Duke-UNC Final Four debate, what Gov. Roy Cooper in New Orleans could mean and picks
Ever wonder what it looks like when two grumpy old sportswriters argue for the sake of arguing? News & Observer sports columnist Luke DeCock and writer-at-large Andrew Carter forecast Saturday’s Final Four game between Duke and North Carolina. And other stuff.
Luke: Well, Andrew, here we are. I remember in 2015 when we were about to fight before the Duke-Michigan State game. But that’s back when the N&O forced us to share a hotel room in our fourth week on the road. In our fourth Final Four together, let’s just say things have gotten really weird — on the court. So who’s your pick to win the final deciding battle of good and evil, matter and antimatter, Relationship George and Independent George?
Andrew: Great question, Luke, and what stands out to me about that ‘15 experience is that both of us grew so tired of each other’s company that I went and got my own room after the Kentucky fans all checked out. Either way, it was key to our survival, and saved the N&O from any potential litigation. But yes — weird times here. As a bachelor, myself, I admire what Independent George has built, and especially his independence, but if you’re asking me the real question of significance, I’m going with the over when it comes to 3.5 po’boys for me this week. Oh, and North Carolina spoils another Coach K storyline and wins Saturday night. You don’t have the guts to tell me I’m wrong.
Luke: I don’t think it takes guts to realize a couple pretty obvious circumstances. One, Duke is certainly Duke. The Blue Devils weren’t, as late as Brooklyn, but this is once again the same team that beat Kentucky and Gonzaga. Two, Gov. Roy Cooper is coming and he’s never seen UNC win a Final Four game, which is pretty incredible considering how many they’ve won. Third, my sources tell me Hubert Davis is unlikely to spit in the Mississippi for luck the way Roy Williams did, and it never failed Roy, like playing odds behind the pass line. But really, more the first reason. You saw it in Greenville and San Francisco. Duke got its mojo back.
Andrew: Yes, Duke is Duke — let us all pay respect to Pete Gillen here — and yes, the Blue Devils’ mojo has risen. As for the governor, all streaks are made to be broken and, more important, does it not feel to you like UNC is just the looser, more relaxed team here? I think that matters. All the pressure was on the Blue Devils in the last home game at Cameron and now there’s the pressure to avenge that game and “win one for K” — even though K has said many time he doesn’t want his team thinking that way. But how can it not?
Luke: I would agree that the Blue Devils are back under the same pressure that they were under in Cameron and that UNC is once again playing with house money, given the opportunity to once again ruin the presumed Coach K farewell. But it also feels like Duke is better equipped to handle that pressure than it was then, having been forged in the heat of this tournament. Also, it always feels like Carolina is one 0-for-12 day from Caleb Love or RJ Davis from elimination. That’s something UNC has mostly been able to stave off in this postseason. Those guys have been really good. But could there be some regression to the mean at some point?
Andrew: Maybe but “what if I told you” — in ESPN narrator 30-for-30 voice — that the Tar Heels’ rise these past several weeks was the regression to the mean, so to speak, and where UNC should’ve been all along. This team doesn’t lack for talent, remember. Love was a highly-regarded prospect, same as Davis, same as a lot of those guys. Brady Manek proved he could play at Oklahoma. There’s not many teams that, on paper, have more pieces than UNC, so I’d say that the Tar Heels figuring it out was only a matter of time. You could say maybe their second half at Cameron was flukey, in that moment. But after what they’ve done in this tournament? Seems perhaps this is the real UNC.
Luke: I’m still not sure the Real UNC has enough weapons to beat the Real Duke, especially if Paolo Banchero continues to take over the game the way he has at critical moments in the NCAA tournament. Jeremy Roach’s development continues to make him the true point guard Duke lacked for much of the season. And Manek, for all his positives, should be a defensive matchup Duke can exploit. But I guess that’s what we’re going to find out Saturday.
Andrew: Suppose we will, Luke, if we can survive Bourbon Street, beignets and everything else. There’s not a better town in America for sportswriters, which perhaps also makes it the worst possible town when there’s work to be done. But I’ll be ready to write when UNC prevails in the neighborhood of 90-89 in triple-overtime, because why not, we haven’t come this far for this not to also become the best game in history. Prediction?
Luke: I’ll take Duke, 80-70, and apparently the winner has to play Kansas or Villanova? Who knew.
This story was originally published April 1, 2022 at 5:45 AM.
