Rivalry Edition 2024 by Duke Chronicle

the chronicle rivalry issue

february 2, 2024

TIPPING POINT

graphic by dom fenoglio & morgan chu

REVENGE

UNMATCHED

HISTORIC

ENMITY

PRESTIGE

ADRENALINE

LOATHING EPIC

REVENGE

CLASSIC

ICONIC FIERCE

ADRENALINE

WAR

INTENSE

PRESTIGE

INTENSE LOATHING

WAR

EPIC

CLASSIC

SENSATIONAL

ICONIC

LEGENDARY

DUEL

ADRENALINE

EXCELLENCE

DUKE PASSION

HISTORIC WAR

FIGHT LOATHING

ADRENALINE

EPIC

ADRENALINE DEVOTION FIERCE

FUN

EVERYTHING

DEVOTION

SENSATIONAL

ICONIC

UNMATCHED

REGAL EPIC

PASSION LOATHING FUN FIERCE

TRADITION

UNC PRESTIGE

REVENGE

LEGENDARY

REVENGE

CLASSIC ADRENALINE INTENSE

WAR EPIC EXCELLENCE DEVOTION

SENSATIONAL

DELIVERS

PERFORMANCE

ADRENALINE

DELIVERS DEVOTION

EVERYTHING

PASSION

UNRIVALED TRADITION

TRADITION

PERFECT FIGHT REGAL

EXCELLENCE

LOATHING

SENSATIONAL

DUEL PASSION

EVERYTHING

FIERCE SENSATIONAL LEGENDARY INTENSE

CLASSIC

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2 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024

SIDELINE

L E R A P P A

OUTH A D U LT & Y

GIFTS

ADULT & YOUTH

jerseys

HEADWE AR

The Chronicle

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SEASON TWO

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 3

BACK TO BASICS

With new roles and expectations, Duke’s Column: Dukesophomore trio is leading the charge UNC is a battle of

By Sophie Levenson

Sports Features Editor

y Duke standards, Kyle Filipowski, Mark Mitchell and Tyrese Proctor are practically old and gray. For the first time in a long time, Duke is stacked with returning talent. Junior Jaylen Blakes and senior Jeremy Roach provide the team stability while graduate Ryan Young contributes the kind of level-headedness and schematic know-how that only comes after playing six years of college basketball. And Mitchell, Proctor, Filipowski — these sophomores are the heart of the team. Think back to Duke’s Jan. 2 performance against Syracuse. Game five of the Blue Devils’ eight-game win streak saw a team emerging from ashes of doubt and proving itself worthy of the ACC’s highest ranks. That win against the Orange was the first in a four-game series of Duke figuring out how to get past conference foes — including the Georgia Tech squad that had taken the Blue Devils down once before. Head coach Jon Scheyer put much of that game in the hands of Filipowski, Mitchell, Proctor, Roach and Jared McCain. The five of them took care of the ball with a level of comfort on the court that radiated throughout Cameron Indoor Stadium, reminding faithful onlookers that Duke is talented. But for the first time in a while, that talent is not concentrated primarily in a freshman class. That’s not to say the Blue Devils don’t have freshman talent. McCain’s 41.5% 3-point shot is no joke. But how high would that number be without the support of his older teammates? The triumvirate of sophomores has faced challenges this season, but has proved in the early days of ACC play that it is more than capable of taking those challenges head-on. At the helm On Jan. 23 at Louisville, Proctor put up 24 points to define his career-high: He shot 9-for16 from the field, lodging four 3-pointers and sinking two free throws to boot. Stats-wise, 2-for-5 from the stripe wasn’t Proctor’s best work, but his scoring output elsewhere made up for that. Twenty-four points is seven more than the Sydney native ever scored last season. That improvement serves as something of a perfect metaphor for Proctor in the last few months, as the sophomore has increased notably in strength and comfort on the court. His role as starting point guard was essentially sealed Feb. 4, 2023, when he took over for Roach and orchestrated a feisty offense that enabled Duke to secure its first of two wins that season against the Tar Heels. In the near-year since that day, Proctor (who was supposed to be a freshman this year before he reclassed) hasn’t changed as much as he has simply developed. His transition to sophomore year has been evident in the way he carries himself behind the ball and communicates with his teammates. Being a point guard is all about leading the charge, and therefore requires an awareness and understanding that naturally

strengthens with time. In the 2023-24 season thus far, it has been clear that familiarity truly enhances Proctor’s game. “We played a whole season together last year and have been in situations where the game was neck-and-neck,” Proctor said after the Syracuse matchup. “I think just having that trust … was a really big thing.” An injury tried to get in the way of Proctor’s progress. He missed three games — including against then-No. 10 Baylor in New York — and didn’t start for four more. In the four games between his injury in the first Duke-Georgia Tech matchup and his revival in the second, he averaged just 6.5 points. In his first four games back in the throes of it, Proctor’s point average soared to a remarkable 17.5. He was back and quite literally better than ever. Laura Cai | Staff Photographer “After everything, all the coaches trusted me, Mark Mitchell hangs off the rim during my teammates did too,” he said after the Blue Devils Duke’s win against Syracuse. bested the Yellow Jackets at home Jan. 13. points and 4.5 rebounds per game. In his sophomore season thus far, even with At the rim Moving from power forward to center in an injury keeping him on the bench for three the wake of Dereck Lively II’s departure for the games, the Sunrise Christian alumnus has NBA is no small task, especially for someone upped his season averages to 12.8 points and who so clearly excelled as a forward and built 6.0 rebounds. His shooting arm, at least inside the arc, has never looked better; he’s knocking his reputation on doing so. But Filipowski has done it, and he has done down 51.5% from the field and has already made 64 shots from the stripe on 87 attemps. it well. It wasn’t the smoothest start to the season Last year, by the end of the postseason, that for the Westtown, N.Y., native, despite a high number was 71 total from 93 tries. On top of bettering his stat line, Mitchell has scoring average. He did well with scoring but wasn’t as prolific on the boards as the bettered his name. “Mark Mitchell is a winner,” Scheyer said Blue Devil faithful might expect from their after Duke’s win against Syracuse. “That dude is Preseason All-American. a winner, competitor, connector.” The sophomore has started every game he has played in with the sole exception of the first Georgia Tech matchup (and look what happened then). He has led Duke’s scoring in three games, which makes him the third most common points leader on the roster behind Filipowski and McCain. He is earning, finally, some of the respect that was hard to come by last season in the shadow of his more celebrity teammates. “It’s not easy playing here,” Scheyer said after the Syracuse game. “There’s a lot of criticism and all that, but I think Mark has really stayed the course.”

Abigail Bromberger | Photography Editor

Kyle Filipowski reaches to block a shot in the first half of Duke’s clash with Clemson. Since Duke faced Pittsburgh the first time, however, Filipowski has roared back. At Notre Dame, three days before the Blue Devils beat the Panthers, Filipowski scored seven points (his second-lowest total of the season) and grabbed six rebounds (his third-lowest). Then he scored 26 points in Pittsburgh and a career-best 30 in Durham against the Yellow Jackets while also snatching 13 boards. He has averaged a ridiculous 20.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game since Jan. 9. “We’re a completely different team from the beginning of the year,” Filipowski said after Duke’s win against Georgia Tech. “I think we’re one of the best teams in the country.” Basically, he became used to playing center. At this point, Filipowski is not just back at the powerhouse level he maintained all of his freshman season — he surpassed it. His points-per-game numbers went from 15.1 last season to 17.7 this season. He also has 56 assists and 37 blocks. In his rookie campaign, in contrast, he totaled 56 assists and 26 blocks after all 36 games. “I’ve been flirting with 30 points for a little bit,” he said after he broke his career-high at home against Georgia Tech. “So I think I finally just said enough’s enough.”

In the middle Mitchell’s role on Duke’s roster was hazy last season; the Kansas City, Kan., native clearly Abigail Bromberger | Photography Editor excelled at defense but was less valuable — at Tyrese Proctor walks back up the court least ostensibly — playing in the shadow of during Duke’s win against Clemson. Lively. As a freshman, Mitchell averaged 9.1

Stepping up At Louisville, the sophomores fought valiantly to win the game for Duke. In the press conference after the Blue Devils pulled out their road victory, Scheyer talked about them stepping up in place of captain Roach, whose rolled ankle kept him on the bench for most of the second half. “Going through last season, we were in moments like this last year, and the wheels fell off a little bit,” Scheyer said. “Jeremy has been … that guy to provide poise and confidence.” “The three of those guys [Mitchell, Proctor and Filipowski] stepped up in a big way,” Scheyer continued. “They’ve done a great job playing through adversity and fighting through.” Louisville was not the blowout victory many Duke fans hoped it would be, but it was a show of excellence from the Blue Devil sophomores, who combined for 61 of the team’s 83 points. Proctor had four assists and Filipowski had five. Mitchell and Filipowski collected 27 rebounds between them. On Saturday, a mighty game hangs in the balance. This one matters not just for the rivalry but also for both schools’ records. The triad of sophomore talent might mean everything, especially when the Tar Heels are returning so much veteran excellence of their own. On Feb. 4 last year, Filipowski scored 14 points, Proctor 11 and Mitchell six. Sure, these rivalry games are wildly unpredictable, but those numbers are miles behind what each of the three sophomores average now. If Mitchell, Proctor and Filipowski have all gotten better this year — and everything indicates that they have, indeed, gotten better — those numbers should be higher. Being old and gray might be a good thing.

blue bloods again, as it should be

ne of the many remarkable things about the Tobacco Road rivalry is its refusal to go away. Other rivalries may wax or wane as dynasties fade or players and coaches move on, but few are as effortlessly or inextricably linked as Duke and North Carolina. In more than 100 years of bitterness, there has hardly been a dull moment. The last few years, though, have been especially compelling, thanks to a whirlwind of change on both ends of the U.S. 15-501. Former Tar Heel head coach Roy Williams knocked over the first domino when Jonathan Levitan he announced his retirement on April Fool’s Day in 2021. His Blue Devil counterpart Mike Krzyzewski followed suit two months later, announcing that the season to follow would be his last. Since then, we — the viewing public and college basketball enthusiasts across the globe — have been treated to five very different yet similarly excellent installments of the rivalry as Jon Scheyer and Hubert Davis have taken the reins. Those matchups included one Duke blowout, two jaw-dropping North Carolina upsets, one in Cameron Indoor Stadium and the other at the Final Four, and a pair of razor-thin Blue Danother evil victories last season in Scheyer’s first campaign. It is difficult to ask for more than that, even from Duke and North Carolina. But if, for the sake of argument, you put aside the Final Four classic in April 2022, when was the last time that these two teams met in the regular season with the stakes as high as they will be Saturday night? The Blue Devils and Tar Heels are ranked No. 7 and No. 3 in the country, respectively, and are playing for more than bragging rights this time around. It has been, to put it simply, a while. The last ranked matchup came all the way back in March 2019 and featured current professionals Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, Tre Jones, Cameron Johnson and Coby White. If you recall, that was the year in which Williamson famously burst through the sole of his Nike PG 2.5 shoe just 33 seconds into the first rivalry matchup of the year. The hype surrounding that game, which pitted No. 4 Duke against No. 3 North Carolina, even had former President Barack Obama sitting courtside for what The Chronicle coined “sneaker-gate” that night. The Tar Heels swept the regular-season series, but a healthy Williamson and the Blue Devils got the last laugh with a 74-73 victory in the ACC tournament final. Looking back, it is not that these two titans of ACC men’s basketball have not been good since before the pandemic — that goes without saying, considering they invoked college basketball armageddon at the Final Four less than two years ago. Duke and North Carolina have danced circuitously for seasons on end, never meeting each other at the height of both teams’ abilities. That dance figures to finally be coming to an end. North Carolina, at 17-3 in the ACC (as of Jan. 29), is one of just a handful of NCAA squads that can truly claim an elite defense. The Blue Devils, despite an early fall from grace mirroring that of the 2022-23 Tar Heels, have steadied themselves in December and January enough to lurk close behind in the conference standings. Stability at the head coach position is another way in which Duke and North Carolina are through with this era of rapid change. During what has been a wild few years for college basketball thanks to the onset See HEAVYWEIGHTS on Page 13

Men's Basketball: February 3 & March 9. Women's Basketball: February 11 & March 3

4 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024

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The Chronicle

Duke VS UNC

Feb 3 at Chapel Hill

Mar 9 at

HOME

FIRST MEETING

January 24, 1920

LATEST MEETING

March 4, 2023

DUKE 62 UNC 57

No better rivalry. No better blue. Find your people at alumni.duke.edu.

The Chronicle

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 5

PREDICTING THE UNPREDICTABLE

Predicting Duke-UNC: No better than a coin flip

Chronicle File Photo

Left to right: Scenes from Duke and North Carolina’s matchups in 2021, 2017 and 2023. By Dom Fenoglio

These predictions are calculated from an algorithm created by Bart Torvik, who tracks and records college basketball data similar to what Ken Pomeroy does for kenpom.com. Essentially, the algorithm estimates how many points each team will score per possession and how many total possessions each team will get. Then, it multiplies these two values to obtain a predicted final score and consequently calculates each team’s chance of winning.

Assistant Blue Zone Editor

hat are the chances that it is going to rain tomorrow? Who will win the next election? What about the Super Bowl? Statistical models can give a “best-guess” estimate, helping to update the confidence level that a certain event will occur. Look no further than the local weatherman, though, to see the limitations of statistics. No model can truly predict the future, and the more complicated the scenario, the tougher it gets. With that disclaimer out of the way, what do forecasting models say about the upcoming Duke-North Carolina game? Will head coach Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils continue their hot streak against their in-state rivals, or will an experienced Tar Heel squad reclaim the rivalry in Chapel Hill? Let’s say a model gives North Carolina a 77.67% chance to win. That number sounds great for the Tar Heel faithful, but before jumping to any conclusions and storming Franklin Street, it’s necessary to first examine the context of where that prediction came from. To start, consider each team’s body of work. Although Duke had a recent hiccup at home against Pittsburgh, the two rivals sit squarely atop the ACC table by nearly every statistical measure. They are the only two teams in the conference ranked inside the AP Poll top 25 and both sit more than 10 points ahead of the average ACC team in net rating — a measure of a team’s offensive and defensive efficiency. While the formula for success is somewhat consistent for all college basketball programs — solid shooting, effective defense — each team beats its opponents in unique ways. North Carolina excels at getting to the free-throw line and limits opponents’ second-chance and fastbreak points at top-five rates nationwide. In fact, the Tar Heels’ 7.0 second-chance points allowed per game is the top mark of any team so far this year. On the other side, the Blue Devils are one of the best teams in the country at taking care of the ball: Their 9.3 turnovers per game and assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.73 are both eighth-best. Figure 1 shows some of these rates compared to the league average. Note that a lower turnover percentage is desirable, and FTA rate represents a team’s attempted free throws as a percentage of their field-goal attempts. Both sides are better than the average ACC team in each category, and in net ratings, significantly so. With some basic knowledge about each side, the next step is to find a model that can consistently predict both teams’ successes. This article will use the cbbdata library, available publicly on GitHub and developed by former Duke men’s basketball manager Andrew Weatherman. Within that library, there are functions that can predict the outcome of a game or even an entire season for a given team.

Alyssa Ting | Photography Editor

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 2 shows Duke and North Carolina’s projected win percentage compared to the actual outcomes for all ACC games from 2020-2023. The dotted vertical line represents a 50% win probability. Any point to the left of the line is a projected loss, and any point to the right is a projected win. The solid horizontal line represents a zero-point differential, meaning that any point below it is an actual loss for that team and any point above it is an actual win. Put simply, the points in the top-right and bottom-left quadrants represent correct predictions, whereas points in the top-left and bottom-right quadrants are places where the model got it wrong. As we can see, the model mostly got it correct. When the model predicted a win, the actual result was a win 72.03% of the time. The same is true for predicted losses, with the model correctly predicting a loss to 69.44% accuracy. For something as complicated as a basketball game, these are respectable figures. Surely this model can predict a Duke-North Carolina game, right? Figure 3, which contains all regular-season games between the two teams from 2015-2023, shows that this is not entirely the case. The x and y axes are the same in this graph as those in Figure 2, but now the shape of each point corresponds to home and away games for the Blue Devils. The model correctly predicted wins just 58.33% of the time and correctly predicted a loss 50.0% of the time. That means that given a projected Duke loss, the chances of the Blue Devils actually losing that game are no better than a coin flip. Recall that the game prediction for Saturday’s matchup gives the Tar Heels a 77.67% chance to win. North Carolina comes into the game with a stronger resume and looks like the better team on paper, but that does not always paint the full picture. Take the Tar Heels’ historic win in former head coach Mike Kzryzewski’s final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, or the Blue Devils’ 2016 victory against No. 3 North Carolina at the Dean E. Smith Center. Ask any fan from either side, and they will tell you that this game is just different. The story of the Duke-North Carolina rivalry is written by the moments that no one sees coming. Statistics inform a lot of things, but when it comes to predicting these games, numbers don’t seem to mean much at all. Note: all data were sourced Sunday, Jan. 28. All of the calculations and code used in this article can be found in the GitHub repository linked here: https://github.com/DFenoglio/duke-unc-rivalry-forecasting .

6 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 7

WEARING BOTH BLUES

Behind enemy lines: Inside the Robertson Scholar ‘switch’ By Rachael Kaplan

Sports Managing Editor

hen Millie Caughey was accepted into Duke as a Robertson Scholar, her friend asked her for her thoughts on Zion ... Williamson, that is. She thought they were asking about the National Park. “The whole room went silent, and they all started laughing at me,” she told The Chronicle. Caughey and her family live in Auckland, New Zealand. College basketball doesn’t have as much reach on the other side of the world. Caughey wasn’t, however, just going to be a Blue Devil. By the nature of the Robertson Scholarship Program, a fullyfunded scholarship connecting Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, her identity was always bound to be at least a little split. The program aims to connect and foster collaboration between the two campuses. Robertson Scholars, whether accepted as high school seniors or college freshmen, each have a home institution, but spend the spring semester of their sophomore year at the other campus eight miles down the road. When Caughey arrived in Durham in August of her freshman year, she had very little sense of the depth of the rivalry. She knew the other Robertsons, many of whom were in Chapel Hill. However, as she grew her Duke circle, those hours spent on Franklin Street turned into hours in Krzyzewskiville. Her freshman year was Mike Krzyzewski’s last season as Duke’s head men’s basketball coach and the first year with fans allowed back in Cameron Indoor Stadium after the pandemic. Demand for games — including Countdown to Craziness — was unprecedented. “We stayed up all night to get tickets. And we ended up being turned away,” Caughey said about her first K-Ville experience. The scrimmage was set to be on her birthday, and the night before, one of her friends surprised her with a ticket as a gift. “I joined a group of people that I barely knew, and I went and it was just the most insane birthday ever,” Caughey said. “I don’t know how to describe it.” “There I was, cheering my face off, covered in blue paint. And I thought, ‘oh f—, I’m one of these now.” *** After three semesters fully immersed in their home institution’s classes, culture and extracurriculars, Robertson Scholars must pack up their collegiate lives and move down the road into enemy territory. “People approach [the] Robertson switch from the outside very differently,” Caughey said. Her approach? Spending the first few weeks of her switch semester commuting back and forth to Durham as she black tented for the Duke-North Carolina basketball game. Black tenting is the most extreme level of Duke’s strange student ticketing tradition, requiring the most tent members in K-Ville for the longest period of time. As a result, Caughey spent her time either in class, on the Robertson Express or in her tent. “I don’t think I had the social experience at UNC that I probably would have liked,” Caughey said. “But at the same time, I think it was good in that tenting allowed me to keep connections with people at Duke a lot more alive.” She has no regrets. Zack Finacchio had a similar switch experience. The current junior lived in Chapel Hill last spring, but spent most of his weekends back in Durham with his Duke circle. He still got involved in North Carolina’s campus life, mostly by joining the school’s improv group, the Chapel Hill Players. He even organized a Tobacco Road improv show that included his new group at North Carolina, his old group (Duke University Improv) and N.C. State’s CIA Improv.

Morgan Chu | Sports Photography Editor

The Cameron Crazies celebrate with an Australian flag during Duke’s home victory against Georgia Tech. But his experience in class was a bit different. “I tended to keep my head down when it came to discussions about Duke or UNC students,” Finacchio said. He only wore Duke merch once, to his last final before he joined his friends in Myrtle Beach, S.C. — an annual postsemester getaway for many students — for his theater studies class. “Everyone in my class knows that I’m a Robertson, they’ll all get over it,” he justified. “I did my whole big, emotional presentation, and it was this big, upheaval of a scene, and then I finished, and the class was supposed to give me feedback,” he added. “And the first thing that somebody said was, ‘Why the hell are you wearing Duke gear?’” Duke-based sophomore Caleb Dalgetty just started his switch semester. “On my first day, I will admit I went to the bookstore, and I bought a Carolina jersey, so I could blend in when necessary,” he said. He came back to Durham for the men’s basketball game against Georgia Tech in January. “I feel a little bit like I’m betraying my new place, my new home now, when I do that,” Dalgetty said. “I’m kind of like a double agent, like an operative in my own home.” Duke-based sophomore Adom Appiah was raised a die-hard Blue Devil basketball fan, and even living amongst the opposition won’t change that. “I’d grown up detesting [North Carolina],” he said. When he was younger, he would attend the Duke basketball camps — except for one year, when delayed signups meant he was spending his week in Chapel Hill at the Roy Williams North Carolina basketball camp. “I didn’t smile the entire week,” he said. Appiah approached the Robertson switch differently than that basketball camp, this time with curiosity and an open mind. That doesn’t apply to his allegiance. “I’ve got Duke jerseys and Duke merch galore, and I fully intend to wear it,” Appiah said. He hasn’t yet — he would like to “preserve [his] life for the time being.” “I really want to fully support Duke basketball,” he said, “and do so proudly on this campus of Duke basketball haters.”

“This will be unlike any experience that any Robertson has had before,” said the program’s executive director, Andrew Lakis. “And who knows if it’ll ever happen again.” Naturally, they organized a watch party, taking over the Karsh Alumni Center to house both shades of blue. In addition to the prospective Robertsons and the current scholars, they invited program alumni back for the weekend. “These are all people who share values and share purpose and are just amazing human beings and really close to one another,” Lakis said. “But as soon as the ball tipped off, you either had on your Duke stuff, or you had on your UNC stuff.” “You had just spent 24 or 48 hours getting to know all these people. And suddenly, you’re all in this setting where the allegiance is split … Rooting for different teams somehow brought us closer together,” said Riya Sharma, a North Carolina-based sophomore currently in her switch semester at Duke. She was a prospective Robertson at the watch party. “I think it’s the one sporting event I’ve witnessed where everybody was just as into it as the next person,” she said. “[Everyone’s] trying to convince their ‘Robbies,’ their potential Robertsons, that this is the side, and this is where they get to be,” Finacchio said. “Everybody was able to have a celebration that night.” The rivalry, for the Robertsons, is very real, but it stays where it is rooted: on the court. Instead, scholars can dive wholeheartedly into the opposite campus and its culture, while preserving the unifying effect of having an enemy to root against. “You can’t have this kind of rivalry without a deep sense of mutual respect,” Sharma said. The Robertsons know that all too well.

“

There I was, cheering my face off, covered in blue paint. And I thought, ‘oh f—, I’m one of these now.’ MILLIE CAUGHEY

DUKE-BASED ROBERTSON SCHOLAR

I’m kind of like a double agent, like an operative in my own home. CALEB DALGETTY

DUKE-BASED ROBERTSON SCHOLAR

I really want to fully support Duke basketball, and do so proudly on this campus of Duke basketball haters. ADOM APPIAH

DUKE-BASED ROBERTSON SCHOLAR

You can’t have this kind of rivalry without a deep sense of mutual respect. RIYA SHARMA

UNC-BASED ROBERTSON SCHOLAR, DAILY TAR HEEL STAFF MEMBER

I tended to keep my head down when it came to discussions about Duke or UNC students. ZACK FINACCHIO

DUKE-BASED ROBERTSON SCHOLAR

”

*** April 2, 2022 is a day that was immediately written into the history books for both fanbases. That Final Four weekend just so happened to coincide with Robertson Connection weekend, when all accepted prospective Robertsons come to the Triangle to get a sense of the program and the two schools — like Blue Devil Days on steroids. For a program so focused on the connections and collaborations between Duke and North Carolina, the Final Four matchup was a perfect storm to test loyalties and create division.

Eugene Cho | Staff Photographer

Fans wait with bated breath as senior guard Jeremy Roach releases a 3-point jumper under coverage by a Georgia Tech defender.

8 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024

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HUNG LIU: LIVING MEMORY OPENING FEB 24

ABOVE: Student co-curators, all part of Duke’s Class of 2024, gather around the oil painting Storyteller, created by Hung Liu in 2000. Back left: Ellen C. Raimond, Associate Curator of Academic Initiatives at the Nasher Museum, who teaches the Curatorial Practicum: Exhibition Development and Design course in the Museum Theory & Practice Concentration. Front row, from left: Eliza Henne, Nicole Kagan, Elayna Lei, Bailes New and Madeleine Reinhard. Photo by Cornell Watson.

nasher.duke.edu

Hung Liu: Living Memory is made possible by Ruth (A.B.’81, P’11) and John Caccavale (A.B.’81, P’11); and the Sunny Rosenberg Endowment Fund.

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 9

DUKE THROUGH AND THROUGH

Q&A: Wendell Moore Jr. reflects on Duke-UNC rivalry By Andrew Long Sports Editor

endell Moore Jr. played for the Blue Devils from 2019 to 2022. He captained Duke to the Final Four and earned the Julius Erving Award for the nation’s best small forward as a junior before he declared for the NBA Draft, where he was selected 26th overall. Among many successes in Durham, Moore is perhaps known best for his overtime buzzer-beater to seal a comefrom-behind win against North Carolina in Chapel Hill in February 2020. Currently, Moore plays for the Iowa Wolves, the G-League affiliate of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. Last weekend, The Chronicle spoke with Moore to ask him about his memories of the Duke-North Carolina rivalry and his assessment of the Blue Devils’ chances against the Tar Heels Saturday. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. The Chronicle: Walk me through your first experience of the rivalry as a North Carolina native. Was there a side you typically rooted for? What did the rivalry look like when you were younger? Wendell Moore Jr.: I mean honestly, I’ve always been a Duke fan. That’s the side I was always on in the rivalry. Obviously I went to school at Duke, but growing up, all my friends and everybody were Carolina fans, so I kinda went opposite of them. So it’s always been Duke. Just growing up in North Carolina, that’s one of the best things that you can watch. You look forward to those two matchups every single year. Being a Duke fan, winning those games just created so much excitement. Playing in them was even more exciting. TC: Are there any standout players you vividly remember watching? WM: I’d probably say the most notable one is Austin Rivers’ game-winner at Carolina. I remember the year where we had Jayson Tatum and Harry Giles on that team. We ended up playing them three times that year, and we played them again in the ACC tournament — that was a huge game. I probably watched every single one since I was a kid.

Chronicle File Photo

Alyssa Ting | Photography Editor

Wendell Moore Jr. attacks the boards during Duke’s comeback win against UNC in 2020.

The then-junior captain smiles after helping secure Duke’s place in the 2022 Final Four.

TC: Speaking of that Austin Rivers game, you and him are probably in contention for top spot in Duke-UNC buzzer-beater history. How do you think your overtime winner at the Dean Dome stacks up with that and the rivalry’s best moments? WM: It was a great moment. Just the fact that we were able to win that game like that, I mean we were down big, and then we came back and I happened to make that last shot. That was huge for me. As for Austin’s game, that’s a tough one to beat. TC: How does the atmosphere in Chapel Hill compare to the atmosphere in Cameron? WM: Both are super electric, but in different ways. You go into the Dean Dome and we’re the villain, so everybody in there is against us except for the fans that we bring with us. So it feels great when we go on a run and we can just silence the whole crowd, or when you win the game and they’re just silent at the end. On the other hand at Cameron, it’s crazy. It’s crazy for weeks leading up to the game. Two different atmospheres, but kind of bring the same energy.

TC: You hear coaches talk about how it’s “one game at a time.” But with that looming threat of UNC, so to speak, was the bug of that game always in the back of your brain, or not really? WM: You start thinking about it the closer you get. That’s really one of the reasons why you want to go to Duke or Carolina, because you want to be a part of that rivalry, you want to be a part of that legendary matchup. I definitely think guys look forward to it coming in, but as you’re going through the season, obviously you’re focused on winning the game that’s in front of you. TC: I think you, more than a lot of other Duke players, have experienced both the highest of highs and the lowest of lows that the rivalry presents. When you think back about all those games that you played, what stands out to you the most? WM: Probably just how different each game was. Whether we win, lose or draw, it was always the same feel going into it, the intensity, the preparation. You could tell just how serious

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everybody was leading into the game. So just those times that we were preparing for it, and then just getting in the matchup with each of my different teams, it was just a great feeling every time. TC: Which was your favorite game you played against them? WM: I think I would have to say the gamewinner one. Obviously, because it was my freshman year, my first time in that DukeCarolina rivalry. Being a kid from North Carolina, you can only dream of that. The way we ended up winning that game, we were down 20 almost the whole game and went on a 15-0 run in the second half. TC: I want to ask you about the Final Four game in New Orleans. How often do you reflect on that game, or what additional insight do you have now that you’re a couple years removed? WM: That was a great game, just all around, both teams making huge plays on the biggest stage in the world. I thought when I hit that shot we had a really good chance of winning, then they came down and got two big buckets and they got a foul call late to help put it away. Looking back on it, I feel like we should have won that game. I feel like if we had won, we would have had a really good chance of winning the national championship against Kansas that year. I mean, you always look back on what would happen if this, if that, but I feel like at the end of the day it was a good moment to be a part of, so it’s definitely something I’ll remember forever. Obviously, the loss was the bad part about it, but just that whole time with that team, that’s probably one of the most fun teams I’ve been a part of. TC: One of the really key parts of that team was Jeremy Roach, who’s still around here in Durham. He’s in his second year as a captain — what are your thoughts about how he’s led the team this season, especially as a former captain yourself? WM: I think he’s doing great. In his second year with Scheyer taking over as head coach, it’s always gonna be a little turnaround. You’re always See MOORE on Page 13

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HISTORY CALLS

Inside the booth with Duke’s play-by-play personality

By Ranjan Jindal

Assistant Blue Zone Editor

“I

t’s a Duke blue kinda night in Chapel Hill.” The Tobacco Road rivals have had some impeccable and consequential games recently, but perhaps none was more memorable for the Blue Devil faithful than the Feb. 8, 2020, contest. Duke had not one, but two buzzerbeaters to defeat North Carolina 98-96 at the Dean E. Smith Center in an overtime thriller. Wendell Moore Jr. tipped in a missed jumper by Tre Jones in overtime to cap the Blue Devils’ improbable comeback. From the booth, radio play-by-play voice David Shumate’s electric call ended with that fitting phrase above, encapsulating the wild finish in Chapel Hill. “To have two true buzzer-beaters in an era where everyone’s going to the monitor to put a tenth of a second or two tenths of a second back on [the clock] ... to have one at the end of regulation and another in overtime is crazy,” Shumate told The Chronicle. According to Shumate, that game should have been over a number of times for the Blue Devils. Instead, it became emblematic of the beauty of the rivalry — where expecting the unexpected is a must. Many Duke fans experience the spectacle of the Duke-North Carolina rivalry through the voice of Shumate, Duke athletics’ director of broadcasting and radio announcer since June 2017. His voice airs on the Blue Devil IMG Sports Network as well as WDNC-FM 96.5 in Durham and WCMC-FM 99.3 in Raleigh. Shumate uses his captivating voice to entice Blue Devil fans into feeling like they are at the game, and he does the same for Duke football. “I always loved sports, and I also love storytelling,” Shumate said. “So it was always kind of a passion of mine to get into that in some way, shape or form.” Shumate’s path to the announcer’s chair was not linear, and he emphasizes that the journey has shaped who he is. He worked in the restaurant industry and even briefly went to law school before chasing his dream of broadcasting.

Photo courtesy of David Shumate

Duke play-by-play announcer David Shumate sits in the booth looking at his notes during Duke’s Jan. 27 matchup with Clemson at Cameron Indoor Stadium. “Like a lot of people who get into “When [Harris] retired, I was super excited broadcasting, I was cocky and thought I was about the opportunity,” Shumate said. “He will good to go … and got out and didn’t get a job,” always be — at least in my mind — the voice of Shumate said. “A lot of people see where you Duke. He actually really helped when I first got end up, and they think that there was a straight hired … one of the first things he said is ‘don’t try line to get there. And it wasn’t.” to be me, do your own thing.’” Shumate worked in management and the The son of an army veteran, Shumate moved corporate side of broadcasting before moving up around a lot, but was born and went to high and getting the opportunity school in North Carolina. to call games. Eventually, a I tell Duke’s story. But He never leaned any spot opened at Duke to fill as a child, preferring that to me is way more way in occasionally for play-byprofessional sports, but he play voice Bob Harris. fun than being neutral. was certainly aware of the Harris, who held the magnitude of the rivalry. position for more than 40 “It was always cool to DAVID SHUMATE DUKE DIRECTOR OF BROADCASTING see [Duke-North Carolina] years, is known among many as the “voice of the Blue games, to listen to those Devils.” The North Carolina Sports Hall-of-Famer has games and to hear Bob,” Shumate said. “You never called some iconic moments, including “The Shot” dreamed that you’re gonna have a chance to call by Christian Laettner to send Duke through against those games and be a part of those memories.” Kentucky in the 1992 Elite Eight. The play-by-play voice is a complicated job. Shumate respected and listened to Harris just The difficulty is in describing the game without like many fans across the country, so felt he had a the listener seeing the score when they first tough task in replacing somebody whose name and tune in, a skill Shumate has honed after calling voice were synonymous with Blue Devil athletics. hundreds of games.

What are some of Shumate’s keys to the job? One is relying on the atmosphere to help contextualize the moment. For games including the Tobacco Road Rivalry, the environment speaks for itself, and the announcers are able to lean into that noise. “A big part of capturing the atmosphere is letting the crowd tell the story to some extent, particularly when you’re at Cameron, as deafening as it can be,” Shumate said. Shumate knows that he is telling Duke’s side of the story and deliberately identifies his target audience and caters his broadcasting style to fit their needs. He’s unapologetic about that. “Anyone who’s ever heard me call a game knows I’m a homer,” Shumate said. “I tell Duke’s story. But that to me is way more fun than being neutral and just kind of toeing the line down the middle.” “I speak to a very specific audience on the radio broadcast side of things,” he added. “These are Duke fans who are listening … they want to have the context of what this means for this team for this season.” The flip side to that is understanding the important balance between showing emotion for the team and communicating what is happening in a game. “In the moment, you have a job to do,” Shumate said. “So you’re not totally caught up in cheerleading or anything like that. You’re describing what happens, and you’re trying to build the energy throughout the play.” This edition of the rivalry is shaping up to be a good one, and as Shumate knows better than anyone, anything can happen. “On paper, it looks like maybe more defensive flavor than people might expect, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all whatever happens in this game because this game is always crazy,” Shumate said. “It does feel like for the Blue Devils they seem to have some of their best moments in this rivalry over at the Dean Smith Center.” No matter the result, Shumate’s voice will ring loud and clear from the booth and create lasting memories for Duke listeners all across the world.

GO DUKE!

SHOOTERS II

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 11

FROM SLUMP TO SURGE

After shaking off the criticism and the rust, Mitchell is ready to make his Mark

By Mackenzie Sheehy Blue Zone Editor

t was all over social media. Then-freshman forward Mark Mitchell, clad in black and blue, waved goodbye to the North Carolina fans after Duke swept the series against its Tobacco Road rivals. Celebrating a 62-57 victory in enemy territory to close the regular season, the Blue Devils were on top of the world. At that moment, the Kansas City, Kan., native was in peak form. Averaging 9.1 points and 4.5 rebounds while going 35.2% from three, Mitchell was largely heralded as the “glue guy” on head coach Jon Scheyer’s inaugural roster. His offensive contributions and defensive excellence while matching up against the opponent’s toughest players made him a threat worthy of recognition on any scouting report. When the forward couldn’t play during his team’s second-round NCAA tournament clash with Tennessee, his absence was arguably the biggest factor in the loss. Coming back for his second season in Durham, the excitement about what the Sunrise Christian product could provide for Duke was palpable. A stable veteran presence along with classmates Kyle Filipowski and Tyrese Proctor as well as senior Jeremy Roach, Mitchell was slated to continue his glue-guy role. But he developed a condition in his second year of collegiate basketball: the age-old sophomore slump. From the minute he made his debut against Arizona Nov. 10 after missing the season opener due to a lower-body injury, there was something different and uncertain about the Mitchell who stepped onto the court. Jumpers started to hit off the rim, paint points came sporadically and threes were nearly nonexistent. In his rollercoaster of a season, a 20-point game was followed by two six-point performances. To all the world, Mitchell looked like a player caught in his own head. Then came the social media criticism. As Mitchell struggled on the court, he was disparaged off it and his detractors came out in droves. All of a sudden, he found himself on the negative side of Duke basketball fandom. With millions of eyes come millions of opinions, and the sophomore unwittingly gave them a target. Fans were quick to jump on Mitchell’s 3-point shooting first. After making a single triple against Bucknell Nov. 17, the forward went ice-cold from beyond the arc, going

0-for-15 in a nine-game stretch. X was ablaze with comments due to his silence from three, with @Besvinick saying, “Literally scream, ‘No!’ at my TV every time he shoots outside of the paint.” @TheBenSwain poked fun at the sophomore’s downfall with a meme of two devils on a person’s shoulder, with the caption, “Mark Mitchell’s thought process whenever he gets the ball on the perimeter.” The criticism began to spiral from there, as fans harped on the downswing in the veteran’s performances. During the Blue Devils’ Nov. 29 loss at Arkansas, @ pinto479 tweeted, “Mark Mitchell there’s a reason why you’re always open.” Days later, @BrotherhoodCBB simply said, “Mark Mitchell cannot dribble.” Abigail Bromberger | Photography Editor In the midst of the disparagement, one Sophomore forward Mark Mitchell muscles past a Clemson defender during Duke’s lastindividual never faltered in his unwavering gasp victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium. support of Mitchell — Scheyer. Even as the forward struggled, his coach found ways to sing Two days later, in the Blue Devils’ first demonstrates his perseverance and fight as a his praises. contest of the year against Syracuse, the player. It is perhaps what he proves with his “Mark didn’t finish as much,” Scheyer said after Mitchell that Duke fans became accustomed to absence that displays how essential he is to this Duke’s win Dec. 12 against Hofstra. “But Mark had seeing last season stepped onto the hardwood Duke team. some great moments, he’s so close to having some and put on the performance of a lifetime. He After sustaining an injury prior to the big games and he’s right there.” was practically on fire, scoring a career-high 21 Blue Devils’ Jan. 13 rematch with Georgia Despite his coach’s support, the remarks points, 18 in the first half alone. Tech, Mitchell’s absence was acutely felt. In only worsened with Mitchell’s cold streak, and “I just thought he had a really good overall a close 84-79 brush with the Yellow Jackets doubts began to grow about his contributions game,” Scheyer said postgame. “There’s a lot of followed by a disheartening 80-76 defeat at to this year’s team and criticism and all that, but I the hands of Pittsburgh, the forward left a his viability as a future There’s a lot of criticism and think Mark has really just gaping hole in the Blue Devils’ lineup, not professional. Some even all that, but I think Mark has stayed the course.” just in offensive production but in defensive doubted the sophomore’s But Mitchell wasn’t tenacity, too. really just stayed the course. done. In the following commitment to the “Does it change our team not having Jeremy team. @RoyalPanth3895 contest at Notre Dame, [Roach] and Mark in there? Of course it does,” tweeted, “Duke should JON SCHEYER the sophomore was ready Scheyer said after the loss to the Panthers. DUKE HEAD COACH to break records again just take mark mitchell Without Mitchell, Duke was severely scholarship away he and put an exclamation impacted on the defensive end of the floor. The is not dependable every big game he either point on his response to his critics. Putting up one bright side? Social media took note. claims to be hurt or just doesn’t play well he a new career-high 23 points, the forward also Where before he received criticism, plays in easy games but tough games he finds posted 14 rebounds en route to a masterful Mitchell was lauded for what he brings to the a way to not show up.” performance. Most impressive of all, he finally Blue Devils. @mrncaggie04 said, “This game There was one person’s criticism, ended his long-range drought and converted [against Georgia Tech] proves Mark Mitchell’s however, that caught the attention of the both of his attempts from beyond the arc. importance more than anything,” while @ entire college basketball world: Mitchell’s “Let me just tell you how proud I am of SwaginTha865 tweeted, “Yeah Mark Mitchell is own father. him,” Scheyer said after the clash with the the most important player on this Duke team On New Year’s Eve, a day after Duke’s 106-69 Fighting Irish. “He’s been working his butt court’s adjourned!” win against Queens, Mark Mitchell Sr. posted off consistently. He’s been really decisive and As Mitchell works his way back to health, he on X and said, “We as a family do not support playing more confidently.” continues to prove his utility. In his first contest what we’re seeing from Mark at Duke. How “I didn’t let it get to me,” Mitchell added when post-injury at Louisville, the sophomore put do you show up at a university and lose your asked about the two triples postgame. “I’ve been on a show. Scoring 20 points and tallying 12 identity? Both Mark and Duke need to work it in my head. I’ve been shooting the ball my whole rebounds, he reminded the entire fandom that out. Disturbing.” his presence at Duke is irreplaceable. life, and I knew the time was gonna come.” With that one tweet from his father, Mitchell Will Mitchell put up 20-point monster While Mitchell is not putting up 20-point flipped a switch. He showed up to prove the performances like these every night, his performances every game? Probably not. But is he critics wrong. admirable ability to ignore the outside criticism essential to this Duke team? Without a doubt.

Left: Melissa Adams | Staff Photographer Top right: Abigail Bromberger | Photography Editor Bottom right, middle: Alyssa Ting | Photography Editor

12 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024

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HEAVYWEIGHTS FROM PAGE 3

MOORE FROM PAGE 9 gonna hit your bumps along the way. I think, as a captain, he’s done a great job of controlling that team. They lose a couple games, and then he comes in, has a big game, and he just always makes the big plays for that team. I think as a captain, you have to lead by example. I think he does a great job of that. I see that with the younger guys.They’re starting to take on his swagger, his toughness that he plays with. And as a captain, that’s huge.

TC: What are your thoughts on the current makeup of the roster and how they’ll fare against UNC’s veterans? WM: Honestly I really like our team. Carolina is always a bigger team, they always seem to have traditional two bigs. RJ Davis is playing phenomenal for them right now. All around, they’re a really good team. But for us, I love the way that we defend, we get out in transition, just how quick we are as a team. Obviously we’re a lot younger with the amount of freshmen that we play, but I feel like the chemistry on the team is really coming along, and I feel like the more games they go through the closer they’re gonna get as a team. They have to face some adversity, they have already this season early, so hopefully they can take that with them into that matchup. So I’m excited to see it. TC: If you were in that locker room and you could tell them something to get prepared for the game, what would you say? WM: Probably just to stay in the moment. Don’t look to whatever’s happening after the game or what play just happened because that play’s over. I think especially at a time like this, the more you can take it play-by-play and just have fun playing that game, just throw yourself into the atmosphere, the outcome just is what it is. Just give it everything you got. This is a must-win game — it’s always a must-win game when we play Carolina. That’s what it has to feel like. It has to feel like the biggest game of the year, the biggest game you’ve played. But sometimes you have to try to block out the noise and just go have fun. TC: When you walk into those games, does it feel good to be the villain? WM: Yeah. For sure, especially when you come out of there with a win and the whole crowd is just silent. They can’t really say anything anymore. Feeling like the villain is always a good thing. TC: How would you describe the rivalry in one word? WM: Legendary. Especially when I was there, we had Coach K on one side and we had Roy [Williams] on the other side. Now it’s Scheyer on one side and Hubert [Davis] on the other. That’s two legendary coaches. We have two legendary programs, two legendary blue bloods. If you play well in that game, you’ll be remembered forever as a legend at whatever school. For me it’s just legendary. It doesn’t get much better than a Duke-Carolina rivalry.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 13

Alyssa Ting | Photography Editor

of the transfer portal and the lingering effects of COVID-19, the rivalry has featured a different head coaching matchup three years running. Scheyer and Davis, after finally crossing paths a year ago, return to a matchup that is less about their introduction to each other and more about the players and the high-level basketball itself. That’s a good thing — in more than 40 years of battle between Krzyzewski, Williams and Tar Heel legend Dean Smith, the spotlight was seldom on its Hall of Fame coaches. All of this points to Saturday’s newest episode (the 261st, by my count) being a memorable one, or at the very least, one featuring a certain national significance that the rivalry has lacked for too long. The most significant roadblock to this showdown is the potential of this North Carolina team — whose last loss came before Thanksgiving — being a cut above the rest, including Duke. Injuries are also a concern for the Blue Devils, who have veteran starters Jeremy Roach, Tyrese Proctor and Mark Mitchell all recovering from recent lower-body injuries. But the Blue Devils, when healthy, have shown flashes throughout December and January of the talent that inspired AP voters to make them the No. 2 team in the country back in October. The Dean Dome will serve as their proving ground Saturday night as they get a chance to establish themselves against their fiercest rivals, who just so happen to be one of the nation’s best this year. That importance feels right and all too familiar. For any fan of the rivalry, anywhere along Tobacco Road — what more could you ask for?

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A word from the editor: I’d like to extend three special thanks to some important individuals who contributed significantly to this issue and the success of The Chronicle at large. The first goes to The Daily Tar Heel, Sports Editor Shelby Swanson and Editor-in-Chief Emmy Martin, who have been wonderful in the collaboration process to assemble this special edition. The second goes to all the Duke basketball fans who contributed to our cover graphic by submitting one word describing what the rivalry means to you. Seeing the breadth of your submissions epitomized what this unparalleled rivalry is all about. The final, and greatest, thanks goes to our generous donors. This rivalry means more than just basketball to us in 301 Flowers — it allows us to keep doing the important work we do by helping raise funds to keep us independent and provide astounding opportunities to aspiring journalists. It is because of your support that we are able to preserve this vital institution here at Duke. To another successful year, Andrew Long | Sports Editor, The Chronicle If you’re interested in contributing to this year’s Rivalry Challenge in support of student journalism, visit: www.dukechronicle.com.

14 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 15

DTH DESIGN/ HAILEY PATTERSON AND OLIVIA GOODSON DTH/ AVA SHARON, ELLEN ROBINSON AND NATALIE PEOPLES CHRONICLE/ MORGAN CHU

Tar Heels fall to defending national champions in MSG Two wins and a loss at the Battle 4 Atlantis

BY DANIEL WEI

High-profile nonconference slate defines UNC’s season so far

The loss against Pittsburgh, which was followed by wins against Clemson and Virginia Tech, was the first time the Blue Devils had dropped an ACC game at Cameron Indoor since the Tar Heels said farewell to former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski on March 5, 2022.

Elliot Cadeau has breakout game in ACC-SEC Challenge against No. 10 Tennessee

With the gears all moving in sync, Duke lost Mitchell and Roach to leg injuries in the same week. Neither played in Duke’s Jan. 20 home bout with Pittsburgh, whose masterful shooting performance from Blake Hinson wiped away the win streak. Mitchell ultimately returned Jan. 23 to face Louisville while Roach was back for a Jan. 27 duel with Clemson.

On the second day of UNC’s three-game stint in the Bahamas, the Tar Heels suffered their first loss of the season, falling 83-81 to Villanova in overtime. Wildcat forward Eric Dixon had 34 points and 10 rebounds — the start of a brief trend of opposing players scoring career-highs against North Carolina, raising questions about the team’s defensive abilities.

The former five-star recruit erupted for 10 assists in the Tar Heels’ 100-92 win, showcasing the “pass-first” skills that UNC lacked in the backcourt over the last two seasons.

Injuries hit Blue Devils, who suffer first home conference loss since 2022

The next game, Arkansas’ Tramon Mark dropped 34 points on 13-17 shooting, but UNC pulled away to earn its first ranked win of the season, 87-72.

The ACC Preseason Rookie of the Year propelled the Tar Heels to a 61-point first half on a Volunteer defense that ranked No. 1 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency at the time, per KenPom. It was Cadeau’s second career start; since then, he hasn’t left the starting lineup.

While Baylor was the big-ticket event of the stretch from Dec. 9 to Jan. 13, the Blue Devils took down Syracuse and Pittsburgh in blowout fashion and snagged close victories against Notre Dame and Georgia Tech, sending Duke to 4-1 in the ACC.

Current No. 1 UConn defeated UNC in the Jimmy V Classic, 87-76, handing the Tar Heels their second loss of the season. Senior guard RJ Davis and junior forward Harrison Ingram combined for 46 points and went 7-12 from downtown, but sharpshooter Cormac Ryan went 0-6 from three.

Proctor went down with a leg injury in the first minutes in Atlanta, and a late technical foul on a Mark Mitchell dunk to put Duke up by four squashed hopes that the Blue Devils could put the game away. Big plays in the final minute from Baye Ndongo after the technical won the Yellow Jackets the game.

The pair of losses gave way to an impressive winning run. The Blue Devils took down Baylor at Madison Square Garden with a 21-point outing from McCain, who took a major step forward during the streak, averaging 15.8 points on 42.9% shooting from deep. He has also connected on multiple threes in 10 of the 11 games since the streak began. Filipowski set career-highs in scoring (30) and assists (eight) along the way, too.

The Huskies also outmuscled North Carolina on the boards, winning the rebound battle 43-33. But it wasn’t the last time the Tar Heels would lose the trenches battle to a top-10 team.

Duke starters not named Filipowski or Roach combined for just 18 points on 6-for-27 shooting in Fayetteville, Ark., leaving the Blue Devils in a 14-point hole before attempting a ferocious comeback over the game’s final two minutes. Arkansas bested Duke by just five after an ugly night for the Blue Devils.

Wins against Baylor, four ACC opponents lead to eight-game win streak

North Carolina bests previously undefeated Oklahoma in Charlotte

Upon returning home to Durham, the Blue Devils hosted Bucknell, La Salle and Southern Indiana in the Blue Devil Challenge. Duke easily took care of the first two but the Screaming Eagles shockingly gave the Blue Devils some trouble early before Filipowski and Roach combined for 31 second-half points to put the upset threat to bed.

Blue Devils struggle on the road at Arkansas, Georgia Tech

UNC drops second straight game, edged by Kentucky in ‘Catlanta’

Each of the four started in more than 30 games last season and have boosted their per-game scoring marks from last season.

The Blue Devils did not have long to recoup from a home loss to Caleb Love and Arizona before heading to a blockbuster matchup with Michigan State in Chicago. After exchanging big runs with a tight game in the works, freshman Caleb Foster emerged by scoring eight points in a two-minute span early in the second half before nailing two more clutch threes in the final minutes to seal the win.

The then-No. 7 Sooners came into the Jumpman Invitational hot, averaging over 84 points on 51 percent shooting. But UNC forced a season-high 18 turnovers in its best defensive stand of the season at the time.

Preseason No. 2 Duke’s season began in earnest with a few big announcements during the offseason. Following a second-round exit in the NCAA tournament, the Blue Devils were battered and beaten; down but not out. Sophomore Kyle Filipowski was set to undergo hip surgery and decided to play a second year in Durham, as did classmates Mark Mitchell and Tyrese Proctor. Plus, senior Jeremy Roach opted for a fourth-go-round at Duke.

Foster’s breakout in Champions Classic win ignites Duke

Down three points in the waning seconds of the CBS Sports Classic blue blood bout, Cadeau passed to Ryan, whose back was completely turned, leading to a turnover.

Returners key for Duke after early tournament exit

The victory started a nine-game win streak for UNC, providing much-needed momentum heading into ACC play. Over that stretch, North Carolina held all of its opponents to 70 points or fewer — the first time doing so since the 200607 season.

BY MICAH HUREWITZ

Kentucky won, 87-83, on a night where UNC struggled to match the Wildcats’ athleticism, length and physicality. The Tar Heels were outrebounded by 10 and their backcourt struggled to contain electric NBA prospects Rob Dillingham and D.J. Wagner. In the post, graduate center Armando Bacot couldn’t do much against the 7-foot-1 Aaron Bradshaw.

After shaky start, blue devil basketball is back in business