reporter

Written by Brian Murphy, a journalist for WRAL.

7Duke Blue Devils	84
3 The Tar Heels of North Carolina	93
Final

Chapel Hill, N.C.

Harrison Ingram, a forward for North Carolina, viewed the Tar Heels’ defeat against Georgia Tech on five separate occasions leading up to their game against rival Duke on Saturday.

Armando Bacot, the center, did not view the defeat in its entirety.

Both methods appeared to be effective.

In Chapel Hill on Saturday, No. 3 UNC beat seventh-ranked Duke 93-84, with both teams recording a double-double.

In his debut in the competitive match, Ingram, who transferred from Stanford, recorded a season-best 21 points and 13 rebounds. One of his impressive rebounds, diving to the floor, resulted in a crucial 3-pointer in the latter part of the second half.

Ingram stated that he is usually the one who brings energy, but in the game against Georgia Tech, he did not. However, for the next game, he was determined not to let that happen again and made sure to bring as much energy as possible.

Bacot’s record against the rival Blue Devils is now 5-5 after his recent performance. He scored 25 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and had five assists, becoming the second Tar Heel player after Charlie Scott in 1970 to achieve these stats against the Blue Devils.

Bacot sealed the game with a powerful dunk, igniting a celebration among the Tar Heel fans that extended to the UNC campus and Franklin Street.

Bacot acknowledged that he plays a crucial role in the ACC, possibly referencing Duke’s Kyle Filipowski, who has been named the ACC’s preseason player of the year. Some have suggested that Bacot’s role has diminished on the current Tar Heels team.

Due to the increased involvement of guard RJ Davis in the Tar Heels’ offensive plays, Bacot’s contribution on the offensive end has decreased. In the previous four games, he had only attempted eight or fewer field goals.

Bacot and UNC coach Hubert Davis had a meeting on Thursday that lasted for approximately an hour. They discussed Bacot’s offensive role, as his statistics this season have been lower than in previous seasons. Currently, he is averaging 13.4 points and 9.9 rebounds, which are his lowest numbers since the 2020-21 season. His shooting percentage is also at its lowest since the 2019-20 season, at 53.2 percent.

“We need you to be a dude in order for us to be the best team we can be,” Hubert Davis said to him.

Davis devised strategies to ensure that Bacot received the ball in more advantageous positions.

“What else do I desire?” Bacot pondered. “What is it that I wish to accomplish?”

“We had to face the Blue Devils and Filipowski as our rivals. According to him, I had to step up and perform at a high level,” he stated.

In the game, Duke’s first-year player Jared McCain scored 23 points. Teammates Kyle Filipowski and Jeremy Roach also contributed with 22 and 20 points respectively, but unfortunately, their efforts were not enough to secure a win.

Duke coach Jon Scheyer expressed disappointment with the team’s performance and lack of competitiveness. He believed that they did not meet the necessary level to have a chance at defeating the opposing team.

The Blue Devils were dominated and outplayed by the Tar Heels for a majority of the match. Duke’s sole advantage was a score of 2-0.

Scheyer emphasized the importance of loose balls in the game, noting that the opposing team showed more determination in retrieving them. He estimated that about 15 to 20 points were scored as a result of their efforts and acknowledged their credit for it.

At the 6:05 mark of the game, Ingram made a significant play by grabbing an offensive rebound. After Cormac Ryan missed a shot, Ingram dove for the loose ball and passed it to Elliot Cadeau to maintain possession. The ball eventually ended up back in Ryan’s hands, who then made a 3-pointer, increasing UNC’s lead to 77-64.

“Even without his scoring, he made a significant impact on the game,” stated UNC’s Seth Trimble, who recorded 10 points. “His ability to contribute with his scoring was crucial for our team.”

Ingram had a career-high of 5 successful 3-point shots out of 9 attempts. He also had four steals and one block while playing for a game-high of 38+ minutes.

Duke focused on defending against RJ Davis, who is a top candidate for All-America honors and the ACC player of the year award. In response, UNC incorporated new offensive strategies to give Bacot and Ingram more opportunities. Davis only scored four points in the first half, but ended with a total of 17 points on 5-of-14 shooting.

Ingram explained that the decision involved creating an alternative plan in case RJ was rejected. If this occurred, they would then switch gears and consider Mondo as an option or address any other potential scenarios.

Ingram may have been a newcomer to the rivalry, but thanks to his sister Lauren, a freshman volleyball player at Duke, he was already invested. She wore his jersey at Saturday night’s game and was clapping at the end of the game.

“I gestured towards her because she was discussing with me about our potential loss and lack of skill,” stated Ingram. “But in the end, we emerged victorious.”

UNC increased their record to 18-4 overall and 10-1 in the ACC, strengthening their hold on the conference championship competition. They currently have a two-game advantage over Virginia, who has won six consecutive games.

Duke’s overall record is now 16-5, with a conference record of 7-3.

“I have a strong belief in this team,” stated Scheyer. “As I’ve mentioned throughout the year, this group hasn’t been perfect. However, they consistently bounce back and respond.”

The most recent match between these rivals was the 49th instance where both teams were ranked in the top 10, but it was the first time since 2019. Of the previous 48 match-ups, the teams had an even split.

The two teams will compete once more in Durham on March 9th, which marks the end of the regular season.

Source: wralsportsfan.com