UNC Greensboro (0-0) at No. 9 Duke (0-0)

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Pick your playmakers: the rivalry's best point guards

To appreciate the performances of playmakers in the long history of the Duke-UNC rivalry, just look at some of the players that didn’t make my top five list at the position.

North Carolina: Tommy Kearns, Larry Brown, Donnie Walsh, Dick Grubar, George Karl, Jimmy Black, Kenny Smith, Ed Cota, King Rice, Derrick Phelps, Jeff McInnis.

Recap: Duke vs. UNC Greensboro

Kyle Singler netted 20 points and Jon Scheyer scored 18, as ninth-ranked Duke opened its season with a 96-62 defeat of UNC- Greensboro at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Brian Zoubek had 14 points, Lance Thomas 12 and Miles Plumlee 10 to pair with a game-high nine rebounds for the Blue Devils (1-0), who are coming off a 30- win season but were ousted in last year's NCAA tourney by Villanova in the round of 16.

Ben Stywall poured in 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Spartans (0-1), who managed just five victories against 25 defeats in a forgettable 2008-09 campaign.

Observations

How depleted is Duke's roster without Mason Plumlee (injured) and Nolan Smith (suspended two games)?

Depleted enough to put sophomore Olek Czyz, a forgotten player at the end of the bench last season, into the starting lineup on the wing.

UNC needed LSU test

• UNC needed that test • The ACC could use Rick Barnes • Nothing wrong with healthy dislike

Since the Final Four loss to Kansas last year, you had to wonder how UNC would handle its next tournament challenge. The Tar Heels provided an emphatic answer on Saturday with their 84-70 win over eighth-seeded LSU.

Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson, two of the biggest reasons for UNC's loss to Kansas, simply would not let the Heels lose on Saturday. Down 54-49 with 12:24 left in the game, Ellington scored five of UNC's next seven points.

The louder, the better for Duke

Lots of Duke folks aren't happy about being in Greensboro Coliseum this week for the opening of NCAA Tournament basketball games.

With North Carolina's 14 bazillion fans also here, waving their pompoms anywhere you turn, buying every ticket in sight that hasn't been torn in two or printed on an office duplicating machine and a large chunk of the civilized world praying hourly for Ty Lawson's right big toe to miraculously turn into a right little biddy toe, Duke feels put upon by the tournament selection committee.

I don't see it that way. I think this time-share building arrangement could work to Duke's benefit.