Duke Ready To Host Arch-Rival North Carolina On Senior Night

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Duke Ready To Host Arch-Rival North Carolina On Senior Night

By Jake Lloyd

Mar 8, 2008

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Durham, N.C. — The memory is still clear in DeMarcus Nelson's mind.

He was a sophomore. J.J. Redick was a senior. It was the final game of the regular season at Cameron Indoor Stadium for No. 1 Duke, Redick's Senior Night.

Everyone, including Nelson, wanted to win for Redick. But it didn't happen. The No. 13 Tar Heels upset the Blue Devils, leaving a sour feeling in all the Devils' mouths as they prepared for postseason play.

"I really felt bad for him, you know, because of how important he was and how big a regular season he had as a player," Nelson said.

"It's definitely something that I regret for him because that's a big moment for him, so I always remember."

Saturday night, Nelson will have his Senior Night, and even more will be at stake than two years ago. For the first time since 1991, the game will decide the outright regular-season title and North Carolina is ranked No. 1 in the country.

While junior Greg Paulus said the No. 6 Devils are preparing in the same manner they do for any game, no player denied the implications of the game. Not only is the regular-season title at stake, but so is the No. 1 seed in the upcoming ACC tournament and a better chance at being named the Charlotte region's No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament with a chance for games in Raleigh then Charlotte.

"This game means a lot for both teams on a lot of different levels," Nelson said. "And you can expect both teams to play to exhaustion.

"It's definitely an important game for us. … I would say this will probably be a historic game that's being played tomorrow."

Nelson said the fact that the game will be his Senior Night hasn't sunk in yet.

"Luckily it hasn't really, it hasn't hit me yet," Nelson said. "And I think closer to game time it will hit me. It probably won't hit me until tomorrow when I'm putting on the uniform and lacing them up, which is actually good.

"I've been able to pretty much keep my emotions and keep everything in line for the most part."

Coach Mike Krzyzewski said the decision to make Nelson the sole captain — which was made by his staff — after having three captains a year ago has really boosted the senior's performance.

"I think at times when you give somebody that responsibility, they just grow exponentially, and that's what he's done this year," Krzyzewski said. "And I'm very, very proud of DeMarcus. He's been the lock for our team.

"I'm going to try to make the most of him in March and maybe in April. He's a man right now, and he's helped these other guys hopefully become men."

As has been the case most of the season, the Devils will take on a bigger, stronger team in the Tar Heels — including national player of the year candidate Tyler Hansbrough. Kyle Singler said the key defensively will be for all five players to make life hectic for Hansbrough and his teammates.

"It's not gonna be myself and Tyler (matching up)," Singler said. "For us, it's gonna be team defense, and that's what we did in Chapel Hill and that's how we won.

"And that's what we're going to have to do in Cameron."

Nelson said the Devils won't hesitate to double-team and harass Carolina's post players when they receive the ball.

"We're gonna definitely help down on their bigs, and they have obviously the best big guy in our league and probably the best big guy in college basketball in Hansbrough," Nelson said. "And then their forwards are coming along.

"It's up to us all. It's going to take five guys to defend them inside."

Krzyzewski didn't hesitate when asked if Hansbrough is nation's best player.

"Yeah," Krzyzewski said. "And this isn't just because we're playing them. Who's like him? The kid is one of the ultimate players to ever play in college basketball, not just in this conference."

Krzyzewski pointed to Hansbrough's ability to draw several fouls, getting the Heels to the free-throw line early and often. The other thing he said that makes Hansbrough stand out is the junior's heart and ability to lead the Heels.

"I respect that kid ultimately," Krzyzewski said. "I'd love to coach him, just like every other coach in the country. I'd love to coach him.

"And he deserves that honor. No question about it."

Gerald Henderson said the low point of the Devils' season was when they gave up 86 and 96 points, respectively, in back-to-back losses at Wake Forest and Miami. Since then — in four victories — the Devils have stepped it up on the defensive end of the court, and Henderson said being the aggressor against the No. 1 Heels will be key.

"Defensively, we really weren't getting after teams," Henderson said. "And especially in the beginning of games, where guys were hitting shots and getting open looks and easy buckets, which gives them confidence.

"That happened in both games. And especially in the ACC, you can't let that happen because teams are good, players are good, and if you give anybody confidence, good things are going to happen for them."

While Krzyzewski admitted that the Devils hit a little lull during that period and "may have been a little tired," he also said that Duke's opponents were a huge reason why the losing streak occurred.

"We met two really hot teams," Krzyzewski said. "And because we're good — but we're not that good — when we had that little lull (and) were playing somebody hot, really good, it looked like the world changed.

"And I thought as a staff, we didn't overreact to it. We kind of knew, 'OK, we have two losses in the ACC. Eight, nine wins. It's not too bad.'"

Krzyzewski said the main defensive area the Devils have worked on since the losses is communication, which he said has since improved.

Henderson has been a big key during the Devils' four-game winning streak, overcoming a right-wrist injury that he will have surgery on after the season. In the Devils' 86-70 win over Virginia Wednesday, Henderson led Duke with 19 points, the most he had scored since late January.

The Devils clearly are a different team when Henderson has his midrange game working, and the sophomore said the wrist has healed enough so that it no longer bothers him.

"With the wrist thing, it took a little while for me to get adjusted with it," Henderson said. "Now, I'm perfectly fine. I have my confidence to shoot the ball from not wherever, but from the 3-point line and in, I guess, but it feels good."

In Duke's 89-78 win in Chapel Hill, the Devils victimized the Heels with their outside shooting, making 13 3-pointers. Singler acknowledged that his ability to pull out a bigger defender such as Hansbrough or Deon Thompson to the perimeter because he can shoot the 3 is a big advantage for the Devils.

"We're looking at the mismatches and just going at those," Singler said.

But ultimately Saturday night will be about all the intangibles — who plays with the passion of the rivalry but is poised at the same time, who makes the big plays at the end of the game.

Nelson said that he talks to Carolina senior Quentin Thomas a couple times a week during the season, but friendships will be put aside once the teams take the court in front of the national television audience.

"The players, we all know each other and we all like each other, but on that one date when we step between the lines, it's all business and we're going to go at each other," Nelson said.

A week ago, the Devils played for Krzyzewski, getting him his 800th career win. On Saturday, they're playing for Nelson, with the hope of giving him a Senior Night victory and an ACC title. They realize what the stakes are, even if the preparation is the same as before any regular-season game.

"He's put his time in here," Henderson said. "He's had a heck of a career, and for it to be his last home game against Carolina — if you're not going to play for anything, just play for him because he's played really well this season. He's done great for our team, and he's been our leader.

"So if you're not gonna play for anything, play for DeMarcus."

Most Recent Comments

Lets go DUKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think both Duke and UNC are class acts! Sometimes the fans make it seem not so.

I understand there will be a pregame moment of silence in Cameron to honor the UNC student recently slain. Duke is a class act.

You can always throw the records out of the window when it comes to predicting the outcome of Duke/Carolina matchups, and this one promises to be another epic contest. Duke has been playing well of late, and if they hit their three-pointers they're gonna be tough to beat.

I do hope the Heels pull it off, though. The loss of Eve Carson - the student body president - has hit the entire campus really hard.

LET' GO HEELS!!! Win this one for Eve!

Nelson really came on and established himself as a leader this year. He seems to be a good kid and nice ambassador for Duke and the ACC. I just hope his next game(s) against the Heels is subpar! That goes for the rest of the Dukies, too. But it's very difficult to ever beat Duke at home, and UNC is going for 3 in a row in Cameron? Can't say I like the odds.

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