Just talking about the game gets Dick Vitale excited.
When North Carolina and Duke meet Saturday night in Durham, N.C., the winner will earn more than in-state bragging rights – it also will claim the state for the month of March.
That’s because the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament’s East Regional will play its first two games in Raleigh and then the next two, assuming it advances, in Charlotte. It will be nothing but bus rides until the Final Four in San Antonio.
“If you don’t have to get on a plane until you have to go to the Final Four in San Antonio, that’s a huge advantage,” said Vitale, who will be the analyst for the game for ESPN.
Duke’s NCAA run was brief last year, ending in a first-round knockout to Virginia Commonwealth. North Carolina made it to the Elite Eight, but was as displeased as its Tar Heel state rivals.
“The thing about both these schools is that they don’t get excited about getting in the NCAA Tournament,” Vitale said. “It’s like the Yankees getting excited about a division title – that’s not good enough for them. Just ask Joe Torre.
“There is only one goal that they have, and that is to win a national championship. Duke and North Carolina have created that scenario. Their standard of excellence is about cutting the nets down. And if they don’t do that, they feel like it has been a failed season.”
North Carolina, No. 1 in the country, might have an extra chip on its shoulder. The Blue Devils stormed into the Dean Dome and took down the Tar Heels 89-78 the first time these teams played.
Duke bombed away from the perimeter, knocking down 13 threes, taking advantage of the absence of North Carolina’s injured starting point guard Ty Lawson (ankle) and
what Vitale says is a sometimes lackadaisical UNC defense.
“Duke did a brilliant job spreading the court, beating them off the dribble and shooting threes,” Vitale said. “The defensive side is where North Carolina has broken down. They don’t focus consistently for 40 minutes, and that could create a problem come tournament time.
“If they suck it up defensively, they are going to be my choice to win the national championship.”
Vitale missed part of the season because of ulcers on his vocal cords. The ulcers were surgically removed, and Vitale returned for the first battle between these two teams.
He will be there for the second game too, along with Lawson, who recently returned to UNC’s lineup with the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament on the line.
The ACC Tournament could be the site of round three between the Tar Heels and Blue Devils, and don’t even be surprised if they meet a fourth time in San Antonio with even more at stake.
“I have done Carolina- Duke 40-50 times and I get goose bumps every time they announce the lineups and they start the play,” Vitale said.
“The emotion, intensity and passion that pores out of those facilities is just amazing. I can’t really describe it. You have to sit there to feel it. You feel the place rocking and the adrenaline.”