Odds are that I won’t get time to do any sort of decent preview of tonight’s UNC-Duke game, so I’m going to reward the efforts of others.
Check out the link compilations at the ACC BasketBlog and the Duke Basketball Report. You’ll find way more than you’ll ever need.
Quickly, I’ll say that I really don’t have a good read on this game. I don’t think Carolina is exactly the sort of team that gives Duke trouble (long, athletic teams that drive to the basket), but they are pretty close. Hansbrough should be able to score inside, but I’m concerned about their ball-handling (insert Chris Paul joke here). You just can’t turn the ball over 25 times against Duke and hope to win. On the flip side, given the current climate, I suspect that Carolina might expect to get some favorable calls tonight. I’m sure the refs will be extra careful after the bashing they’ve taken after the past two Duke games.
BTW, if I were Carolina, I’d put a good defender on Redick and otherwise just let him go. Don’t build any elaborate schemes for him. If he gets 30 or 40, so be it. Just don’t allow the focus on him enable the other Blue Devils to beat you.
I’m looking forward to an exciting, intense game. I’m also interested in seeing the first installment in what could be a nice rivalry between Greg Paulus and Bobby Frasor (although Frasor will probably lose his job next year to Tywon Lawson).