Wednesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke squeaked out a thrilling 92-90 overtime win over UNC after closing regulation on an 11-2 run in a game that managed to exceed the always considerable levels of hype surrounding the rivalry. North Carolina kept the game within reach in the first half despite torrid shooting from the Blue Devils and their senior shooting guard Quinn Cook and took the lead in the second half thanks in large part to a dominant performance in the paint and on the offensive glass. Down the stretch though, Duke’s freshman PG Tyus Jones took over, repeatedly attacking the basket and scoring the last 9 Blue Devil points of regulation to bring the Blue Devils back.
Some takeaways from the game:
Jahlil Okafor Will Make an NBA Fan Base Very Happy
His final numbers (12 pts, 13 rebs, 3 asts) aren’t overwhelming, but it was clear from the start that stopping him was the first priority in Roy Williams’ defensive gameplan. Okafor was consistently doubled in the post, which in the first half created a number of open 3’s for the Blue Devils. He showed flashes of great interior passing and the ability to operate in traffic, at one point in the first half, dribbling out from the right post and around a double team before driving back in and finishing with a difficult lefty layup. He is the consensus first pick in the draft for a reason.
This game also showcased some of his weaknesses as he went 0-6 from the free throw line and finished with 5 turnovers, most of which resulted from trying to do too much in the post. Late in the first half he sprained his ankle landing on the shoe of his defender after a jump shot, silencing the crowd and ensuring a Duke game will not ever pass without a Plumlee sighting, but he was able to return by the end of the half after a brief trip to the locker room.
But He Needs Some Help Inside
North Carolina scored at will in the paint, led by Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson both of whom had 18 points. In the second half, the Tar Heels repeatedly got out on the fast break, taking advantage of some sloppy Blue Devil turnovers and running off missed shots whenever possible. Led by J.P. Tokoto and Johnson the Tar Heels used their athleticism to grab 19 offensive rebounds leading to easy put backs and kick outs. Apart from Okafor, the Blue Devils have very little rim protection, which leaves them vulnerable any time he is drawn away from the hoop or has to sit. It also means that when teams attack him in the post, the rest of the Blue Devils on the court must help out on the defensive boards.
UNC leads the nation in points in the paint and struggles shooting from the perimeter so the fact that they had success down low is not surprising, but the degree to which they dominated is troubling for a Duke team with limited size and depth. Okafor rolling around on the court provided a sobering, albeit brief reminder of how precarious Duke’s title chances are. They have no shot without him.
Tyus Jones is Really Good
In the first half, Jones appeared to be in complete control of the game. He rarely looked for his shot but repeatedly found teammates both in transition and half court sets. He came out much more aggressively in the second half, leading to several turnovers and forced shots early, which were key in an extended UNC run. As the Tar Heels closed the gap and took the lead in a game where for long periods it seemed that Duke should be dominating, the young Blue Devils appeared to be pressing. This only led to more run outs and easy transition points for the Tar Heels who at one point stretched their lead to ten.
Down the stretch, though, Jones was unstoppable, repeatedly getting to the rim and finishing with terrific body control and knocking down several key outside shots. He finished with 22 pts, 7 rebs, and 8 asts to go along with 6 TOs. Recent tournament history has decidedly favored teams with experienced point guards (Shabazz Napier, Peyton Siva, Kemba Walker), but if Jones keeps playing at this level, the Blue Devils’ offense will be borderline unstoppable, which alone should make them a dangerous team in March.
UNC is Tough
That UNC held a lead for much of the second half is a testament to their energy and grit. It was clear from the opening tip that they lack the raw talent and outside shooting ability of Duke, but they make up for it by using their athleticism to attack the rim in transition and dumping the ball down low to their big men in the half court. They also managed to make the game extremely close despite a terrible game from their consensus best offensive player and leader Marcus Paige who picked up two early fouls and failed to find any kind of rhythm. He was followed closely around the perimeter by Cook and finished with 5 pts on 2-11 shooting including a missed 3 that would have won the game at the end of regulation.
What it Means
Duke improves to 23-3 overall and 10-3 in the ACC, just one win behind Notre Dame for second place in the conference behind Virginia. UNC falls to 18-8 overall and 8-5 in the brutal conference. The two teams play again in Chapel Hill on March 7.