Jay Williams explains why UNC's struggles don't matter in rivalry game vs. Duke

North Carolina may be struggling a bit at this point of the season, but ESPN’s Jay Williams knows you can throw out all the records and the logic when the Tar Heels face off against Duke.

UNC is headed to Durham to take on the Blue Devils on Saturday afternoon, and ESPN brought College GameDay to town ahead of their rivalry showdown. While Williams recognizes North Carolina isn’t where they want to be at the moment, he doesn’t believe any of that matters heading into this evening’s game, and Duke must be weary of the Tar Heels, regardless of their record.

“You can throw all those stats out the window, about Elliot Cadeau shooting 31% — none of that stuff matters,” Williams said, regarding UNC’s struggles entering their showdown with Duke. “People, in this rivalry — especially playing against Duke, have a way of making shots.

“If Elliot Cadeau and RJ Davis can start making shots, Ian Jackson — they will have a shot, because they have three players who are seasoned in this rivalry. … Guys are used to playing under that pressure. That experience goes a long way.”

Alas, Duke may be the No. 2 team in the country, and they have one of the best players in college basketball in Cooper Flagg, but Williams believes UNC could waltz into Cameron Indoor and change everything with a win.

It’s a massive opportunity, but Tar Heels leader Hubert Davis is trying to keep the main thing the main thing, as he previously stated he’s no more excited for tonight’s game than any other.

“We’ll prepare, we’ll practice and we’ll play with the same type of competitive enthusiasm that we played with tonight,” the coach said. “I think every game is the Super Bowl. Whether it’s a preseason game or just any time you get a chance to step out there on the floor you should be ready to go.”

All told, North Carolina will enter the game against Duke having lost three of its past four games. The Tar Heels currently sit at 13-9 (6-4 ACC) and could use a big win like this to build moment and get back on the right track. 

Overall, the Tar Heels hold a 145-117 record against Duke, including 4-3 since Hubert Davis took over as coach in the 2021-22 season. They won both of the meetings last season as well as a game in the Final Four during Davis inaugural season.

Time will tell who’s victorious this time around, but Jay Williams knows better than to take North Carolina lightly. Duke will be ready, and Jon Scheyer will make sure of it, but it should be a fantastic battle in Durham on Saturday.

— On3’s Chandler Vessels contributed to this article.