Who has the edge?

No. 8 DUKE AT NORTH CAROLINA

When: 9 p.m.

Where: Smith Center, Chapel Hill

TV: WRAL, WCTI

Radio: WRDU-106.1, WCHL-1360, WRBZ-850, WDNC-620

POINT GUARD

Jon Scheyer vs. Larry Drew II

Advantage: Blue Devils

While Scheyer's transition to the point-guard position at Duke has been consistent and seamless - his season averages of 18.9 points, 5.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds a game have made him an ACC Player of the Year candidate - Drew's play has been inconsistent and sometimes painful to watch. He's coming off an 0-for-6, five-turnover, four-assist performance at Maryland.

SHOOTING GUARD

Nolan Smith vs. Marcus Ginyard

Advantage: Blue Devils

Ginyard finally broke out of his shooting slump at Maryland, scoring in double figures (17) for the first time since December. But the UNC senior's biggest burden tonight will be on defense. Smith is averaging 18.1 points as part of the top scoring trio in the nation. An opposing guard has scored at least 19 points against the Tar Heels in every ACC game. Ginyard and Co. now have to deal with a team that has three perimeter players with the ability to score that much.

SMALL FORWARD

Kyle Singler vs. Will Graves

Advantage: Blue Devils

Graves is UNC's leading scorer in ACC play (12.3 ppg), but he has a huge challenge in slowing Singler (16.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.5 apg), who is an inside-out threat. Singler's field-goal percentage of .408 hasn't measured up to the expectations heaped on him as preseason ACC player of the year, but he still makes the hustle plays.

POWER FORWARD

Deon Thompson vs. Lance Thomas

Advantage: Tar Heels

Two seniors. One rivalry. This could be interesting. While Thompson has gotten pushed around at times, this season, his team needs him to be an offensive threat tonight in order to counterbalance Duke's Big Three on the perimeter. He averages 14.4 points a game, but Thomas (5.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg) will try to limit that by pushing him out of the post.

CENTER

Miles Plumlee vs. Ed Davis

Advantage: Tar Heels

Coach Roy Williams has called Davis one of the best rebounders he's ever coached, and for good reason. He leads the team with 9.8 boards per game, so Plumlee's (6.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg) best bet to slow him down is to box him out - and limit his second-chance points.

WHY DUKE SHOULD ROLL: Not only do they finally have the big men to compete with the Tyler Hansbrough-less Tar Heels, but the Blue Devils' "Big Three" on the perimeter shouldn't have trouble dominating UNC's turnover-prone guards.

WHY UNC JUST MIGHT PULL IT OUT: With UNC's NCAA Tournament chances quickly melting away, this is the Tar Heels' Super Bowl - a chance for fans to boast about something.

Robbi Pickeral