The Carolina-Duke rivalry rarely needs extra hype; it typically comes with it.
Both teams are led by two excellent coaches, Hubert Davis and Jon Scheyer, and feature players who are dependable both inside and outside. Additionally, this matchup could influence the ACC title race and tournament seeding.
Of course, there are several key matchups to watch. These will ultimately determine the outcome, as every little detail will matter in this game.
Seth Trimble vs. Isaiah Evans
This will probably be the most slept-on yet important matchup of the evening between both No. 2s.
Despite being an undersized shooting guard, Seth Trimble is Carolina’s best defender in the backcourt and also its third scoring option behind Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar. His excellent slashing ability has allowed him to average 14.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
Isaiah Evans has solidified himself as Duke’s No. 2 scoring option of late, averaging 17.0 points per game on 43.4% shooting from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc since conference play began. Trimble will have to make sure Evans’ 3-point attempts don’t go in, as he will take plenty of them — nearly eight per game, to be exact. After all, Carolina is allowing its conference opponents to make 41.4% of their 3-point shots, last in the ACC.
Caleb Wilson vs. Cameron Boozer
Easily the most high-profile matchup of the evening, most of the attention will be on the two freshmen stars: Duke’s Cameron Boozer and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson.
At 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, Boozer has been a force for Duke this season. He is the favorite to win the ACC Player of the Year award and is projected to be a top-five pick at power forward. He is averaging 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game — all team highs — and has helped lead the Blue Devils to a 21-1 overall record and a 10-0 start in ACC play.
Wilson, also a projected top-five pick, has had one of the most electric freshman seasons in ACC history. He is averaging 20.0 points and 9.9 rebounds and broke Tyler Hansbrough’s record for the most 20-point games by a freshman, which had stood for more than 20 years.
Wilson leads the ACC in rebounding, ranks fourth in scoring and seventh in blocks per game (1.3), while averaging 1.5 steals. He is fourth in field-goal percentage (58.1%). In conference play, he is averaging 20.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Boozer leads the ACC in points and rebounds, is tied for third in steals and ranks 12th in assists, tops among big men. In conference play, he is averaging 23.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.2 steals while shooting 60.1% from the field.
Both are efficient scorers and strong rebounders, but Boozer is the better 3-point shooter, hitting 37.5% overall and 42.5% in ACC play. Wilson offers more rim protection, posting a higher block percentage than Boozer.
Henri Veesaar vs. Patrick Ngongba
Winning the battle in the paint will be important for both squads, and it will be dictated by the former matchup along with this one.
Henri Veesaar is averaging 16.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. The 7-footer from Estonia leads the ACC in double-doubles (12) and is second in field-goal percentage (62.4), 3-point percentage (45.9), effective field-goal percentage (68.6) and true shooting percentage (68.0).
Ngongba is averaging 11.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while shooting 62% from the floor. He has a 7.1 block percentage (fifth in the ACC), 12.8 rebound percentage (10th) and 17.8 defensive rebound percentage (17th).
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Three matchups to watch in Carolina–Duke rivalry game