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Hard to believe, but this is only the tenth season in the 65 years of the Atlantic Coast Conference that North Carolina boasts a pair of players averaging at least 17 points per game. This is the first time under Roy Williams.
The Tar Heels have paced the ACC in scoring 19 times, seven under Williams. That total is second only to Duke, which led the ACC in scoring offense in 23 seasons, 11 since 1997.
Half of UNC’s 17-point duos played in consecutive seasons from 1965 through 1969. Larry Miller and Bob Lewis each averaged at least 17 in their three varsity seasons.
The Blue Devils had at least two 17-point scorers nearly twice as often as the Heels, doing it 19 different times.
In 1978 a trio of Duke players averaged 17-plus across the course of an entire season: Jim Spanarkel (20.8) -- the most deserving Blue Devil whose jersey numeral is not retired, Mike Gminski (20.0) and Gene Banks (17.1). The ’02 squad duplicated the feat with Jason Williams (21.3), Carlos Boozer (18.2) and Mike Dunleavy (17.3).
The last time Duke had a pair of 17-point producers were 2016. This year only Marvin Bagley III exceeds that mark.
| SWEET SEVENTEEN Seasons in Which North Carolina Had Two Players Average at Least 17 Points (Through Games on January 13, 2018) |
|
|---|---|
| Year | Players (Scoring Averages) |
| 2018 | Luke Maye (18.2), Joel Berry II (17.4) |
| 1984 | Michael Jordan (19.6), Sam Perkins (17.6) |
| 1976 | Phil Ford (18.6), Mitch Kupchak (17.6) |
| 1972 | Robert McAdoo (19.5), Dennis Wuycik (18.0) |
| 1969 | Charles Scott (22.3), Bill Bunting (18.0) |
| 1968 | Larry Miller (22.4), Charles Scott (17.6) |
| 1967 | Larry Miller (21.9), Bob Lewis (18.5) |
| 1966 | Bob Lewis (27.4), Larry Miller (20.9) |
| 1965 | Billy Cunningham (25.4), Bob Lewis (21.0) |
| 1961 | York Larese (23.1), Doug Moe (20.4) |
