Duke-North Carolina, the biggest rivalry in college basketball, took place for the first time this season and No. 3 North Carolina got the win at home over No. 7 Duke, 93-84.
It was UNC’s relentless defense that was the biggest difference-maker, forcing 11 turnovers and capitalizing on every opportunity. UNC’s Harrison Ingram and Armando Bacot combined for 46 points and 23 rebounds in the win and the Tar Heels led by as many as 15 points late in the second half.
Almost every NBA Draft cycle there are players from both blue-blood programs who hear NBA commissioner Adam Silver call their names on draft night, and this year won’t be any different. Former Duke forward Paolo Banchero was the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft and Coby White, a former Tar Heel, was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the No. 7 pick in the 2019 draft.
Close to a dozen NBA scouts and executives were in attendance at the Dean E. Smith Center. Yahoo Sports takes a look at seven players in the game whom NBA scouts are keeping tabs on and how they performed.
Harrison Ingram, North Carolina
Ingram elected to transfer to UNC from Stanford for his junior year and he has been a massive addition, particularly on offense, with his size on the perimeter at 6-foot-7 and ability to guard positions 1-4. During the win over Duke, he was stepping into shots with confidence, knocking down five 3s and extending Duke’s defense to allow spacing in the lane for one-on-one touches for Bacot off the block. He was everywhere defensively, diving on the floor for loose balls, winning 50/50 balls off tips or rebounds, and also forcing four steals. Ingram has been a fringe first-round to mid-second-round pick all season, and the way he played against Duke should help his draft stock.
RJ Davis, North Carolina
The senior guard has been unstoppable in conference play and will be in the conversation for Player of the Year. He’s leading the ACC in scoring, averaging 21.5 points per game, and prior to the win over Duke, Davis put up 36 points in a win over Wake Forest last week. He’s a three-level scorer and can get a shot off in both the catch-and-shoot and off the dribble. With how productive he’s been his senior season (and the upcoming NBA Draft being wildly unpredictable), Davis could rise up draft boards despite his size at 6 foot.