UNC men's basketball prepare for Ingram, Blue Devils

As if the North Carolina men’s basketball team needs any more motivation against its crosstown rival, the numbers paint a compelling picture.

UNC leads the series 133-107, but Duke has claimed 10 of the past 13 meetings. The Tar Heels hold the top spot in the ACC, but the Blue Devils are riding a four-game winning streak.

But when No. 5 North Carolina (21-4, 10-2 ACC) hosts No. 20 Duke (19-6, 8-4 ACC) at 9:10 p.m. tonight in the Smith Center, anything can happen.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re 21-0 or 0-21,” sophomore Justin Jackson said. “Whenever it comes down to Duke-North Carolina, everybody’s going to come to play.”

The one who got away

From his second year in high school, Brandon Ingram was on UNC’s radar.

“We spent a ton of time on him. Loved him, loved everything about him,” Coach Roy Williams said. “I don’t know that I’ve ever worked a guy as long or as hard as we did Brandon.”

Williams said he recruited the 6-foot-9 Ingram for three years. But the nation’s No. 3 prospect ultimately landed eight miles down the road.

Tonight, Williams will likely turn to 6-foot-10 senior Brice Johnson to match Ingram’s length and athleticism.

“I have to go out and prove I can guard Brandon Ingram,” Johnson said. “I don’t think there’s ever been anybody I’ve ever guarded like that.”

Towering Tar Heels

While Ingram’s length presents a matchup problem for the Tar Heel defenders, the Blue Devils’ rotation includes three players above 6-foot-8.

And with six rotation players standing at 6-foot-8 or taller, UNC’s size advantage could prove paramount.

The Tar Heels also feature a deeper rotation, with nine active players averaging 10 minutes per game compared to six for the Blue Devils.

But Williams knows depth itself is hardly a virtue.

“Just playing more people doesn’t get them in foul trouble,” Williams said. “You’ve got to attack the basket.”

Putting it all together

After thrashing Pittsburgh 85-64 on Sunday, North Carolina is riding its highest wave of momentum since it entered February with a 12-game winning streak.

But while the Tar Heels dominated nearly every facet of their win over the Panthers, UNC was outrebounded 19-1 on the offensive glass — something Williams said he has never seen before in his 28 years of coaching.

Senior guard Marcus Paige said he is surprised with the team’s inability to put together a complete game thus far.

But come tonight, all of that could change.

“We finally put together one part, but we left another part behind ...” he said.

“Maybe (tonight’s) the night we put together a complete game, and (Williams) will just have to applaud our effort all the way around.”

@CJacksonCowart

sports@dailytarheel.com