It wasn't that long ago that Duke showed the heart of a lion in their exciting win over North Carolina in Chapel Hill.  Now, the Blue Devils face the Tar Heels again and not much has changed since then in the way of personnel.  Once again, Duke will likely be short handed without senior captain Amile Jefferson and once again, they come into the game an underdog.

I shouldn't have to tell you that North Carolina will be hell-bent on revenge, determined to win this game for many reasons.  Much has been made in the media this week abour how badly Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson want to go out with a win over Duke today.  Not only that, the Tar Heels can win the regular season outright today with a victory and avoid a regular season sweep.

Let's face it, in that it is hard to beat a good team twice and that will be the task for Duke today,  In Chapel Hill, Duke wouldn't go away and shocked the Tar Heels winning the game where adversity had been dealt to them in a major way.  That kind of loss can stick with you and so focus will not be an issue for North Carolina in Cameron this evening,

They will literally try to ram the ball into the paint at will in an effort to get Marshall Plumlee in foul trouble and if that happens, it could be a long night for the Blue Devils.  Duke will seek to counter by making their three point shots and getting free for them.  But the Blue Devils have not been shooting well of late which has been a concern to Mike Krzyzewski.

And the win is just as important for Duke in this one, for a victory means a double bye in the ACC Tournament.  With the lack of depth the Blue Devils have this season, any and all rest is of the utmost importance for this team.

Since its win over North Carolina, Duke has forged a new identity and they've vaulted back into the nation's top 25.  For Duke to be successful this evening, the key player may very well be their freshman from Kinston, North Carolina -- Brandon Ingram.

One of the things Krzyzewski said in his press conference this week was that the long and sleek freshman needed to finish better.  If he is able to take another step in the process of becoming the incredible player he will one day be in the NBA while in Durham, that would bode well for the Blue Devils.

Another thing Duke must do today is to some how, some way, avoid all the hype.  It's Senior Day and that brings with it emotions.  Plumlee has to not try to do too much too soon and instead pace himself for what will be a battle royal.  And the Duke players must also try to avoid the hype from ESPN Game Day being on campus and recording their every move.

Magic rarely strikes twice as it did in Chapel Hill and that means the Blue Devils will have to show guts this time where they showed heart in the last outing.  This is a huge challenge for the Blue Devils against one of the most talented and experienced teams in the nation that will bring their A plus game to Coach K Court.

The solution for Duke to win is similar as it was before,  That being, keep yourself in position to win, avoid foul trouble, get to the line and knock down your threes.    The Cameron Crazies will be of the utmost importance today as well for there will be more than once occasion when the team needs a lift.

Win or lose, this has been a good season for Duke which has had more than their share of controversy and bad breaks.  No matter the outcome, Duke Basketball continues to be in a good place.  This has been  very likable team that has played together and given it their all.  From Grayson Allen to Matt Jones, they've been a fun group to follow.

A lot of times when these two college basketball behemoths take to the court, you can throw conventional wisdom out of the equation. That will not change tonight and that's why so many people tune into this game. It is that one match up where time seems to slow to a crawl and every single play brings out emotion as if it matters, for it does.  It's intense, it is uplifting, it is deflating.  It's the best rivalry in all of sports.

Throw the ball up already, and let's begin.