Here we are, folks. Round 2 of the greatest rivalry in sports, and the regular season finale. One team (UNC) has failed to live up to lofty pre-season expectations, but still managed to put together a fine season. In the other corner, we have Duke, who has had a roller-coaster of a season thus far. Duke initially started out hot, but a puzzling beatdown at Clemson sent the team into a curious tailspin, losing 4 of 6. My, have the fortunes of Duke changed since then, but now we have a couple of injuries as well. Nolan will miss the 3rd straight game, out with a concussion, and Lance and Z have some nagging injuries as well. The key to Duke's late season revival has been Elliot Williams. Out of the bazillion lineup changes we have had this year, Jon, G, Elliot, Kyle, and Lance has worked out the best. Elliot has really been composed for a freshman-he also brings a tenacious defensive presence with his long frame, and he can also hit a shot or two and get some putbacks.
We are playing our best ball of the year right now, in my opinion. Can the team go into Chapel Hell and ruin the Marvelous Mouth-breather Tyler Handsburro's senior night, returning the favor for '06? Why yes, yes they can, but it is going to be quite the effort. Emotions for Tyler will be high today, causing the refs to send him to the line about 30 times. That I do not wish for. The atmosphere in the K-Dome will be more than the normal whine-and-cheese crowd there.
Now, onto the game. The story of the game will be Duke's injury problems (primarily frontcourt) and how they will affect us. We can win, no doubt. It is just going to take one helluva effort. Ol' Horseface Williams, in his best, most convincing way has also said that Tyyyyyyy Lawbreakerson left practice the other day on crutches, because he stubbed his toe? Broke a toenail?. Please......Lawson is going to play the full game in this. Nice try, Roy, we're not buying it. A lot has changed since the first meeting, (with us.). You guys still play the defense of 5 traffic cones on D, nothing really has changed. We, on the other hand, have discovered our secret weapon- E.Williams. And he's coming for you, Lawbreakerson. But still, all is not peaches and cream. We are pretty thin on the inside, with Z with a broken nose, and Lance, with a ankle sprain. Both figure to play sparingly, but we will need them. It's your time MILES!!!!
UNC on the other hand, throws out Cryler Handjob, Deon Thompson, Ed Davis, and Tyler Zeller to throw at our paper thin frontcourt. Here's to hoping Dave, Miles, Kyle and Z can play some good D down low! I want to see Thompson being acknowledged as an actual player on UNC, instead being seen as just a space eater....consequently, he scored UNC's first 8 pts the first time around. Let's go out there and play some solid defense, and ATTEMPT to keep Handjob off the line!!! Come on, Kyle, we need you to have another big game!
On to the backcourt....Can we contain LOLson? Elliot Williams will be the key to that. If we cannot, we are in a world of hurt. You saw how he repeatadly sliced and diced his way into the lane at will the first matchup. Stopping that would help us tremendously, and you, Elliot Williams, are the key! Who on UNC can stop G? No one really, so I think he will have a big game. You saw how he willed us to the win on Tuesday, what will he do today? What will Scheyer do? He needs to be steady in his new PG role, and it would help if he could hit a couple 3's as well.
Let me bring up the example of the '01 season finale-at the K Dome. Sans Carlos Boozer with a broken leg we entered the Dean E. Smith Center with no chance in the media's eyes to win. Our new, quick strike lineup, with Reggie Love, Casey Sanders, and Matt Christensen performed admirably in Boozer's spot, going in and shocking the Holes, winning 95-81. Let's not get all excited though, these are different teams, Duke then and now, and UNC then and now. We ended up winning the NC that year, and that team was a lot better then this one. UNC on the other hand was OK, featuring Joe Forte and Brendan Haywood. Today's UNC team is a helluva lot better than that one.
What will come out of this game? We can definitely win vs this less than-impressively performing Tar Hole squad. All we need to do is stay steady throughout the game, don't abandon our gameplan when distressed, like we did the first meeting. No track meets, either. DO NOT make this into an up and down game. MAKE them play D. Defense is some kind of foreign concept to them. But alas, I am actually nervous for this game....nothing like the first time around where I was almost sure we would win.
Come on DUKE!
Spoil Handjob's Senior Day and return the favor! GTHC, GTHC!!!!
GO DUKE!!!
UNC 87 Duke 80
PROVE ME WRONG, BOYS!
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