CHAPEL HILL -- Late Sunday afternoon, shortly after an 89-69 victory over Florida State, Roy Williams said he had "no idea" how he would prepare his revamped North Carolina basketball team for Wednesday's trip to Duke.
But in the Tar Heels' locker room, where players were saluting the production of freshman point guard Kendall Marshall, there was one matter on which everyone agreed.
"We won't go over there and get embarrassed again," Dexter Strickland said. "I don't know what our game plan will be, but I know we won't have another game like that last one."
That last one was an 82-50 Duke win on March 6, 2010. UNC's effort and execution were so inept that the performance still haunts the players.
"I was totally, completely embarrassed," center Tyler Zeller said. "It was a bad season all the way around, but that was the worst [game] of all. Something like that sticks with you. You can't forget it."
This UNC team (17-5, 7-1 ACC) certainly has displayed more focus and much more scoring ability than the '09-10 unit that wilted in Cameron Indoor Stadium. UNC shot 33 percent, missed nine free throws and got next to nothing from its perimeter.
Duke's Jon Scheyer, in his final home game, had 20 points, five rebounds and seven assists with no turnovers.
"Our team now can do a lot more things on offense than then," sophomore forward John Henson said.
But Marshall, who had a staggering 16 assists against Florida State (16-7, 6-3), understands his first trip to Cameron will be a challenge.
"I'm looking forward to going. It's one of the greatest places to play a game. I know that much even though I haven't been in a game there yet," Marshall said.
"It's going to be tough, but I'm still anxious to play this game."
It's a near lock that Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski will attempt to apply more defensive pressure on Marshall and Strickland than they saw from the Seminoles.
FSU coach Leonard Hamilton is known for his half-court lockdowns, but perimeter defenders Michael Snaer, Derwin Kitchen and Deividas Dulkys rarely attempted to use denial tactics against Marshall.
Duke is all about denial - ball denial, passing lanes denial, reception, positioning and spacing denial.
In the heat of Cameron, Marshall will have to work just to make a step, much less a pinpoint pass.
But in the first outing since junior Larry Drew II made his surprising decision to leave the ball, the Tar Heels responded with one of their sharpest games since the 2009 NCAA title season.
Exhausted to the point of stomach sickness at halftime, Marshall played 36 minutes and directed the offense to near perfection.
"He was amazing," Henson said. "There was nothing in the game he couldn't handle."
Wednesday could be an entirely different situation. But long term, Marshall has the look of becoming another Tar Heels point guard fixture.
