By Ryan Bisesi, WRAL multiplatform producer

21Arizona Wildcats
1Duke Blue Devils
CBS | Thursday, March 27th 9:39 PM EDT

Newark, N.J. — Duke basketball is no stranger to the Sweet 16, but there’s a broader theme of familiarity for the Blue Devils through this March Madness run.

After dismantling No. 9 seed Baylor and former Blue Devil Jeremy Roach in the Round of 32, more recognizable names await in the Sweet 16.

A Thursday night matchup with Arizona (CBS, 9:39 p.m.) and former UNC guard Caleb Love is next on the docket for the Blue Devils. Love has cemented himself as one of the biggest villains in Durham in recent years and has one more opportunity to oust his old rival.

But that’s a tall order. Duke (33-3) is around a 9-point favorite after cruising to two comfortable wins against Mount St. Mary’s and Baylor during the tournament’s opening weekend and winning the ACC Tournament without Cooper Flagg.

Hot shooting from Tyrese Proctor and more of the same from Flagg last weekend have the Blue Devils as well-positioned as any team to make it to San Antonio.

Love, who’s had a career of high and low points, was a Duke fan growing up and recruited by Mike Krzyzewski. Roach committed to Duke that same year. Love transferred from UNC to Arizona after a disappointing 2022-2023 season in which the Tar Heels failed to reach the NCAA Tournament after starting the season with a No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press poll.

Love has averaged 15.9 points in nine career games against Duke, but only scored eight points in the Wildcats’ loss at home earlier this season.

“He can hit shots at anytime,” said Duke coach Jon Scheyer. “I think he’s an improved passer, somebody who’s not afraid. He’s a really good player, so that challenge is there for our guys, but they have challenges way beyond him. They put five guys on the floor who can all score and all hurt you.”

It took a game-high 29 points from Love for Arizona to move past Oregon in the second round, as he helped the Wildcats (24-12) hold off their Pac-12 rival with 10 straight points down the stretch.

Love figures to be matched up against Duke’s backcourt of Sion James and Proctor, who hit seven 3-pointers in a career-best, 25-point effort against Baylor. Flagg showed no signs of being hindered by an ankle injury he suffered during the ACC Tournament, forcing him to miss two games.

Love scripted one of the Duke-UNC rivalry’s foundational moments, sinking a high-arching 3-pointer in the final minute of the national semifinal in 2022, which was Krzyzewski’s final game.

“It really has no relevance to the game coming up,” Love said when asked about the shot. “I just want to focus on the game plan we have. I want my focus to be with this group.”

In 2023, Arizona beat Duke 78-73 at Cameron Indoor Stadium with Love hitting another momentum-securing shot at the end of the first half.

Duke and Arizona are playing for the third time in 17 months. In November, the Blue Devils beat Arizona 69-55 in Tucson.

“We’re very different [now] and so are they,” said Scheyer in referencing the last game. “That game was slow. I think both teams are playing a lot faster.”

The last time they met in the NCAA Tournament was 2011, when an upset-minded Arizona knocked off a top-seeded Duke team looking to repeat as national champions. In 2001, Duke beat Arizona in the national championship game, securing the third title for Duke and Coach K.

Arizona has struggled against teams who received tournament bids in recent weeks, falling to BYU, Iowa State, Kansas and Houston since late February. Duke, the only ACC team left in the tournament, has won 13 straight games, chasing a streak of 16 from the regular season. Duke’s last loss came at Clemson on Feb. 8.

For Thursday, Scheyer said Maliq Brown was “day-to-day” and could be available for the game. Brown reaggravated a shoulder injury against Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament and has been out since then.

The Wildcats have another player with a North Carolina link: Anthony Dell’Orso played his first two seasons with Campbell.

The winner of Duke and Arizona will play the winner of Alabama and BYU on Saturday in the Elite Eight.

Source: wralsportsfan.com