Duke didn’t waste any time showing what kind of team it can be this season.
The Blue Devils opened the regular season with an 84-50 win over Army on Monday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and while the offense had a few rough patches early, the bigger takeaway was how sharp Duke looked on the defensive end. That’s been the theme through all three preseason games, too.
One game in, it’s already clear where Duke has a major edge over North Carolina: the glass.
That’s not exactly a mystery. Duke is the fourth-tallest team in the country, according to KenPom, and the roster is packed with size.
Against Army, that length showed up in a 37-28 rebounding advantage, including a 14-10 edge on the offensive boards. Those extra possessions mattered, too - Duke turned those 14 offensive rebounds into 20 points.
North Carolina, meanwhile, has had the opposite kind of start. The Tar Heels barely got past Western Carolina in their opener, and rebounding was a problem again.
In Michael Malone’s debut as head coach, UNC won 80-72 but lost the battle on the boards 41-32 and was beaten 13-7 on offensive rebounds. Western Carolina also scored 13 second-chance points.
That followed a shaky preseason stretch as well. Across three exhibition games, the Heels were out-rebounded 122-108, a minus-14 margin that kept showing up on the stat sheet.
UNC’s roster has talent, but the fit is still unsettled. The backcourt of Neo Avdalas, Matt Able, and Terrence Brown looks good on paper, though how those three mesh together is still an open question.
The frontcourt was the bigger concern entering the year, with Jarin Stevenson as the lone major returner and freshman international prospect Sayon Keita starting at center. So far, the results have been uneven, especially when it comes to securing rebounds.
KenPom lists UNC as the 12th-tallest team in the country, but height hasn’t translated into control of the boards. That’s been the glaring issue early, and it’s not something Duke seems likely to struggle with.
The Blue Devils added fifth-year South Dakota transfer Cameron Fens this offseason, a seven-footer who averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game last season and earned Summit League All-Defensive Team honors. He was ruled ineligible to play in games, and he remains ineligible after the Tennessee Supreme Court denied a motion to lift a stay from August.
Fens would have been a useful boost for UNC’s front line and rebounding group, but even without him, the early evidence points the same way: Duke has the size, the depth, and the glass-cleaning edge to make life difficult for the Tar Heels in both meetings this season.
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