Three things to know about Duke before matchup with North Carolina

North Carolina will take on Duke in another clash between the two blue blood programs on Saturday at the Dean Dome.

North Carolina (18-4, 6-3 ACC), ranked No. 14 in the AP Top 25, is looking to get a big win in front of its home crowd to stay in the race for an ACC regular-season title and improve its résumé. Duke. (21-1, 10-0 ACC), ranked No. 4 in the country in the AP Top 25, looks to win its fourth straight game over its crosstown rival.

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Here are three things to know about Duke going into Saturday’s matchup.

Like Father, Like Son

Jan 31, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) works against Virginia Tech Hokies forward Tobi Lawal (1) during the first half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Cameron and Cayden Boozer are the twin sons of former Duke standout and NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer.

At 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, Cameron Boozer has been a force for Duke this season. He is the favorite to win the ACC player of the year award and is projected to be a top-five pick as a power forward. He is averaging 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game, all of which are team highs. Boozer has helped propel the Blue Devils to a 21-1 overall record and a 10-0 start in ACC play.

The latter hasn’t had the production that the former has, but Cayden Boozer is averaging 6.3 points and 2.8 assists off the bench in more of a sixth-man role for the Blue Devils.

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Duke Hasn’t Had Much Success From Beyond the Arc

Jan 14, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Nikolas Khamenia (14) makes a three point basket against California Golden Bears forward Chris Bell (22) during the second half at Haas Pavilion.

The Blue Devils are extremely efficient on the inside, as they make 62.1% of their 2-point attempts, the fourth-best mark in the country. However, Duke does not shoot the 3-pointer as well as it would like. Duke is shooting 33.8% from beyond the arc, which is 200th nationally…

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Publish date : 2026-02-06 17:39:00

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