Next Up - The Carolina Rematch

The rematch is never as good, or really, the rematch never has the same level of hype as the first game. The waiting for the first one, the anticipation, the excitement...we only get that once, and as soon as the game is over, attention

That doesn't mean that the second game can't also be great though and even without the hype, it'll certainly be intense.  UNC could have easily won the game in Cameron. They won't forget.

In the first game, Duke was killed in the lane. Just go down the line: Kennedy Meeks was 8-10. Brice Johnson was 7-10. Joel James was 3-4. That's 18-24 for UNC's big men.

Duke has been starting Matt Jones, 6-5, in place of Amile Jefferson, 6-9, but Jefferson will likely play a lot more this time out. Duke can't afford to give up that much in the paint.

On the other hand, if Duke defends UNC like Duke defended Wake Forest, that's a completely different scenario. The problem there is obvious: UNC is not Wake Forest.  UNC's guards have not shot all that well, but the Heels have a great talent in Marcus Paige, and he's about due for a great game.

In Cameron, JP Tokoto played brilliantly at times. He's still a better athlete than basketball player, but he's improving.

And someone else really caught our eye in Cameron: Joel James. Up until this point he's looked lost more often than not.  His size gave Duke's star freshman Jahlil Okafor fits and he actually showed some basketball moves. His improvement is considerable.

And you can be sure that UNC will do all it can to control Tyus Jones. Duke's point guard is small, but he went to the rack again and again and again in Durham. You might see a new wrinkle, like having Tokoto pitbull him.

The thing is that this year, there are matchup problems for both teams all over the place.

Okafor is a load for UNC, but James is older and more physically mature. Yet the same problems exists for UNC when Meeks is in: Okafor is a tough guy for him to defend.

At 6-9, Brice Johnson's closest analog on Duke's team is Amile Jefferson. Jefferson has many virtues but he's not as bouncy as Johnson is. Johnson is a real problem for Duke.

Tokoto is a superb athlete as we saw in Cameron and he's also a tough challenge for Duke.

Yet UNC couldn't slow Duke's backcourt much as Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook combined to shoot 14-31.

It goes down the list - Justin Jackson could be an absolute nightmare. Justise Winslow is too strong for the quick defenders and too quick for the strong ones.

It's a little unusual to have so many, but that's where things are.

Like any game, this one will come down to who defends, shoots and rebounds best, but it'll also come down to whose mismatches are best managed. 

So arguably it comes down to who makes the best adjustments. And if that's the case, we'll take Coach K.

• Duke looks to improve interior play at UNC
• Duke's guards, UNC's bigs main event in Round 2
• Blue Devils, Tar Heels look for edges in rematch
• UNC Tar Heels lacking star power compared with rival Duke Blue Devils
• DeCock: An unusual end to Simmons’ strange UNC career
• NC State closes out regular season with distracted Syracuse
• Coach K looks to tweak plan in rematch against UNC
• Sulaimon's dismissal from team still hovers over Coach K
• Jahlil Okafor, Duke's star freshman, still a work in progress
• Blue Devils, Tar Heels look for edges in rematch