The regular season concludes with the North Carolina Tar Heels traveling just up the road to Durham to face the top-ranked Duke Blue Devils.
UNC is seeking a regular season sweep of the ACC regular season champions. In their first meeting on February 7 in the Smith Center, Carolina edged out Duke 71-68 in an instant classic. Senior guard Seth Trimble was the hero, burying a game-winning three-pointer with just 0.4 seconds left on the clock.
But that win and the four-game winning streak of the Tar Heels
is now overshadowed by the biggest news of the season that broke yesterday afternoon. Caleb Wilson broke his right thumb during practice on Thursday, and is out for the rest of the season.
Carolina was prepared to face Duke without Wilson, but this is a devastating blow to the team as it enters the postseason.
UNC has managed to win five of its six games in Wilson’s absence. Trimble’s leadership will be a key factor in this game, and his contributions on the offensive end will help, too. During this four-game winning streak, Trimble has scored in double figures in three games, including a career high of 30 points against then-ranked Louisville. He has scored in double figures four times in eight career games against the Blue Devils.
The Heels opened as 15-point underdogs, and the spread continues to grow. But when it’s Carolina-Duke, throw the odds out the window. UNC is 8-11 when Duke is ranked first in the nation, and has won three of the last five games in Cameron.
Let’s see if Carolina can rally for Wilson now and throughout the postseason.
Here’s how to catch the action:
- Time: 6:30 PM ET
- Location: Cameron Indoor Stadium – Durham, NC
- TV: ESPN with Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas, and Kris Budden
- Radio: Tar Heel Sports Network with Jones Angell, Tyler Hansbrough or Tyler Zeller, and Adam Lucas. Here’s a list of affiliates airing the THSN broadcast. You can also listen to them on GoHeels.com, The Varsity Network, Tune In, and Sirius XM on channel 82.
- Streaming: Streaming is available on WatchESPN or the app.
- Line: UNC -17.5
