Analysis: How UNC's backcourt matches up with Duke

Coming into the season, UNC had an evident game plan: run, run and run some more.

What the Tar Heel guards lack in height, they make up for in speed and athleticism. UNC's backcourt intensity will be a key factor in shutting down the Blue Devils when they face off on Saturday.

Graduate guard RJ Davis leads the Tar Heels in scoring with 17.7 points per game and is second in assists at just under four per game. According to Kenpom, the Blue Devils only allow 87.2 points per 100 possessions, second best in the country.

UNC's all-time leader in 3-pointers will have his work cut out for him against Duke's elite defense. While Davis is shooting a career-low 29.5 percent from deep, he'll need to bring his best if the Tar Heels are going to win this one.

Junior guard Seth Trimble is one of UNC's most formidable defenders, leading the Tar Heels with over one steal a game. His combination of stamina and explosiveness makes him an excellent perimeter defender.

Trimble will likely be tasked with marking Duke's first-year guard Kon Knueppel. Knueppel has established himself as one of the Blue Devils' best sharpshooters this year, featuring a smooth jump shot. With his high release point, Knueppel can knock down jump shots in small pockets of space. So far, he is hitting on 37.9 percent of his 3-pointers, averaging just over six attempts per game. If Trimble can run Knueppel off the line, Duke's offense will take a significant hit.

Sophomore guard Elliot Cadeau has shown flashes of being an elite playmaker. With a lightning-quick first step and shifty handle, Cadeau can force his defender off balance before launching a dime to an open teammate.

Cadeau leads UNC in assists with 6.1 per game and is the first Tar Heel to have three career games with at least 10 assists since Kendall Marshall. Additionally, Cadeau's most significant development in the off-season was his long-range shooting, with his 3-point percentage going from 18.9 percent to 29.4 percent.

When receiving a kick-out pass, Cadeau often hesitates to shoot from outside the arc. If Cadeau can play confidently, he can take the Tar Heels' offense to another level.

First-year guard Ian Jackson quickly became one of North Carolina's best scorers this year. Jackson exploded onto the scene with a 23-point outing against Alabama and has not slowed since. Against UCLA, he led a 16-point comeback, scoring 24 points on 8-13 shooting.

Following that game against the Bruins, Jackson has scored 20 or more points five times. Jackson is a pure bucket-getter, and that's precisely what UNC needs against the Blue Devils this year.

First-year guard Drake Powell has emerged as one of the North Carolina's most versatile players this season. Powell's stocky 195-pound frame allows him to stonewall smaller guards or bully his way into the paint on the offensive end. Powell is averaging 6.8 points per game, while shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from deep. 

However, Powell's primary assignment will be matching up against one of the nation's best wings in Cooper Flagg. At 6-foot-9, 205 pounds, Flagg can get to his spots all over the floor, allowing him to lead the Blue Devils in all major statistical categories.

Recently, Flagg broke the ACC first-year single-game scoring record with a 42-point game against Notre Dame.

UNC's key to slowing down Flagg is smothering him. Flagg's handle, while solid, is by no means elite, and he can often be forced to settle for difficult 3-pointers and pull-up jumpers. Forcing Duke's star to take tough jump shots will minimize his impact. 

In order for North Carolina to come out on top, solid guard play will be a key factor in both of UNC's matchups with Duke this season.

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