Players for No. 4 Duke understandably can dream big about the possibilities for the remainder of the season.
But in the short term, there are more pressing matters with Saturday evening’s date against No. 14 North Carolina in an Atlantic Coast Conference game in Chapel Hill, N.C.
“It’s what dreams are made of,” Duke guard Caleb Foster said of the matchup in this storied rivalry, which began in 1920. “That’s all I can really say. It’s what dreams are made of. I can’t wait. It’s going to be an exciting environment. The game speaks for itself, the history of the game, and the amazing players that played in it.”
Duke (21-1, 10-0) is alone atop the league standings while North Carolina (18-4, 6-3) is tied for fifth, with four consecutive victories.
There are bound to be countless storylines unfolding at the Dean Smith Center, where the Tar Heels have won all 13 outings this season.
On the surface, the most notable matchup will involve freshmen Cameron Boozer of Duke and Caleb Wilson of North Carolina.
Boozer is tied for second in the country with an average of 23.3 points per game, while Wilson, who checks in at 20 ppg, could be on track to set the Tar Heels’ freshman scoring record
“Obviously, we know how big a deal the rivalry is,” Boozer said of the all-time series, which Duke trails 145-120, according to the NCAA.
Jon Scheyer has played in the rivalry for Duke, and he now coaches the Blue Devils.
“As a player you appreciate the challenge,” he said. “And as a coach, you do, too.”
North Carolina coach Hubert Davis is a former player for the Tar Heels, so he’s aware of the intensity that accompanies this clash. His players are tuned in on that as well.
“I’ve always watched on TV,” North Carolina freshman guard Johnathan Powell said. “Always heard it since I was little. So being blessed with this opportunity to be on this team and to go out there and to compete with my guys. I’m ready.”
Both teams are coming off double-figure home victories this week, with North Carolina holding off Syracuse 87-77 on Monday and Duke topping Boston College 67-49 on Tuesday.
The Tar Heels saw a 32-point lead dip to six points before finishing off Syracuse.
“We have stretches of brilliance, and then we’ll go stretches where we’re making multiple mistakes consecutively, and that’s something that we have to work on and get better at,” Davis said.
Duke scored 25 points in the second half against Boston College, marking the lowest total in any half this season for the Blue Devils. Scheyer, however, was able to savor his team’s defensive effort and improvements in that area.
“The main thing is just that the focus and effort has been there,” he said. “I’m really proud of that.”
Past games are bound to be distant memories by the time tip-off arrives for the first Duke-North Carolina game of the season.
Duke forward Maliq Brown said it’s a special game anytime the Blue Devils and Tar Heels meet.
“You come to Duke to play these types of games,” Brown said. “You’re always on that type of stage and playing in this type of game.”
