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Previewing Key Player Matchup for Duke-UNC ACC Tournament Semifinal

By Chris Brown

Mar 4, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoot as North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (4) defends in the second half. The Tar Heels defeated the Blue Devils 90-83 at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoot as North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (4) defends in the second half. The Tar Heels defeated the Blue Devils 90-83 at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Two players who will be key for the success of Duke and North Carolina tonight have both excelled so far in the ACC Tournament.

Duke Basketball will take on UNC for the third time this season in the ACC Tournament semifinals. Our key matchup of the game is at the power forward position, where Duke’s Jayson Tatum vs. UNC’s Isaiah Hicks could determine the outcome of game.

Related Story: Blue Devils Beat Louisville, Advance to ACC Semifinals

Duke Blue Devils Basketball
Duke Blue Devils Basketball /

Duke Blue Devils Basketball

UNC senior forward Isaiah Hicks is coming off a dominant performance against Miami. Hicks led the Tar Heels in scoring with 19 points on 5-7 shooting and 9-9 from the free throw line, helping the Tar Heels used a huge second half run to beat the Hurricanes 78-53. The 6-9 forward missed the first rivalry matchup between the two schools, but played a key role in the Blue Devils’ loss in Chapel Hill recording 21 points and 9 rebounds.

Jayson Tatum has been one of the top players so far in the conference tournament. In the second round win over Clemson, Tatum scored 20 points and grabbed 9 rebounds to go along with 4 assists. The 6-8 freshman led the Blue Devils in a win over Louisville in the quarterfinals, compiling 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals while shooting 60% from the field. Jayson Tatum starred in the first Tobacco Road rivalry matchup at Duke with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. However, he struggled at UNC scoring only 13 points on 4-13 shooting.

The Hicks and Tatum matchup will be very important because the two starting PFs have very different playing styles. Hicks is more of a traditional four who is bigger and plays in the post. Tatum, however, is more of a perimeter player who plays on the wing and is normally a small forward. The Blue Devils can be successful if they are able to exploit Tatum’s versatility offensively as a scorer (driving and shooting), rebounder, and passer. Jayson Tatum will also need to keep Hicks from scoring in the paint and rebounding.

Next: Duke Freshman Guard Becoming a Star

There will be many other key matchups to watch tonight for Duke-UNC Part 3, including Luke Kennard vs. ACC POY Justin Jackson, Frank Jackson vs. Joel Berry II, and more. However, the matchup that could decide the game will come down to freshman Jayson Tatum going against senior Isaiah Hicks, and which forward can make the biggest impact for their team.

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