DURHAM, N.C. - The players at Duke often show their commitment to defense by slapping the floor, a largely symbolic gesture made during the transition from offense to defense.<br>
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On Wednesday, against No. 2 North Carolina, they probably won't have time.<br>
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The Tar Heels (19-2, 8-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) lead all Division I teams with averages of 92 points and 21 assists per game, playing at a breakneck pace under the leadership of point guard Raymond Felton. Five players are scoring in double figures including sixth-man Marvin Williams to help North Carolina win 19 of its past 20 games.<br>
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``I don't think anybody gets the ball up as fast as Carolina,'' Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski said. ``They have ball-friendly guys at all their positions. Any offensive system that you have is enhanced by skills like that from your players.<br>
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``It goes up to a pretty high level the way they can run.''<br>
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The seventh-ranked Blue Devils (17-2, 7-2) always place a huge emphasis on defense, and very few teams can match their intensity. They contest every pass and opponents earn every basket.<br>
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But that's mostly in the halfcourt. If the Tar Heels can get out and run as they have all season, that should make it easier.<br>
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``All we've got to do is keep playing the way we've always been playing,'' Felton said. ``Try to get some of their guys tired. I think that will be a great asset for us.''<br>
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Duke should be well prepared for Felton, since its previous two games came against Wake Forest and Georgia Tech. Both feature stellar point guards in Chris Paul and Jarrett Jack, and they have a similar mentality about getting the ball up the court quickly on each possession.<br>
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Facing Felton is the latest challenge.<br>
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``I think he's the best point guard in the nation,'' Blue Devils guard Sean Dockery said. ``You've just got to have heart and you've got to do what you can to stop him.''<br>
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With freshman David McClure (knee surgery) and forward Reggie Love (broken foot) still out, the Blue Devils' roster continues to be thin. They started the season with only eight recruited players, and forward Shavlik Randolph is slowly getting back into shape after missing four games with mononucleosis.<br>
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Star guard J.J. Redick has sat on the bench for only 47 seconds during the past four games, and he, center Shelden Williams and point guard Daniel Ewing all average at least 33 minutes.<br>
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The Tar Heels go nine deep in their rotation, and no one plays 30 minutes a game.<br>
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``Depth is a great concern,'' Coach K said. ``Because you don't have to worry as much about foul trouble. We may not be in team foul trouble, we maybe have one or two individual problems with foul trouble, and what we do then, offensively and defensively, is affected.''<br>
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Duke has the homecourt advantage of Cameron Indoor Stadium, where North Carolina has lost seven of its past eight. Overall, the Blue Devils have won 14 of the past 16 in the series, which the Tar Heels lead 123-94.<br>
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After this one, North Carolina has to travel to No. 19 Connecticut, completing a stretch of six out of eight games on the road.<br>
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``I think it has told us that we're pretty good,'' coach Roy Williams said. ``But this game is not going to make or break our season.''<br>
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Krzyzewski still is recovering from a cold that contributed to his collapse during Saturday's game against Georgia Tech. He got lightheaded as he stood up to argue a call in the first half and fell to the floor.<br>
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He proclaimed himself fit and ready for the matchup with North Carolina. Of course, who would miss this one?<br>
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``This transcends coaches and players,'' Krzyzewski said. ``You know, for all of us, both schools and both programs, we're lucky to be a part of it. It's being part of something bigger than you.''
