University of North Carolina Athletics
Duke Game Guide
March 8, 2009 | Men's Basketball
March 8, 2009
By Lauren Brownlow
The Basics
No. 2/2 North Carolina (26-3, 12-3) will face No. 7/7 Duke (25-5, 11-4) with an outright ACC regular-season title at stake for Carolina and a share of the title on the line for Duke. Also up for grabs is the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament; a win would give it to Carolina while a loss would put it in doubt. A win would give Carolina its third regular-season championship in the past five seasons and 17th overall. This is the final home game for Carolina's senior class (Tyler Hansbrough, Danny Green, Bobby Frasor, Michael Copeland, Patrick Moody and Jack Wooten). Carolina is coming off of an 86-78 win at Virginia Tech on Wednesday. Duke beat Florida State 84-81 at home on Tuesday night.
Carolina leads the all-time series, 129-97. The Tar Heels have won five of the last six and six of the last eight meetings. Carolina is 58-31 against Duke in Chapel Hill and 13-10 in the Smith Center. Sunday will mark the 12th time that a regular-season finale between Duke and Carolina has decided at least a share of the ACC regular-season title; it is the sixth time that a win would give a team the outright title and a loss meant a tie. The last time that happened was 2001.
Game Time: Duke at North Carolina, 4:00 PM.
Last Time: Carolina beat Duke 101-87 on February 11, 2009 in the first meeting between the two teams. Tyler Hansbrough and Danny Green became only the third and fourth ACC players to go 4-0 in Cameron Indoor Stadium. It was also the first time Carolina broke the 100-point mark on Duke in the rivalry in regulation since 1983 and the first team in nine years to break 100 points on Duke. Carolina allowed Duke to shoot 62% in the first half and a 22-5 run gave Duke an early first-half lead, 40-34. But in the second half, Carolina shot over 59 percent and pulled ahead by as many as 17 points on two big runs, one 25-11 to take the lead and another of 14-0. Duke cut it back to eight points with 1:25 left but Carolina pulled ahead on foul shots and outscored Duke 9-3 the rest of the way.
Ty Lawson led Carolina with 25 points, 21 in the second half. He shot 8-of-11 from the floor, 9-of-9 from the foul line and had five assists, five turnovers and two steals. Tyler Hansbrough added 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting and added six rebounds, an assist and a block. He also hit a three-pointer that capped off the 14-0 second-half run. Danny Green had 15 points. Wayne Ellington also had 15 points but shot just 4-of-15 from the floor, adding a team-high seven rebounds to go with two assists and three steals. Deon Thompson had ten of his 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting in the first half. Bobby Frasor added nine points on 3-of-4 shooting, all from beyond the arc, in an ACC-high 27 minutes. Kyle Singler led Duke with 22 points and six rebounds. Jon Scheyer added 20 points and a team-high four assists. Gerald Henderson had 17 points (four in the second half) and Nolan Smith added 11 points.
Radio Coverage: Tar Heel Sports Network coverage begins at 3:00 PM.
Injury Report: Marcus Ginyard and the Tar Heel medical staff have decided it is best for him to take a medical redshirt this season. He had surgery on October 8th, 2008 to repair a stress fracture in his left foot. He attempted to come back and still had pain. He has gone through nearly a month's worth of intensive rehab to try to get back into game shape, but he still has pain in the foot. Will Graves has been suspended for the remainder of this season. Ty Lawson did not practice Saturday because of a toe injury and his status is uncertain. Duke's Nolan Smith is doubtful with a concussion. Lance Thomas is questionable with a sprained ankle. Brian Zoubek will play with a broken nose.
Storylines
Making the most of each possession: In a rivalry game like this one, every possession is important. In the second half of Carolina's three ACC losses, it has averaged 0.74 points per possession and even just 1.4 points per free-throw possession (not counting and-one chances). The Tar Heels also have 47 offensive rebounds and 32 second-chance points in the three losses and scored 78 points from the field on 114 attempts (0.68 points per shot). In 12 league wins, Carolina has averaged 1.02 points per possession and 1.7 points per free-throw possession, converting 90 offensive rebounds into 100 second-chance points. Carolina also scored 425 points from the field on 384 shots (1.11 per shot).
Even in some games during which Carolina hasn't shot the ball well, it hasn't necessarily been because of bad shots. Bad shots happen from time to time in any game, and bad shots sometimes even go in. In Carolina's close wins, the Tar Heels have averaged 0.89 points per possession in the second half but converted 36 points in 22 free-throw possessions (not counting and-one's). The Tar Heels are getting around one fewer possession in the second half of close wins but scoring nearly nine fewer points (48.2 in nine big wins to 39.3 in close wins). Carolina also has averaged more turnovers, losing it 14.6% of the time in big wins compared to 16.7% in close wins. Carolina has also capitalized on its chances in big wins, turning 63 offensive boards into 72 points in the second half; in close wins, it is 28 second-chance points on 27 offensive boards.
At Virginia Tech, Carolina made just 38.7% of its second-half shots but made 18-of-24 fouls shots, pulling down 10 of 19 missed field goals and turning them into only eight points. Carolina averaged 1.5 points in the final three minutes after averaging 0.8 in the first 17. It was only the second game Carolina has won in the ACC when shooting below 40% in the second half (2-3 overall). Carolina missed shots it would normally make but stayed calm in a hostile environment and stuck with its game plan. "We controlled the ball without turning it over, but we just didn't make a lot of shots," Williams said. "You have to give their defense some credit for that. But in one stretch in the second half, Wayne (Ellington) missed a wide-open three, Tyler (Hansbrough) missed one about four feet away and Tywon (Lawson) missed a layup on three straight possessions. I said, `We can't get better shots, but we've just got to make some.'"
The Tar Heels have also become a team that is taking care of the ball much more regularly, especially at home. Carolina has gone from averaging 14.5 turnovers in its first four ACC home games to 12.0 in the last three. Duke has averaged 8.1 steals in ACC play and had 12 in the first meeting with Carolina. In its four-game ACC winning streak, Duke's opponents have averaged 16 turnovers and Duke has averaged 9.8 steals. Carolina has shot pretty well all season, but even better in the Smith Center. Carolina has shot 48.2% at home in seven ACC games this season but has shot over 50% in four of the last five league home games. In its last two home games, Carolina has shot 54.5% from the floor. The Tar Heels have also averaged fewer free throws at home (23) than on the road (27) in conference play and have made 74.4% compared to 82.2% on the road but Carolina has made 88.6% in the last two home games. The Tar Heels have averaged 90.1 points per game in league home games and have assists on 64.9% of their field goals.
Duke is ninth in ACC games in field-goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 42% shooting. Five of Duke's last seven opponents have shot over 50% and six of the seven have shot 48% or better. Like the Tar Heels, the Blue Devils are often willing to overplay in the hopes of forcing a turnover or a bad shot. Those overplays at times lead to some easy two-point baskets as teams work the ball to the open man but rarely does Duke allow teams to shoot uncontested three-pointers. Carolina, on the other hand, would much rather give up a three-pointer than a two-pointer. That might be why Duke is fourth in the ACC in three-point defense in league games (34.8% allowed) and Duke is tenth in defensive field-goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot 44.6% from the floor and 47.7% from two-point range.
At home, Carolina is shooting 51.2% from two-point range. Carolina actually shot 44.7% or below from two-point range in all but two ACC road games; one of the two exceptions was at Duke (28-of-47, 59.6 percent). Carolina began the season making 40% or more of its three-pointers in four of 11 games; Carolina has made less than 30% in two of the last four games and the high mark was 33.3 percent. In fact, Carolina has averaged 4.8 made three's per game in its last four after averaging 7.9 in the first 11 games. The Tar Heels are third in field-goal percentage in conference games (45.2%) and fourth in three-point percentage (37.1 percent). Carolina also shoots 48.5% from two-point range against ACC teams.
Keeping Duke from gaining offensive confidence: Carolina's defense may have been spotty this year, but the Tar Heels have rarely allowed teams to get into any kind of groove offensively. One notable exception was at Duke this season when the Tar Heels allowed Duke to shoot 61.3% in the first half, including scoring 10 points in the final 2:04 of the game. Carolina was able to withstand that run and obviously do much better defensively in the second half, but Duke is a team that has been getting more and more confident in every game and Carolina can ill afford to let it start to feel good shooting the ball. Carolina is fifth in field-goal percentage defense in ACC games, allowing 42.7% shooting; after allowing three of five opponents to shoot 48% or better, Carolina has held two of its last three to under 45 percent.
Carolina is tenth in the conference in three-point defense, allowing 37%, and Duke certainly relies on the three-pointer, averaging 23 attempts during its last four ACC games (8.0 made) after averaging 21.1 attempts (7.0 made) in its first 11 league games. But the Blue Devils are actually eighth in three-point shooting, making 33.6 percent in ACC play. Carolina allowed its first six ACC opponents to shoot 32.3% from beyond the arc, averaging 6.7 made three's on 20.7 attempts. Starting with the first NC State game and ending with the Maryland loss, Carolina allowed its next seven ACC opponents to shoot 42.1% from beyond the arc, making 9.6 three's on 22.7 attempts. The three-point defense has improved as Carolina has held its past two opponents to 14-of-44 shooting (31.8%) from beyond the arc, averaging 7.0 made three's on 22 attempts. In fact, the 26.3% shooting by Virginia Tech was the lowest by a Tar Heel opponent since its first ACC win at Virginia when the Cavaliers made 4-of-27 three's.
Duke is definitely a team that lives by the three-pointer but has been able to use it in a more balanced fashion in its last few games. In fact, Duke has made 14-of-39 three's in its last two road games (35.9%). After attempting 40 three-pointers on 138 shots (29%) and just 34 free throws combined in a two-game skid to North Carolina and Boston College, Duke has since attempted 92 three's on 242 shots (38%) and 115 free throws (28.8 per game). Carolina and Boston College attempted 33 three's on 113 shots (29.2%) and shot 48 foul shots. In the last four games, Duke's opponents have attempted 50 three's on 225 shots (22.2%) and 79 free throws (19.8).
One big reason for this discrepancy has been the number of offensive fouls Duke is able to draw. In the last two games alone, 12 of the 43 fouls committed by Duke's opponents in the last two games and 19 of 91 in the last four have been offensive fouls. That might not seem like a lot but when those pile up and have a tendency to change momentum. Wake Forest was called for four in the first half in a 3:24 period; those fouls contributed to a 19-7 Duke run that gave the Blue Devils a 43-21 lead with 6:06 to go in the half. Wake was also in the bonus at the 7:36 mark, committing four of its seven fouls on the offensive end. Maryland only had two offensive fouls but one was Greivis Vasquez's fifth at the 3:54 mark.
Virginia Tech, a team that struggled to score against Duke anyway, was called for seven offensive fouls, four in the first half. The three in the second half contributed to Duke reaching the bonus with 5:08 to go. Florida State committed five offensive fouls, but it was the lone offensive foul in the second half at the 8:27 mark that led to an 11-4 Duke run to put Duke up six with 6:38 to go. The four offensive fouls in the first half led to Duke getting into the bonus with 7:25 to go. Of the 91 fouls, 14 were in the final combined 4:20 of each game when the opponent was trying to catch up and 28 of Duke's 115 foul shots were in that period as well.
Carolina has struggled to force turnovers consistently this season and another reason that Duke has renewed offensive confidence is because it is not turning it over. Duke has averaged the fewest turnovers in ACC games, 11.1. The Blue Devils lead the league in turnover margin in ACC play at +5.47, forcing 16.6. Carolina is fifth, committing 13.6 but forcing only 14.1 (+0.47). In its last four games, Duke has averaged just 7.8 turnovers, committing no more than nine in any of its last four games. Duke has averaged a +8.5 turnover margin in its last four.
The Tar Heels have not forced 20 or more turnovers once this season and forced just 11 at Virginia Tech, its fewest since NC State committed just nine at home. The Tar Heels have scored 113 points off turnovers in seven ACC home games and 50 of those have come in the last two games against NC State and Georgia Tech as those two teams turned it over 33 times. The Tar Heels scored 25 points off of 15 Duke turnovers in the first meeting this season and will need to capitalize similarly on mistakes in this game as well.
Keeping emotions in check: There are a lot of challenges brought on by even a normal Senior Day. But this one of course has added significance because it's Carolina-Duke and it's for the ACC regular-season title. Williams has always encouraged his players to take an even-keeled approach to the season - not getting too high, not getting too low - and that can be challenging before a game like this.
"I think the biggest challenge is to get the kids to relax and not be so worried about ... all of those logistical stresses on the kids," Williams said. "It doesn't allow them to rest, mentally or physically. It doesn't allow them to focus like we like for them to, even the day of the game. Then you have certain youngsters that put more pressure on themselves; you have to be concerned about that. Basketball is a game that you can get emotionally too high. It's not like football where you can knock the dickens out of somebody or get knocked out a couple of times, and then you're okay because you're in the game."
After such a turbulent start to its season, Carolina finally has a chance to win the ACC regular season title outright after most had written them off. If Carolina loses, it will technically win a share of the ACC regular-season title. But that is not good enough for this team. "We don't want to split it, to be honest with you. We want to have it to ourselves," Hansbrough said. "It's a difficult goal, and I thought when we first started out the year 0-2 and a lot of people started doubting us, we stayed together as a team. For us to be in this situation right now really shows a lot."
The rivalry game does not need that extra impetus of a title on the line either way. Danny Green, one of Carolina's most fun-loving seniors, knows the difficulty of balancing fun with intensity in this rivalry. "Hopefully, we get to have some fun as well. It's hard to have fun when you're playing a great team like Duke," Green said. "You've got to be focused. You've got to be ready. Every second of the game is intense. So we've got to stay focused on what we have ahead of us."
Another reason that this game will be especially emotional is that this is Roy Williams' first senior class with multiple members that he recruited. It is a class that exceeded all expectations during their freshman season and has become one of the most beloved classes of all time. "Those kids came in and tried to do exactly what we said. They were very much good teammates - not just players, but they were really, really good teammates. To me, they've been the nucleus of what we've done the last four years," Williams said. "But for them to be such great teammates, that's been a very satisfying thing to me. You've got to have some special feelings about those kids if you're a North Carolina fan."
It's hard to keep all of that in perspective, but this team has weathered storms of emotion and momentum on the road throughout their careers, most recently at Virginia Tech on Wednesday. In a game that will no doubt have its ups and downs, Carolina will need to show that same toughness. The 40.9% shooting was the third-lowest the Tar Heels have had in ACC play while still winning. Carolina held Virginia Tech to 40.6%, the lowest it has allowed since its last road game at Miami (38.2 percent). Carolina was able to do what it needed to do on both ends. "We just came out, got the shots that we wanted to, got the stops defensively and that was big for us," Hansbrough said. "I didn't think that we tried to force anything, didn't try to panic. We stayed within our team and didn't make simple mistakes."
At The Game
Listening to the Tar Heel Sports Network at the game: The in-stadium frequency in the Smith Center will be FM 92.7. That station will have a non-delayed feed of WCHL 1360, the local affiliate.
Watching At Home
Turn down the sound: If you're watching at home while listening to the radio or over the computer via Carolina All-Access, there will inevitably be some delay. For the reason - and a possible solution - click here.
A full list of THSN affiliates can be found here.
CBS coverage: The game will be available on CBS.
Names To Know
Tyler Hansbrough: He told the media that he was trying not to think about it, but knowing how much Carolina means to him, this will not be just another game to Tyler Hansbrough. It should not be just another game for the fans, either. But he will try to strike the balance between the pressure and scrutiny and wanting to win as delicately as he always has. He has flown under the radar for much of this season - not that he would care either way - but he has always played well against the Blue Devils. He has also played well the last two games, averaging 25 points and 12.5 rebounds on 58.6% shooting (100% from the foul line) and just one turnover.
Against Duke, Hansbrough has averaged 20.6 points and 11.1 rebounds. He averages 6.9 free throw attempts against Duke, his fewest against any ACC opponent except Maryland (5.3). Duke is the only ACC opponent against which he has not attempted ten or more free throws. He has improved each year in his home games against Duke, scoring 14 as a freshman in a home loss, 26 in a home win (in the game he had his nose broken in) and 28 in last year's home loss. In his last two home games against Duke, he has averaged 27 points and 17.5 rebounds on 56.4% shooting. In the first meeting between the two teams this season, he had 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting and added six rebounds, one assist and a block.
The senior will play his last home game in a place where, this season, he has averaged 23.2 points and 8.8 rebounds. He also has averaged one assist per game. In ACC home games, he has shot 52% and averaged 22.7 points and 8.9 rebounds, adding 1.1 assists. After shooting over 50 percent in just one of Carolina's first five ACC road games, he has shot 20-of-28 from the floor (71.4%) in the past two ACC home games, averaging 27.5 points and 8.5 rebounds, adding four assists to two turnovers and one steal per game.
Danny Green: There's a reason Danny Green is the only Tar Heel with at least one made three-pointer in every ACC game - he has both the persistence and the confidence to stick with something, even if it's not working. It's that attitude that makes him who he is and makes him alternately awe-inspiring and maddening. "Having the Coach say, `Man, what a big-time play, Danny,' and then the next second, `Danny, what were you thinking?' That's Danny Green," Williams said.
Green's streak of made three-pointers nearly came to an end against Virginia Tech. The senior made just two of six attempts but he missed his first two. But he kept taking them and even the shots that seemed like good shots weren't quite falling for Green. "A shooter's supposed to keep shooting no matter what's going on or how bad of a shooting night you're having, so I kept shooting," Green said. "I was just more focused on the process of getting the ball through the net, holding my follow-through and keeping my form right. ... I did know that. I was struggling all night. I wasn't making anything. Nothing was going down for me. I stuck with it, kept my focus and some baskets dropped for me."
In the final 13:35 of the game, two of Green's three-pointers gave Carolina back a lead after Virginia Tech had tied the game. In the final three minutes, he had two assists and made two free throws that extended the Carolina lead to 11 and with 24 seconds left, he helped thwart a final comeback attempt by sinking two foul shots to give Carolina a seven-point lead.
Against Duke in his career, he has not always played a lot or a big role but in the last two games, he has shot 56.5% (42.9% from beyond the arc) and has averaged 16.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in just 24.5 minutes. In his first four games, he shot 28.6% (11.1% from beyond the arc) and averaged 5.3 points and 5.0 rebounds in 19 minutes. In the last home game against Duke, he shot 1-of-10 in the loss.
Green not only has a chance to become the winningest Tar Heel in history, passing Sam Perkins, but he also has become one of four ACC players to compile 100 blocks and 100 made three-pointers. He is the only Tar Heel to get 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists, 100 blocks and 100 steals. "A lot of people are satisfied at being good at one thing. I like to be good at a lot of things that I do or everything that I do," Green said. "I'm sure a lot of people like to do that too but I don't think they work on it as much as I do. I don't think I'm great at anything, but I'll work on some things to get good at it."
Ty Lawson: Lawson had a monster game against Duke in Durham and proved that his absence last year due to injury in the first meeting left Carolina without a potential game-changer. He missed only three shots (two two-point attempts) and made eight, adding 9-of-9 foul shots on his way to 25 points. He added five assists and two steals. He did have five turnovers, his most in an ACC game, but he was absolutely dominant. Since and including that game, he has averaged 18.8 points on 54.4% shooting (85.7% from the foul line on 5.8 attempts per game), adding 6.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.5 turnovers. Without that game, he has 31 assists and 10 turnovers. In the last five games, Lawson has attempted almost as many free throws as Tyler Hansbrough (26 compared to 28 for Hansbrough) and has averaged 17.6 points, 6.2 assists and 1.4 steals, shooting 50.9% from the floor and 45 percent from beyond the arc.
If there is a concern, it would be his three-point shooting (9-of-21, 42.9%) if only because he made 15-of-31 (48.4%) in Carolina's first nine league contests. But he has made 59.6% of his two-point attempts in the last six games after making 49.1% in the first nine. Still, he has never made a three-pointer against Duke in four games; Duke is the only team that he has not made a three-pointer against. That is probably what helped prompt the comment by a few Blue Devils that Lawson is not a good outside shooter, something that Lawson took exception to. "According to them, I can't shoot, so they'll probably sag off," Lawson said. "They might put somebody more athletic on me, like Gerald or Elliot Williams. Either one of those two things is what I feel like they're going to do. ... If they give me a shot, I'm going to take it, definitely. I'll just wait for my opportunities."
He has averaged 19.6 points on the road compared to 12.7 at home in league play but he has averaged 7.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.7 turnovers at home compared to 4.9 assists, one steal and 2.8 turnovers on the road. But after averaging 11.5 points on 31.6% shooting (23.1% from two-point range) and dishing out 12 assists to seven turnovers in Carolina's first two ACC home games, he has shot 54.8% (56% from two-point range), averaging 13.6 points and sporting a ridiculous assist/turnover ratio - 42 assists to just seven turnovers in the last five.
Gerald Henderson: The junior swingman has really come on strong for the Blue Devils, not only in all ACC games but also down the stretch of the conference season. In Duke's first ten conference games, he averaged 18.7 points and 2.6 assists and has averaged 23.2 points and 3.8 assists in the last five games. However, his shooting percentage has gone down from 59.7% in Duke's first ten games (38.9% beyond the arc) to 43.9% in the last five games (21.1% from beyond the arc). The equalizer has been that his increased aggressiveness has led to him getting to the foul line 7.4 times per game in the last five games (and making 86.5%) compared to 4.1 attempts per game in the first ten (and making 65.9 percent).
Henderson has had an odd trend in the last few games of seeing a significant dip in production from half to half. In the first half of the last six ACC games, he has shot 55.6% from the floor and averaged 12.5 points, attempting just 18.5% of his shots from beyond the arc (10 of 54 shots). But in the second half in the last six games, he has shot 32.1% and averaged 7.7 points, attempting nearly 30% of his shots from beyond the arc (15 of 53). It could be teams adjusting to Henderson defensively in the second half or Henderson becoming a bit tired (he has played 115 of 120 second-half minutes in the last six games), but he appears to become a bit less aggressive in terms of his shot selection. Regardless, the teams that have made Henderson work are the teams that have been able to beat Duke. Carolina was evidently one of those teams as Henderson followed up a 13-point first half on 6-of-7 shooting (1-of-1 from beyond the arc) with four points on 1-of-9 shooting (0-of-5 from beyond the arc) in the second half.
After missing all seven shot attempts in the second half against Virginia Tech in a close Duke win, he managed 14 points on 4-of-10 shooting in the second half against Florida State. In the game, he had 21 points on 6-of-17 shooting (2-of-5 from beyond the arc) and 7-of-9 from the foul line. He also added ten rebounds, his most in ACC play, and five assists in 35 minutes. He has always loved playing against North Carolina. As a freshman, he had two of his nine double-figure scoring games against Carolina and averaged nearly ten more points (15.0 to 6.3) and shot significantly better (51.9% to 43.9%) against Carolina than against everyone else.
Kyle Singler: The sophomore forward came into the Carolina game on a bad five-game stretch, shooting 28.8% from the floor and 23.8% from beyond the arc (31.1% from two-point range), averaging 12.2 points. In the six games since and including the Carolina game, he has averaged 18.7 points on 48.1% shooting (44.4% from beyond the arc, 50% from two-point range). His 60% shooting night against Carolina in the first meeting was his second-best in ACC play and his nine made field goals were the most. In Durham earlier this season, he played just 33 minutes but scored 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting (3-of-5 from beyond the arc), adding six rebounds, three assists, two steals and just one turnover.
The odd thing is that with all the fuss about Carolina's perimeter defense, it has held down opposing post players very well. Jeff Allen's 12 rebounds were the most in a game against Carolina by a premier post player this season; the next-closest were six by two players. Only four post players have scored in double figures against the Tar Heels in 11 tries (Brandon Costner did it twice). But before Allen's 18, no one had scored more than 13 points. In fact, in those 11 games, the post players have been held to 10.3 points and 5.7 rebounds on average, committing 3.3 fouls and 2.2 turnovers.
In Singler's first two games against North Carolina combined, he shot 8-of-21 from the floor, 5-of-12 from beyond the arc and scored 24 points, adding 18 rebounds (12.0 and 9.0, on average) in 37 minutes. He had averaged 2.5 turnovers in his first two meetings with Carolina but had just one in the last meeting. Overall, he has shot 47.6% from the floor and 47.1% from beyond the arc, averaging 15.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals in three games against Carolina.
Jon Scheyer: Carolina killers that play for Duke now are more well-known - Greg Paulus raining three-pointers, Gerald Henderson going off, Lance Thomas playing well - but it has been Jon Scheyer who is the steadiest on his team against the Tar Heels. The junior guard has averaged 17.4 points on 40.6% shooting (42.9% from beyond the arc) in five games against Carolina, adding 3.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals in 34.2 minutes. In the two wins against Carolina that he has played in, he has averaged 18 points and made 6-of-15 three-pointers (he made 5-of-11 from two-point range). He also averaged a ridiculous 36.5 minutes in the two wins. In the three losses, he has still shot well from beyond the arc, making 6-of-14 three's (42.9%) compared to 9-of-24 two's, still averaging 17 points and adding four rebounds, 3.7 assists and two steals in 32.7 minutes.
He has struggled some with his shot, but he has a 1.9 assist/turnover ratio in ACC play, averaging 3.0 assists and one steal per league contest. He shot 28.3% from the floor and 30.6% from beyond the arc in the first 11 ACC games. In the last four games, he has shot 39.6% and 38.2% from beyond the arc, increasing his made three's per game from 1.7 to 3.3. Seven of his 15 ACC steals have come in the last four games. In the last meeting against Carolina, Scheyer had 20 points on 6-of-15 shooting (2-of-7 from beyond the arc), adding two rebounds, four assists and two steals in 33 minutes. With Scheyer taking over the point guard duties so that freshman Elliot Williams can provide a spark on both ends of the court, but particularly defensively, Scheyer has proven that he is one of the more versatile and important players in the ACC.
"Jon has always in my opinion been a complete and total basketball player," Williams said. "He's never gotten credit for what he did defensively because of what he was able to do shooting the basketball. He never got credit for being able to get loose balls and tough rebounds because of what he did shooting the basketball. I think that just overshadowed everything else. I think he is one of the complete players in our league that people just think of him as a shooter. He's also so smart. ... So just handling the basketball and doing some of those things is just part of being a total basketball player and I really think that he is. He's a kid I have a great deal of admiration for because physically gifted, jumping over the moon, you don't see all that. But you see a very productive youngster."
Quotables
"I want to give Danny Green some credit right here because he's always Mr. Mouth. Every time we have a secret, he always tells you guys. I'm proud of Danny that he didn't go running to you guys and tell him what the heck I said. I threatened him, and I'm not going to tell you what I threatened him with." -Roy Williams
"No, I'm going on the fly. Some of my best moments have been on the fly." -Tyler Hansbrough on his senior speech
"I've got two nieces, and from that age on (2 ½ and 2), nobody likes to share." -Bobby Frasor on the prospect of sharing the ACC regular-season title
"The seven will be instructed to bring a present to the coach at practice tomorrow and the best five presents get the start. ... With seven guys, I don't want to be there at three in the morning Monday morning. I eat pregame meal at 12:00 and I don't eat again until after the game, and I'm going to be hungry so we've got to finish sometime." -Roy Williams on some of the complications of having seven seniors
"If somebody tries to sell that to you, let me know because I can sell you a lot of old golf balls and crap. My gosh, two weeks before our game, they were playing better basketball than anybody in the ACC, period. Right now, they've won (five) in a row. ... If you're going to try to make up that scenario, you're not looking at it realistically. You're not being fair to my kids. You're not of the same world." -Roy Williams, on the idea that this year's Duke team, like the 2006 Carolina team, is "not being given much of a chance"
"I just happened to be in the meeting room in Washington, DC. We had just lost to Georgia Tech in the second round of the ACC Tournament and I was biting nails in half. We talked a little bit longer and I got off the phone and I said, `I just hope he plays and changes my emotions as much as he just changed them,' because I was ready to fight anybody if they had a chainsaw. I did not care. I was ticked off. I didn't like the way we played, the way we looked, the way we smelled, didn't like anything. Then all of a sudden: `Coach, we took it to them!'" -Roy Williams
"I think it depends on who `the public' is. Some people I have a great deal of respect for and their knowledge of basketball and they see what it is. There are some people that wouldn't know a rear pick from a Wall Street broker taking their money, so why should I be concerned about that?" -Roy Williams (on the public perception of his team's defense)
Lauren Brownlow is the managing editor of Tar Heel Monthly.
