UNC-Duke Rivalry In Limbo

"It's kind of like when you learn physics -- when they teach you Newtonian physics. And then you get to the quantum level, and then all those rules cease to apply. And I think it's the same kind of thing," said Duke men's basketball player Matt Christensen.

If Dr. Christensen's theory of rivalry physics holds up, then North Carolina has nothing to fear when the Tar Heels take on top-ranked Duke at the Smith Center today at 9 p.m.

The Tar Heels (6-11, 2-5 in the ACC) are having a historically bad season, while the defending-national champion Blue Devils (18-1, 6-1) seem to be cruising along to Atlanta and the Final Four.

And although on paper it seems like the Tar Heels are destined for their worst loss in Smith Center history (that's 22 points to Wake Forest on Jan. 5), the Blue Devils are being careful not to say anything that would indicate a lack of respect for their closest rival.

"We're taking this game very seriously because we believe this is still the best rivalry in college basketball," said sophomore guard Chris Duhon. "We kind of feel like they're in a situation that we were in last year when we played at Carolina, where we had nothing to lose. And they're going to be able to do whatever they want and just play."

The "nothing to lose" concept was repeated by Mike Dunleavy. Looking at the records, the idea seems valid. And while the struggling Tar Heels aren't expected to win, the Blue Devils have more to lose than just a game.

They're jockeying with Maryland for the top spot in the ACC, and while it's only January, Duke needs to keep its losses at a minimum if it wants the

No. 1 seed in the East again.

For the Tar Heels, they're in seventh place in the conference with a 7-13, 0-7 Georgia Tech squad on the horizon for Saturday. UNC's 31 straight years of

20-win seasons are out the door. That streak of 27 consecutive NCAA bids is gone, too, barring a miraculous ACC Tournament title.

"That (nothing to lose idea) can play in our favor a little bit," said sophomore point guard Adam Boone. "It's a lot easier saying that. I've said that sometimes looking at other games, but when you're in it, you feel like you have a lot to lose, simply because you don't want to lose."

Although the Blue Devils have been careful to show their respect for the Tar Heels, the university's student body hasn't. Duke's student body president and its head line monitor sent an e-mail to the students asking them not to burn the benches in front of the residence halls this year, a tradition that follows an important win.

"They asked us not to waste them on UNC," said Duke sophomore Erin Harper, a Chinese and political science major from Texas.

And students on the other side seem to think the Tar Heels have a lost cause.

Junior Molly Benner, a journalism major from Silver Springs, Md., said she can't give away her tickets. She also said that while she can't make it to the game, she won't be helping a Blue Devil get into the Smith Center.

"I think all the empty Tar Heel seats will be full of Duke blue, which is why people shouldn't give their tickets away," Burnett said.

Burnett described the rivalry between the schools as latent because of Duke's recent dominance. The Blue Devils have won seven of the last eight.

And as the Blue Devils get stronger, some have suggested the Duke-Maryland rivalry has supplanted that of Duke-UNC.

"In the hearts of Carolina and Duke fans, I don't think that's ever going to be the case," Christensen said. "I have plenty of people that I don't know that are Duke fans that after games or when I'm walking down the street, say 'Thanks a lot, I've been sticking it to my neighbor.' And that'll go on forever."

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.