Males’s faculty basketball is all the time higher when Duke and North Carolina are at their finest, isn’t it?
However for the 2 rivals separated by lower than 11 miles in North Carolina’s Analysis Triangle, it hasn’t all the time been that means currently. Whereas Duke has gone a step additional within the NCAA Match in every of Jon Scheyer’s earlier three seasons on the job in Durham — capturing two convention event crowns alongside the way in which — outcomes for Hubert Davis in Chapel Hill have been a blended bag.
The Tar Heels missed the NCAA Match all collectively in 2023, solely to rebound in 2024 and seize a No. 1 seed in March Insanity regardless of dropping to rival NC State within the title sport of the ACC Match. This time final season, UNC was saddled with an 8-5 document, however went 1-5 towards Energy 4 opponents of their non-conference slate. The Tar Heels went into Choice Sunday feeling nervous with a so-so resume, however received into the sphere of 68 as one of many final 4 groups in.
Coming into his fifth season on the helm since taking the reins of the Tar Heels from Roy Williams, the expectations have been raised for Davis and the cash faucet to amass expertise was turned on by these with deep pockets round Chapel Hill. The message was easy: Assets to win on this new period of school sports activities got to Davis, and now he needed to show he might construct a profitable group.
Up to now, he’s proving he can.
The Tar Heels head into ACC play this season — which begins for them on Tuesday at house within the Dean Dome towards Florida State — with a 12-1 document and a No. 12 rating within the AP Prime 25 Ballot. And this time, their resume is mighty spectacular, because the Heels have pocketed non-conference victories over Kansas, Kentucky, Georgetown and Ohio State. The lone blemish on their document is a impartial website loss to Michigan State.
In the meantime, Duke seems to be to have the makings of a Last 4 contender once more. Ranked sixth within the newest AP Ballot, the Blue Devils are 11-1 with wins over Tennessee, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, Florida and Michigan State. Their solely loss got here by the hands of fellow high 25 group Texas Tech on a impartial court docket. For Duke, ACC play begins Wednesday at Cameron Indoor Stadium towards Georgia Tech.
The catalyst for this early-season success for each UNC and Duke has been the unbelievable play of stellar rookies.
For Duke, it’s been Cameron Boozer. For North Carolina, Caleb Wilson.
Boozer is a participant who got here into this season with a ton of hype round him and he’s greater than delivered. The son of former Duke nationwide champion and two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, he’s extensively projected to be a high 5 choice within the 2026 NBA Draft. Boozer leads the nation in scoring this season with 23.2 factors per sport, and he’s additionally knocking down 10 rebounds and meting out 4 assists per sport, doing a bit little bit of every part for the Blue Devils and doing it very properly.
“He is beneath such management and he does such an excellent job… His entire demeanor, and possibly it is his bloodlines along with his dad, and possibly it is Jon doing a hell of a job, and possibly the child is only a particular participant,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo stated of Boozer. “However when he can beat you with the cross, the dribble, the rebound, and the three-point shot. There aren’t many guys that we have ever performed towards.
Wilson might be part of Boozer as a lottery choose this summer time. A 6-foot-10 five-star prospect from Atlanta, Ga., Wilson is averaging 19.6 factors and an ACC-leading 10.8 rebounds per sport. He just lately matched UNC legend Phil Ford as the one Tar Heel freshmen to attain a minimum of 20 factors in 5 consecutive video games. Like Boozer, he does every part for his group, as Wilson leads UNC in scoring, rebounding, offensive rebounds, steals, blocks and free throws made.
“I have never seen many gamers like him in faculty basketball in in all probability 15 years,” Georgetown coach Ed Cooley stated of Wilson. “He is a hell of a expertise. I see him being an NBA All-Star. He has the flexibility to make professional strikes. Athletic, lengthy, unbelievable rebounder, performs in transition. He jogs my memory a variety of Tracy McGrady.”
One other UNC nice – Tyler Hansbrough – was the final rookie to guide the Tar Heels in scoring and rebounding. Wilson finds himself in good firm statistically, and he’s wowed followers along with his dunks and has seduced them along with his swagger and persona. He couldn’t have endeared himself to North Carolina followers greater than when, again in September, he proclaimed: “I don’t like Duke, I don’t like NC State, I don’t like Wake Forest. This 12 months, we’re placing a belt on all people.”
That was earlier than Wilson had even taken a dribble in Carolina Blue. Up to now, he’s backing it up.
Louisville and Virginia are additionally ranked within the AP Prime 25 Ballot coming into the New 12 months, and first-year NC State coach Will Wade has promised a “reckoning” and has the Wolfpack sitting at 9-4 after a victory over Ole Miss. After getting a historic low 4 groups into the NCAA Match final 12 months, the ACC hopes that the rising tides of Boozer and Wilson can elevate the remainder of the league’s boats.
Go forward and circle your calendars for when the 2 standout forwards meet: Feb. 7 in Chapel Hill and March 7 in Durham. Which group is healthier stays unclear, however on-court fireworks are a assure.
