting a little lucky tonight in Cameron. The walk home is always better that way.
BACKCOURT
GREG PAULUS 6.1 ppg, 1.6 apg
JON SCHEYER 13.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg
Paulus’ performance against Miami earned the senior the starting job at the point, and Scheyer, a Tar Heel killer, led Duke with 22 points Saturday. Still, the Blue Devils will need to work to stay in front of the lightning-quick Lawson for 40 minutes, and Ellington is always a threat from outside. UNC’s backcourt athleticism will be tough to counter. ADVANTAGE: UNC
TY LAWSON 15.3 ppg, 6.6 apg
GERALD HENDERSON 15.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg
KYLE SINGLER 15.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg
He hasn’t been on many National POY lists this year, but Hansbrough will still be the top player on the court and will likely tally double-digit point and rebound totals. Singler’s play has seemed to improve with Henderson sharing some of the primary scoring load, but he and Lance Thomas will have their hands full in the paint against Hansbrough and Deon Thompson. ADVANTAGE: UNC
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UNC has lost four players to injuries or suspension this season. Meanwhile, Dave McClure has been an indispensable reserve, and Nolan Smith’s speed will be crucial in slowing Lawson. ADVANTAGE: DUKE
THE SKINNY
WAYNE ELLINGTON 15.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg
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BENCH
DANNY GREEN 13.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg
TYLER HANSBROUGH 22.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg
Stumbling through its past four games with a 2-2 record, Duke will need a superstar performance from Henderson to have a chance to win. Hansbrough will obviously be difficult to stop inside, but the key edge that the Tar Heels hold over the Blue Devils is the speed and scoring prowess of Lawson and Ellington. Look for Duke to keep it close but UNC to pull away late, taking their fourth straight at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
UNC, 81-75 —by Will Flaherty