The UNC men's basketball team has had a rough season. The Tar Heels have eight losses, including seven Quad 1 losses and one to Quad 2 Stanford.
After coming into the pre-season ranked No. 9, they have underperformed.
Now, North Carolina will face a seemingly invincible Duke squad on Saturday in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
With UNC teetering on the bubble ahead of the NCAA tournament, it's do or die. A win against Duke could turn the entire season around, but a loss could be disastrous.
Heading into the game, here are three keys before the rivalry matchup:
Increase the pace
UNC plays at one of the fastest paces in the country, ranking within the top-20 in possessions per game. But in ACC play, the pace has slowed, giving the Tar Heels fewer opportunities to score.
Against teams like Kansas and Florida, UNC scored 89 and 84 points, respectively. Against conference opponents, North Carolina is averaging 75 points per game.
The Blue Devils boast a top-10 scoring defense. However, their pace of play ranks amongst the slowest in the nation. The team routinely holds its opponents to season-lows.