ACC Tournament: Duke vs

“It’s not like we played a great zone, but it changed a little the tempo”.

North Carolina was rested, offensively efficient and plenty eager to make up for a regular-season loss to Miami.

So with this being Duke-UNC Part III let’s look at some important questions that are surrounding this match-up. However, after two days of action and weaving through the 2017 ACC Tournament bracket, it was time on Thursday for the top four seeds to take the floor and try to prove why they were there. Miami won its only ACC championship by defeated the Tar Heels in the finals of the 2013 tournament.

UNC and Duke play twice per season, every season, and sometimes it seems like it’s not enough.

If the Blue Devils can compete at the same healthy-looking level despite their lack of rest Friday, the semifinal should be yet another classic. Bruce Brown shined in the game, scoring 30 points, including four three-pointers. It’s pretty impossible to fathom a team playing five games in five days to take home the conference title. We’re accustomed, they’re accustomed to playing in buildings that have a lot of energy, for or against them. A late flurry from Grayson Allen, though, pushed Duke through.

Allen followed up his scoreless performance in Wednesday’s game with 18 points.

What’s he done against UNC: The best thing Jefferson has done against UNC, from the Duke perspective, is limit Kennedy Meeks on the interior. Did it feel weird reading that? Duke shot 44.1% from the field and held the Cardinals to just 19.0% (4-21) shooting from beyond the arc in the win.

This is what the ACC’s first northern invasion has wrought, the truly unthinkable: North Carolina fans pulling for the Blue Devils, if only to get the chance to finally glimpse a game between two of the sport’s most prominent programs. On the year, the Heels have connected on 37% of their threes.

Louisville had plenty of opportunities down the stretch, but ultimately shot itself in the foot at the free-throw line, making just 15 of its 26 attempts from the charity stripe. Friday’s rubber game in Brooklyn will be the first time they’ve played outside of the regular season since 2011.

Now that that’s out of the way, Miami turns their focus to #1 seed and ACC Regular Season Champion North Carolina.

On the flip side, Carolina should try to attack the Blue Devils, and get out into transition as much as possible.

The Hurricanes have won five of the last seven meetings with North Carolina.

Isaiah Hicks and Joel Berry II on Senior Night.