BLOODY, BLOODY SUNDAY

Things get heated in Chapel Hill...again, and the colossal rivalry that is Duke, North Carolina continues to add to its already storied history.

The Tar Heels win at home in a game they had to have. If they would have lost they would have been the 5th seed in the ACC Tourney and would have had to play the extra game in the quarterfinal round. With the win however, they are the number 1 seed and are looking to capture the tournament title along with the number 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Duke on the other hand ends up finishing 6th in the ACC with an 8-8 record in the conference. This is not the like Duke teams of old, struggling to finish .500 in the ACC and don't even have a minute possibility of getting a number 1 or 2 seed in the NCAA tournament.

So, are Duke and North Carolina heading in different directions? With an early exit in the sweet sixteen at the hands of the LSU Tigers last season, and with a less than average season this year (by Duke standards that is) why are the Blue Devils no longer the powerhouse they used to be? Personally, I think it is a combination of things. First off they no longer seem to have a do all extremely athletic point guard like Jayson Williams, Chris Duhon, or Bobby Hurley. They also do not have the steady and powering inside presence they once did like a Sheldon Williams, Carlos Boozer or even Christian Laettner. Another problem is they don't have a sure handed outside shooter or an experienced leader like Shane Battier, J.J. Redick or Grant Hill. Finally it seems to me UNC is recruiting some better talent and more explosive players. With players like Tyler Hansbrough (above), Brandan Wright and Ty Lawson the Tar Heels seem to be on the up and up. Especially if these kind of players stay I predict a serious National Championship run in the near future if not this year.

So, should there be a cause for concern for the Dukies? I think not (despite the conclusive evidence I stated above). The Blue Devils still have one surprise up their sleeve...ladies and gentlemen I present Coach K! Also even though it seems UNC may have some better recruits, kids still want to play for Coach K and put on the white and blue.

For NCAA predictions for these two teams I say Duke gets a 3 seed and losses in the sweet sixteen for the second year in a row, as for the Heels a 2 seed and trip to the elite 8 but no further.

Going, going, gone
DeLa