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          Capital One Fan Vote: Who ya got in UNC-Duke Round 1?

          • John Gasaway, ESPN InsiderFeb 18, 2019, 08:55 PM
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            • ESPN Insider college basketball contributor
            • First began covering college hoops in 2004
            • Has written for Basketball Prospectus and the Wall Street Journal
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          Round 1 of North Carolina vs. Duke is Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. So who ya got?

          Let's consider ...

          The case for North Carolina

          The Tar Heels rank No. 1 in offensive efficiency in ACC play at this point in the season, by a hair, over both Duke and Virginia. Roy Williams' team scores points in bunches by hitting its 3s and crashing the offensive glass. UNC has drained 41 percent of its tries from beyond the arc against conference opponents, and Cam Johnson and Coby White have been primarily responsible for that outstanding number. North Carolina has won eight of its last nine, and this rotation is well suited to take away at least one of the Blue Devils' strengths. This isn't the stingiest defense we've seen in Chapel Hill under Williams, but one thing the Heels do very well is limiting opponents to one shot. Luke Maye might be having an off season in terms of shooting 3s, but he's been one of the best individual defensive rebounders in the entire league (and Nassir Little's not far behind).

          The case for Duke

          The Blue Devils are just eight points away from still having a perfect record in late February, with wins over Kentucky, Auburn, Texas Tech, Florida State, Louisville and Virginia (twice) to their credit. Duke is making 57 percent of its 2s in ACC play, an exceptional level of efficiency in one of the nation's toughest conferences. Leading that highly efficient interior attack is, of course, Zion Williamson. The freshman sensation is combining volume with effectiveness in a way that college basketball has rarely seen. Along with RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish and Tre Jones, Williamson gives Mike Krzyzewski the best combination of excellence on offense and defense he's had since Duke won the national title in 2015. In fact, when North Carolina comes to Cameron Indoor Stadium, the best defense on the floor will belong to Duke. The Blue Devils have been especially skilled at denying 3-point looks to opponents.

          So, who do you have winning Round 1?