Duke basketball starters against archrival Tar Heels

Duke basketball is 11-0 at home and 9-1 anywhere with this starting five.

Matt Giles | Feb 4, 2023

Duke basketball starters against archrival Tar Heels /

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Duke Blue Devils

Freshman forward Dariq Whitehead will miss his third straight game with a left lower leg injury. Even if the six-time starter was available to play when the Duke basketball team hosts the rival UNC Tar Heels (15-7, 7-4 ACC) at 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN), chances are he would have received limited minutes off the bench.

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With that in mind, it should be no shock that the Blue Devils (16-6, 7-4 ACC) will roll out the same starters for the season's first matchup against the Tar Heels that they used in their recent wins over Georgia Tech and Wake Forest:

Junior guard Jeremy Roach
Freshman guard Tyrese Proctor
Freshman forward Mark Mitchell
Freshman forward Kyle Filipowski
Freshman center Dereck Lively II

When the above five have drawn starts, the Blue Devils are 9-1, including five straight wins. The only loss with this starting five came against the now-No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers on Nov. 27.

But Roach is the only Blue Devil, whether a starter or reserve, who saw any action in the losses to UNC in the regular-season finale and Final Four last season.

Following the bout against UNC, the Duke basketball players have only one day off before their road game against the No. 23 Miami Hurricanes at 7 p.m. ET Monday (ESPN). Duke defeated Miami in Durham, 68-66, on Jan. 21.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for daily Duke basketball content.

Published Feb 4, 2023

MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.