The 262nd meeting between Cooper Flagg’s Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels is set to ignite the ever-passionate Tobacco Road rivalry this Saturday at the iconic Cameron Indoor Stadium, the home to the Blue Devils! The stakes are high as Duke will look to extend their 10-0 ACC record while the Tar Heels will look to get only their second quad 1 win!

The rivalry between Duke and North Carolina is one of the most storied in college basketball history, with both teams boasting a combined 11 national championships and 38 Final Four appearances. Dating back to 1920, the rivalry between these two blue bloods has seen iconic moments like Austin Rivers’ buzzer-beater and Caleb Love’s Final Four heroics!

Duke has been steamrolling past everyone in the ACC this season thanks to the impact Cooper Flagg has brought to the side. They’re heading into this showdown against Hubert Davis’ UNC squad as the clear favorites. However, analyst Tim Donnelly from the Drive podcast isn’t convinced it’ll be a cakewalk for the Blue Devils.

In the podcast, he says, ” It is a rivalry game. So it’s not that simple… UNC beat Duke two times last season. Which means RJ Davis, Jalen Washington, if he plays… Withers, Elliot Cadeau, Seth Trimble, other guys I just mentioned, can walk into Cameron with a little extra swag.”

UNC handed Duke two painful losses last season, pushing their all-time series lead over the Blue Devils to 145-117. While it can be argued that what happened last season doesn’t apply now considering the fact that the Duke roster is significantly more powerful than that of North Carolina who are struggling in the ACC this season with a 6-4 record, the mental factor always works against your neighboring college! The fact that they have previously overpowered the Blue Devils works.

“We may have lost to Pitt, but that wasn’t against Duke. Last time we were here, we won. And that is good. That is good for your mentals,” Donnelly adds.

While Flagg is busy fighting teams on the court, he’s also busy fighting a certain individual as well! The fight for the Naismith Player of the Year award is heating up with Johni Broome and Cooper Flagg giving blow for blow.

Flagg vs Broome for the NPOY

The Naismith Player of the Year race is shaping up to be a thrilling battle between two standout players Cooper Flagg and Johni Broome. Flagg, with his impressive 19.9 points 8 rebounds, and 4 assists per game this season, has been a force on the court!

Johni Broome hasn’t been bad either! He himself is averaging 18.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3 assists per game this season. As the season progresses, it’s getting more and more clear that the outright favorites are Duke and Auburn this season thanks to both of them staying consistent throughout the process.

Duke’s flawless 10-0 ACC record sets the stage for an electrifying showdown as they face off against a struggling UNC team who have a phenomenal all-time record and know how to win against them. with Cooper Flagg ready to lead the charge for the Duke, will he be able to carry them across the finishing line once again and strengthen his case for NOPY? Only time will tell!