Next up, Maryland

Nobody is ready to let go of the Duke_UNC game just yet including me as you will see as you read on below.  But Duke has to put that game behind them and prepare to defend the home turf.  Duke should handle Maryland in that they have but so much fire power but overlook any team beyond the bottom dwellers and an upset can occur.  The Terps feature the leading scorer in the ACC in Terrell  Stoglin, but they’re thin up front.  With a much improved N.C. State coming in next week, getting this game into the win column is a must to remain atop the conference and in the ACC race.

Has Duke found their go to guy?

The last question asked in Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s press conference was about Austin Rivers and his ability to step up.  I know because I posed the question and I’d been seeing signs of young Rivers starting to get the college game.  Coach Krzyzewski basically said he needed his juniors and senior to step up but in the back of his mind, I am certain he saw exactly what I had.  Well, everybody saw it when he drilled a three point shot over Zeller as time ran out securing a win over arch rival North Carolina.  What you saw offensively is exactly what Rivers did on a regular basis on the AAU level but now he had one of those patented performances on the biggest stage possible.  Duke has found their go to guy and you can bet that the ball will be in his hands a lot as the season wears on.  The bottom line is that Austin Rivers blew up last night showing the kind of confidence that cannot be taught.  If Seth Curry and Rivers get on the same page, Duke will be much improved and last night was a good start towards that mix.   The key here is that Rivers wants to step up and he’s become tougher each game out.  Much like I mentioned early on this season, at some point the light would go off for Rivers and that’s exactly what happened against North Carolina.   Check out Duke Blue Planet’s Comeback Video by clicking this link.

Good job Coach

Coach Krzyzewski kept his team confident and playing hard against North Carolina and they kept playing hard and the end result is the epitome of why you do so.  Krzyzewski shrewdly brought his team in without calling a timeout where he made the move to Tyler Thornton to guard Tyler Zeller.  The reason was that Zeller was the player he wanted fouled and the perceived mismatch caused North Carolina to play right into his hands.  Just before that, Roy Williams called a full timeout for strategy and his team totally came apart being outscored 10-0 down the stretch, struggling to get a shot off during the Blue Devils run.

Streaks

The Blue Devils win will keep their streak of remaining in the top ten in the polls in tact at 88 straight.  Duke also ended the Tar Heels 31 home court winning streak, the longest in their history.  Coach Krzyzewski also kept the edge over his rival 37-36  and one must remember the arly lean years when taking those numbers in when he was building his program.  Krzyzewaki is 13-9 against Coach Williams.

Rasheed Sulaimon named to McDonald’s All American Team

Coming in next season for Duke is a slick guard out of Texas, Rasheed Sulaimon and he’s made the McDonald’s All American team.  Sulaimon is potentially a lock down defender and he can slash about in a way I think you’ll like for he brings the energy.  Duke has a bevy of prospects on the team as well starting with Shabazz Muhammad, a sky walker and complete player for his age.  Tony Parker also made the squad as did Amile Jefferson, a Philly kid Duke recently offered.  Jordan Jones, the sister of Duke verbal, Matt Jones made the girls team.

Amile Jefferson nears his decision

Duke prospect and top 20 rated Amile Jefferson is about to make his collegiate choice.  Here is a recent article link.  For more on this recruitment, join Blue Devil Nation Premium and discuss the matter with other members.  BDN Premium is an extended subscription service where you get the inside scoop on all things Duke Hoops.

Duke and Carolina

Here in the Triangle, the two teams have always been referred to as Duke and Carolina and not Duke and North Carolina.  And you have to understand some of the localese pronunciations.  Duke is “Deeyewk” and Carolina is “Carelina.”  So, you add a bit of a “w” when you say Duke and lose the “r” when you say Carolina.   Also, if you’re a Blue Devil fan never use the spelling “Dook” for it is derogatory like a gangsta slurring his rivals.  And “Dookie” is a no-no, but “Dukies,” is okay.  What?

How big was Rivers shot and or where does it rank?

You see a lot of newspapers running stories on this and research is required for most, but ole Watzone was there is in person for Gene Banks shot in Cameron as well as Jeff Capel and his launched three.  I’ve seen most all of the famous shots but there is a separation point.  In this case, buzzer beaters to win games instead of great shots.  Rivers shot ranks third behind Christian Laettner’s two shots.  The first is his shot heard round the world to beat Kentucky to go to the Final Four where Duke won. The second was a Laettner shot as well, versus UConn the year before, again in the NCAA’s.  But Rivers shot will live for years to come and to me, it was the biggest shot in the lone Duke-UNC history.

[10 AP / 9 Coaches] Duke (20-4, 7-2) vs. Maryland (14-9, 4-5)

Saturday, February 11, 2012 • 4:00 p.m. • ESPN

The Opening Tip

• Duke (20-4, 7-2) hosts Maryland (14-9, 4-5) on Saturday, Feb. 11 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Tipoff is set for 4:00 p.m.

• Mike Patrick (play-by-play) and Len Elmore (analyst) will call the game for ESPN. Bill Rosinski (play-by-play) and Will Perdue (analyst) will also be on the call for ESPN Radio.

• Duke is ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll and No. 9 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. Maryland is unranked in both polls. Duke is 37-13 when ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll.

• The Blue Devils won their 20th game on Wednesday, marking the 16th consecutive 20-win season for Duke and the 27th season with 20 or more wins under Mike Krzyzewski.

• Duke and Kansas are the only two teams in the NCAA to rank in the top 10 in RPI, Strength of Schedule as well as the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

Duke-Maryland Series

• Duke and Maryland have met 172 times heading into Saturday’s game with the first meeting between the two schools coming in 1926.

• The Blue Devils lead the all-time series 111-61, including a 51-14 mark at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

• Duke has won four straight and 10 of the last 11 games in the series.

• Mike Krzyzewski is 52-21 at Duke against the Terrapins, including a 22-8 record at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

• Duke has won four straight home games in the series. The Blue Devils have a +20.3 scoring margin in that span.

• The two schools have met 18 times in ACC Tournament play with Duke posting an 11-7 record in those games.

• The Blue Devils topped Maryland, 74-61, earlier this season behind a 23-point, 12-rebound effort from junior Mason Plumlee.

Numbers Game

l The Blue Devils have won 20 or more games 27 times under Mike Krzyzewski, including each of the last 16 seasons.

l Duke has been ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll for 88 straight weeks, the third-longest streak in NCAA history.

l The Blue Devils are 60-3 at home since the start of the 2008-09 season. Duke has lost two of its last three games at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

l Duke is 10-2 at home this season and has lost more than two home games just once in the past 16 seasons.

l The Blue Devils have scored 80 or more points in a game 12 times this season. Duke has won 46 consecutive games when topping the 80-point plateau.

l Austin Rivers is coming off a 29-point, six three-point field goal effort on Wednesday against North Carolina. He has topped the 20-point mark in each of the last two games and leads the Blue Devils with six 20-point efforts.

l Mason Plumlee ranks second in the ACC in rebounding at 9.9 rpg. He has grabbed 12 or more rebounds 11 times this season including four of the last five games.

l Seth Curry is averaging 16.0 points while shooting 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from three-point range over the last three games.

l Ryan Kelly has increased his scoring average by 6.1 ppg. from a year ago and is tied for second on the team at 12.7 points per game. Kelly has scored in double figures 16 times this season after doing that just nine times in his first two seasons.

l Austin Rivers ranks eighth in the NCAA among freshman in scoring with a team-high 15.1 points per game. Johnny Dawkins was the last Blue Devil freshman to lead the team in scoring in 1983.

l Mason Plumlee is one of two players (joined by Keith Clanton, Central Florida) in the NCAA averaging at least 11.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.

l Andre Dawkins has made at least one three-point field goal in 10 straight games. He is 27-of-64 (.422) from three-point range, while averaging 10.8 points per game in that span.

l Austin Rivers is averaging 19.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists over the last four games. He is shooting 50.9 percent (27-of-53) from the field and 46.3 percent (12-of-26) from three-point range in that span.

Sir Austin Rivers shot will be remembered for a long time to come

Players can live a lifetime and not have a storybook finish to a game, but Duke freshman Austin Rivers knocked down a three point shot as the buzzer sounded over the outstretched arms of Tyler Zeller to give Duke a 85-84 win over North Carolina.   The shot was a dagger to the heart of North Carolina and Zeller who scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.  One fan exclaimed, “Cry me a Rivers,” as the freshman sensation stunned and silenced the North Carolina crowd as the ball dropped perfectly through the net as the red light and buzzer went off.  In the backdrop, the Duke players rushed onto the court after Rivers as their parents kissed, hugged and high fiving behind the Duke bench.  Duke played with heart tonight, but Rivers was the heart of that heart.  It’s a given that he’ll be named the ACC Rookie of the Week for the seventh time this season and his performance will now have the media thinking All ACC.  Rivers knocked down an amazing 6 of 10 three pointers for a career-high 29 points, the highest point total by a Blue Devil this season and the highest by a ACC freshman. Rivers scored 16 points of his points in the second half.  His shot is being shown on ESPN Sports Center every five minutes and was of course the Play of the Day.  Do you think a few folks will be talking about Rivers around the water cooler tomorrow or on Sports Center tomorrow?  You betcha!  It was a really big shot in so many ways and it made for a happy fan base.  “Obviously this is my favorite win I’ve ever had in my entire life,” Rivers said.

The Comeback

The Blue Devils were down 13 points before outscoring North Carolina 15-4 including the last 11 points of the game.  Duke hung in the game as the Tar Heels controlled almost all of the half and good things happened.  With  2:33 left in the game Duke outscored North Carolina 13-2 hitting 5 of 7 field goals including 2 of 5 from beyond the three point stripe.  The Duke defense cause two late turnovers while protecting the ball during the stretch and amazingly, the Tar Heels were never allowed a single shot in that time.  It was one of the most amazing comebacks in the rivalries history.

Back in the saddle again

Just when it looked like Duke would be tied for fourth in the ACC standings by there next game against Maryland, a victory over their arch rival put them in a three way tie for first.  After losses to Miami and Florida State at home, winning the conference seemed like a pipe dream but it suddenly looks within reach again.  Duke also won their 20th game of the season against 4 losses and if they win Saturday in their new Nike uniforms, they’ll surely move up in the rankings and ahead of North Carolina.

Ryan Kelly cool down the stretch

Ryan Kelly tallied 15 points, 10 of those coming in the second half. Kelly scored eight points in the final 7:05, showing great poise on a short-range jumper with 14 seconds that cut North Carolina’s lead to one point at 83-82.   Kelly had his three point shot tipped in for s deuce, missed another three and recovered for the aforementioned jumper in the corner.  He made just one of his three point shot, but that was a big one on a night when every play seemed big for the table as the game ended in a joyous celebration for Duke.

 Sweet Emotion

Emotion.  Without it you cannot win.  Rivers shot, all in one motion broke the hearts of the thousands of Tar Heel fans packed into the Dean Dome, leaving the North Carolina players and staff in disbelief while sending the Blue Devils into a frenzy of emotion.  This Duke team had lost two games at home and been sold short on having a chance in this game by everybody so it is no wonder that Coach Krzyzewski showed grand emotion as did his staff.  Krzzyzewski had another one of those leaps, like he did when Nolan Smith came off the court when Duke defeated North Carolina in the ACC Tournament a season ago which makes it two in a row now for Duke in the series.   As the buzzer sounded, Krzyzewski jumped into the air, one arm raised, Chris Collins doing the same beside him and Chris Spatola doing a high jump split as they watched their team rush the court after Rivers.  Kryzyzewski proceeds to go down the court knowing he’d just seen an amazing feat as Collins makes another jump with the number one finger held high. Then Collins skies again while the refs arms are still in the air for a made three.  By that time Wojo is into the mix.  Then Krzyzewski has one jump left in him and there goes Collins again like the Energizer Bunny as his boss looks over at his players celebrating as he then goes on to shake Coach Williams hand. Okay, you caught me.  I slowed the tape down on a shot of the bench after ”the” shot.  But wasn’t that fun? 

You want more don’t you?

After Rivers knocks down the shot, he turns in that way I have seen many times on the AAU circuit, arms down, hands popped back as he runs back down to the other side of the court.  I can’t imagine what was going through his mind.  Andre Dawkins was the first to get to him as Rivers jumped in his arms.  I can hear Nolan Smith say #pause right now after that statement but bare with me … Then Seth Curry, Quinn Cook, Tyler Thornton, Ryan Kelly, Alex Murphy, Todd Zaforovski and Michel Gbinje followed by Miles Plumlee as the players knocked a smiling River to the floor.  Whew!  I got a little giddy there didn’t I?

The Duke Campus erupted after Rivers shot led Duke to an amazing win.

More statistical tidbits

So Duke gets outscored in the paint by a 42-14 margin, but they dominate the outside scoring outscoring the Tar Heels 42 to 3 from beyond the stripe.  Duke wins the  points off turnovers by a 12-8 margin as well and win the battle of second chance points by a 17-12 margin.  Duke also held the North Carolina bench to a mere 6 points while getting 15 from their own.  And finally, Duke had it’s larges lead of 8 points at the 15:06 mark in the 1st half while two ticks later art 15:08 in the 2nd half, UNC held their largest lead of 13 points.

Bob Harris gets some ESPN burn

I was so happy to see that ESPN was playing my pal, Duke play by play announcer Bob Harris calling the final seconds as Austin Rivers drove a stake in the his opponents heart.  It was another classic called by Harris who wants you to buy his book.  So do it already.

Did you know that …

Duke has now won two of the last three meetings in the Dean Smith Center. When the first Duke-North Carolina meeting of the season occurs in Chapel Hill, Duke is 5-0 since Roy Williams took over as head coach at North Carolina. With the win, Duke improved to 15-0 when playing after a loss since February, 2009. North Carolina won the battle in the paint, scoring 42 points down low to Duke’s 12, but the Blue Devils won the perimeter matchup and scored 42 points on three-pointers to North Carolina’s three. Rivers hit a career-high six three-pointers for Duke while Seth Curry hit four.  Duke led for a total of 15:40 in the first half. Beginning at the 16:48 mark in the half, Duke did not relinquish its lead until the Tar Heels tied the game 39-39 with 1:19 remaining. The Tar Heels took a 43-40 lead into halftime, and Duke did not lead again until the end of the game after Rivers’ game-winning three-pointer.

ESPN Instant Classic and Play of the Day

You can cath this game again by looking at your local ESPN listings as it was given immediate Instant Classic status.  Austin Rivers shot is running pretty much everywhere you turn as well.  Watching the replay you would swear Duke doesn’t have a chance in Hades according to the announcers but they were then stunned just like the  rest of us in one of the most amazing comeback wins in Duke history.  And of course, Hubert Davis, Stuart Scott and Jalen Rose shed a few tears behind the scenes as most talking heads ate a bit of crow sandwich.

Whether one walks into a convenience store, sits down to eat in a restaurant, works out in a gym, takes the kids to kindergarten, somebody is likely to ask you with often times a southern drawl, “Who you got tonight?” followed by a little smack talk as they bait you into conversation.  Some fans even worry themselves into a frenzy making one wonder if their should be a new addition to the DSMV manual.  Work productivity goes way down and sports bars make a killing.

Fans gather in droves to watch the game in a mix of both dark and light blue.  Others couldn’t watch a game with the other side if they had to.  Many will put on their lucky charms and colors, some will go through rituals.  You can almost hear the pacing in households afar once the game starts and all hang on every single play, every call and ride a roller coaster of emotion that leaves them drenched in sweat from the stress by nights end. 

A bit later, I will meet with a co worker to eat and then head to Chapel Hill to the Dean Dome which is mere minutes from Duke University where car flags will be a flapping and the color goes to a lighter hue as you approach.  Once checked in, it’s off to the media area for me, setting up a good two hours in advance and then talking with the throng of reporters from both far and near as the teams begin to warm up in the background.  And while the media cannot cheer on press row and must remain professional and objectionable, you can read their faces and clearly see who they’re for and trust me, eveybody has a dog in this race if you are local media. 

Anyhow, here are a bunch of random thoughts going into tonight’s game -

UNC favored by 6 points

When the line came out it caused several folks to raise an eyebrow.  Every single media person I have spoken to this week thinks UNC will win this game easily and or that the line is too low.  Many feel they’ll go double digits on Duke and never look back and local bookies have added points to that total to try and keep money coming in on Duke.  I in no way advocate betting and only speak of this for entertainment purposes and trust me gambling has a dark side, so beware.  And while I am at it, if you are goaded into a sucker bet by the opposing fans and friends, it’s your own fault.  If you want to take the chance of wearing the other teams colors for a week at work, go right ahead;)

Numbers, stats and more numbers

Everywhere you look there are people throwing out numbers and they prove to be quite interesting.  Duke has won 20 of the last 30 against UNC, Duke is even at the Dean Dome … so on.  The truth of the matter though, is that when these two teams get together, you can throw conventional wisdom out the window.  But while I seem to be making fun of the numbers, I still read them and here is a must read article from my friend, Al Featherston at Duke Basketball Report that is well worth your time.

The biggest advantage for UNC is …

It is not their front court of Barnes, Henson and Zeller.  It is not Kendall Marshall, the league leader in assists.  It is their experience.   The aforementioned front line all returned for UNC when all of them could have gone in the first round in the NBA draft.  These guys are battle tested now and for the most part the Tar Heels are an old team.   The Tar Heels fast break finishes a close second in my book and Duke must control the glass enough against the leagues best rebounding team to win.

Who is ready to step up for Duke?

Is there a Fred Lind or Reggie Love in the group?  Lind, then a bench warmer, went off against UNC in the sixties and has become a legend for his performance when Duke starting center Mike Lewis fouled out.  Love, a former Barrack Obama aide was a walk on from the football team that filled in when Duke had injuries to Carlos Boozer, outplaying his UNC opponent which helped Duke close out the Heels in their backyard.  For Duke to win tonight, it will likely take a player or players stepping up their game to a beyond normal level.

The last time out …

Duke rocked UNC at the ACC Tournament and proceeded to cut the nets.  But that team had Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith.  Nolan scored 20 plus points in that game and dished out 10 assists.  This years Duke team is averaging just under 13 assists per contest combined.  Again, I point to experience and you can bet they’ll miss those dimes and Smittys’ on ball defense.  Remembering that loss could serve a a plus side intangible for the Tar Heels, who will be hell bent on revenge.

Plumlees have had success

Duke will need to hit the boards as a team tonight but I feel many are underestimating the abilities of Team Plumlee.  Both Mason and Miles have had success against the UNC front court but that help side defense from Singler is missing and Kelly and others will have to fill that role.  The key for Duke will be to keep Mason out of early foul trouble and to adjust as a team to the way the game will be called.

Young Devils will need to step up

This will be Austin Rivers first trip to Chapel Hill and freshman past, not matter how good they are have taken a beating at times in this series.  Rivers will be a focal point for the Tar Heels defense and seeing if he can rise past that attention will be interesting.  Quinn Cook will also need to be calm cool and collected and that will not be easy in a hostile environment.  Here is ESPN on how freshman will play key roles in the game.

A Duke loss will add pressure to the team

If Duke loses to UNC this evening and Florida State and N.C. State win along with Miami and Virginia which is all likely to happen, the Blue Devils will find themselves in a three way tie for 4th place in the ACC.  That in turn will make my job hard as much of the fan base will freak out on the message boards and quite frankly I do not look forward to that happening.  So, be forewarned that this loss could be devastating but keep your composure please and be a good and supportive fan.  Also, Duke would then face an N.C State team in Cameron this weekend that is a half game ahead in the standings.  Funny how big that game has suddenly become and getting that 20th win can get harder and harder until a victory is achieved.

Nice shirt there, Harrison! BDN Photo

That darn Harry guy …

Harrison Barnes spurned Duke at the midnight hour and then chose UNC but he didn’t exactly do it in what many would consider proper decorum.  His clunky Skype lives as a reminder to other stars not to go that route and few have done so since that time.  Interestingly, Barnes immediately starting loathing Duke after his decision and he is perhaps one of the more detested Tar Heels for Blue Devil fans.  But Barnes leads his team in scoring and the talk in media rooms is if the Tar Heels will get four players on first team All ACC.  Barnes is a huge matchup problem for Duke and any other team and he took a mild shot over the bow as he mentioned that Kyle Singler was gone and that he’d gladly take shorter players to the rack.

On paper it looks like a UNC win

Everything points to a UNC victory in paper.  Duke has lost two of their last three conference games in Cameron and Krzyzewski has been looking for upper classmen to step up.  UNC has up to four 1st team All ACC players starting. That game is in Chapel Hill and the Blue Devils seem to still be coming together as a team.  But you know what?  Duke has a chance any time they step on the court.  Duke has been beat down of late but if the team plays together anything can happen and that’s why we watch the games.  My objectionable pick would be for the Tar Heels to win but my heart says Duke can pull off a shocker and make all the aforementioned worries go to the wayside.

Don’t hold me to all the numbers mentioned for everything here was off the top of my head and just random thoughts before tonight’s game.  BDN will be in the house to bring you live tweets and post game chats with the players, so stay tuned for our usual wall to wall coverage.  And yes, I am homer media, so I can get away with saying, “GTHC, GTH!”  It should be a lot of fun as the best rivalry in all sports is once again upon us.

[10 AP / 9 Coaches] Duke (19-4, 6-2) vs. [5 AP / 5 Coaches] North Carolina (20-3, 7-1)

Wednesday, February 8, 2012 • 9:00 p.m. • ESPN/ACC Network

The Opening Tip

• Duke (19-4, 6-2) faces North Carolina (20-3, 7-1) on Wednesday, Feb. 8 in Chapel Hill. Tipoff is set for 9:00 p.m.

• Dan Shulman (play-by-play), Dick Vitale (analyst), Jay Bilas (analyst) and Erin Andrews (sideline) will call the game for ESPN.

• Tim Brando (play-by-play) and Dan Bonner (analyst) will call the game locally for the ACC Network.

• Duke is ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll and No. 9 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. North Carolina is ranked No. 5 in both polls. Duke is 36-13 when ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll.

• Wednesday’s game marks the 32nd time in the last 65 meetings, both Duke and North Carolina have been ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll.

Duke-North Carolina Series

• Duke and North Carolina have met 232 times heading into Wednesday’s game with the first meeting between the two schools coming on Jan. 24, 1920.

• Mike Krzyzewski is 36-36 all-time against North Carolina, with an 11-14 mark at the Dean E. Smith Center. Krzyzewski did not coach either game against North Carolina during the 1994-95 season.

• Duke has won four of the last five in the series, including a 75-58 win over North Carolina in the 2011 ACC Championship game, the last meeting between the two schools.

• Duke has won 21 of the last 31 games in the series dating back to the 1998-99 season. The Blue Devils have won eight of the last 13 games in Chapel Hill in that span.

Numbers Game

l Duke has been ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll for 88 straight weeks, the third-longest streak in NCAA history.

l Duke has not lost back-to-back games since February of 2009. The Blue Devils are 14-0 following a loss in that span (does not include season-ending loss in 2010-11).

l The Blue Devils have a +14.6 scoring margin in their last 14 games following a loss. Duke has posted a double-figure win in 10 of the 14 contests.

l Duke is one win shy of reaching the 20-win plateau for the 16th consecutive season. The Blue Devils have won 20 or more games 26 times under Mike Krzyzewski.

l When coming off a loss this season, Duke averages 80.7 points per game. Mason Plumlee averages a double-double at 15.3 points and 10.0 rebounds in those three contests, while Ryan Kelly (14.3 points) and Austin Rivers (11.7 points) both average double-figures when coming off a loss.

l Austin Rivers was named ACC Rookie of the Week for the league-leading sixth time on Monday. He ties former Blue Devil Luol Deng for the most ACC rookie awards in Duke history and ties five others for the third-most in ACC history.

l Mason Plumlee is one of two players (joined by Keith Clanton, Central Florida) in the NCAA averaging at least 10.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.

l Ryan Kelly has increased his scoring average by 6.0 ppg. from a year ago and is tied for second on the team at 12.6 points per game. Kelly has scored in double figures 15 times this season after doing that just nine times in his first two seasons.

l Seth Curry averaged 17.7 points in three games against North Carolina last season. He topped the 20-point mark twice against the Tar Heels and was 11-of-21 (.524) from three-point range in the three contests.

l Mason Plumlee ranks second in the ACC in rebounding at 9.7 rpg. He has grabbed 12 or more rebounds 10 times this season including three of the last four games.

l Austin Rivers ranks 12th among freshman in scoring with a team-high 14.5 points per game. Johnny Dawkins was the last Blue Devil freshman to lead the team in scoring in 1983.

l Mason Plumlee has improved his free throw shooting over the last four games, going 24-of-32 (.750) from the line during that span. He was shooting 39.8 percent (37-of-93) from the free throw line prior to that stretch. Plumlee ranks fourth in the ACC in free throw attempts per game (5.4 ftpg.).

l Andre Dawkins is averaging 10.8 points and 2.6 three-point field goals per game in ACC play. He is 21-of-49 (.429) from long range in league games.

More on the Series vs. North Carolina

• Duke and North Carolina have met 74 times during the Coach K era. The Blue Devils are 36-36 versus the Tar Heels with Mike Krzyzewski as the head coach. Krzyzewski missed both games against North Carolina during the 1994-95 season while recovering from back surgery.

• Wednesday’s game marks the 149th straight meeting between Duke and North Carolina in which at least one of the schools is ranked in a national poll. The streak dates back to Feb. 25, 1955.

• Since the beginning of the AP poll in 1948-49, at least one of the teams has been ranked in 152 of the 168 meetings (counting Wednesday’s game).

• This is the 133rd straight game with at least one team ranked in the AP poll. That streak dates back to Feb. 27, 1960. Of those 133 games, 121 of the games have featured a team in the top 10.

• In 32 of the last 65 meetings, both Duke and North Carolina have been ranked in the top 10.

• Both teams have been ranked in the top 25 in 50 of the 74 meetings under Coach K. Both teams have been ranked in 50 of the last 66 meetings.

• Duke and North Carolina have played 69 times all-time when both teams were ranked in the top 25. Duke is 34-35 in those games, including a 27-22 mark under Coach K.

• The Blue Devils and Tar Heels have met 42 times with both teams ranked in the top 10. The series is tied 21-21, including a 15-16 record under Mike Krzyzewski, when both teams are ranked in the top 10.

• The two teams have played 10 times when both teams were ranked in the top-five of the AP poll.

• The Duke-North Carolina game has been decided by 10 points or less in 38 of the 74 meetings under Coach K.

• In 12 of the last 46 meetings between the two schools, Duke has entered the game as the nation’s top-ranked team. Duke is 7-5 in those contests. Overall, Duke has played 17 times (10-7) as the No. 1 team against North Carolina, including 14 times (8-6) under Coach K.

• During the Coach K era, Duke and North Carolina have played five overtime games (Duke, 3-2), including one double-overtime (North Carolina, 1-0) contest.

• At least one team has been ranked in 150 of the 153 meetings since the ACC was formed in 1953-54.

• Sports Illustrated on Campus named the Duke-UNC rivalry the No. 1 “Hottest Rivalry” in college basketball and the No. 2 rivalry overall in its Nov. 18, 2003 issue.

• Duke and North Carolina have accounted for 36 of the 58 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Championships. Duke has an ACC-best 18 conference championships, including 13 ACC titles under Mike Krzyzewski.

• Either Duke or North Carolina has played in the NCAA Final Four in 22 of the last 31 years.

Tricia Liston ties her career high with 23 points - Rick Crank Photo

DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke Blue Devil women dominated their arch rival North Carolina in Cameron Indoor Stadium last evening and in the process pushed their ACC leading record to 10-0, 19-3 overall.  The Blue Devils zone defense stymied the Tar Heels (7-3 in the ACC, 17-5 overall) as they took a dominant 50-24 lead at the half and eventually won the game by a lopsided 96-56 score.

Tricia Liston led the way for Duke as they rolled in the first half going 5 of 6 from the field and 3 of 3 from the three point stripe.    Liston ended the game with tying a career high with 23 points and 7 rebounds from the guard spot. “She had ice in here veins tonight and was calm and cool on the court,” said Duke Coach Joanne P. McCallie.

The Blue Devil put 5 players in double figures led by the aforementioned Liston.  Richa Jackson added 17, Chelsea Gray 15, Elizabeth Williams 13 and Shea Selby 10 points respectively.  Williams ended the game with her fifth double-double adding 10 rebounds to her point total and she  dished out 5 assists.

The Blue Devils dominated the paint against North Carolina outscoring them 44-26 and out-rebounded them by a 45-34 margin.  Once Duke took a big lead in the half, they never looked back and the Tar Heels were never a threat to stage a comeback.  The Blue Devils also benefited from a stellar fastbreak  scoring 25 points.

And the three point ball was good for Duke who went 10 of 20 for 30 points opposed to 2 of 14 for UNC.  “I thought they would eventually start missing but they didn’t,” said UNC Coach Sylvia Hatchell.

Duke also dished 23 dimes and collected 9 blocks to the Tar Heels 1.  The assist total tied their highest mark in the ACC this season.  Elizabeth Williams had 6 of those blocks as the freshman sensation continued to impress.  Her block total made her the all time freshman leader in the ACC and the total of 85 ranks 10th on the all time list for Duke.

Everything worked right for the Blue Devils tonight and there was a great crowd atmosphere which Coach McCallie praised in the post game press conference.  She was very pleased with the win and said that when her team clicked and moved the ball they would be tough to beat.  Interestingly, McCallie joked that she would cook for the students if they continued to turn out, saying she didn’t even know how to.  I must disagree with her though, for tonight she served up some serious home cooking as her troops send the Heels packing with a dominating victory.

Notes of interest – The point differential was the the second largest against North Carolina and the 96 points was second to 97 in 2003.   Duke shot 54.4% from the field, the ninth time this season over 50%.  The 96 points were the most against an ACC team this season.  The 10-0 start in the ACC this season is a best for Coach McCallie.  Duke won their 28th straight ACC game in Cameron.

Auatin Rivers talks hoops with BDN - Rick Crank Images

Austin Rivers fresh off winning ACC Rookie of the Week addressed the media today and BDN was on hand to ask quite a few questions. Check out what he had to say here -

Josh Hairston goes 1 on 1 with the Nation in this BDN exclusive

Duke is preparing to face their arch rival North Carolina this week and Blue Devil Nation was on the scene at today’s press conference. Here is a one on one interview I had with Josh Hairston who has worked his way into the starting lieup the past two games -

Austin us a showe in for ACC Rookie of the Year - Rick Crank Photo

DURHAM, N.C. – Austin Rivers was named ACC Rookie of the Week for the league-leading sixth time this season, tying former Blue Devil Luol Deng for the most weekly league rookie selections in ACC history.

A 6-4, 200-pound guard from Winter Park, Fla. (Winter Park), Rivers averaged 19.0 points per game last week, scoring 18 in a 75-60 road win at Virginia Tech and 20 in a 78-74 home overtime loss to Miami. He has scored in double figures a team-leading 19 times and logged his fifth 20-point game of the season against the Hurricanes.

Rivers’ six selections tie six others, including Deng, for the third most ACC Rookie of the Week awards in league history. North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough and Georgia Tech’s Kenny Anderson share the ACC record with 10 selections apiece. Rivers has won his six awards in 13 weeks.

Against the Hokies, Rivers hit a career-high four three-pointers while also dishing out five assists. He followed that performance by playing a career-high 43 minutes against Miami, sinking 20 points while picking off two steals.

Rivers leads Duke and all ACC freshmen with 14.5 points per game and 31.5 minutes per game. He is on pace to become the first freshman to lead Duke in scoring since Johnny Dawkins averaged 18.1 points per game in 1982-83.

Rivers and the Blue Devils take on Tobacco Road rival North Carolina this Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Chapel Hill, N.C., at 9 p.m.