Written by Steve Wiseman at News and Observer.com
North Carolina’s reputation as a ferocious rebounding team precedes the Tar Heels’ invasion of Cameron Indoor Stadium Thursday night.
“I’m breaking out in a rash when you talk about rebounding,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said Wednesday.
When Krzyzewski’s No. 18-ranked Blue Devils play the No. 8 Tar Heels in the rivalry’s next chapter, rebounding will be a key factor in who emerges victorious.
North Carolina (21-4, 9-2 ACC) leads the country in rebounds per game (44.7) and mainly because the team is so effective on offensive rebounding. UNC averages 16.36 offensive rebounds per game, second nationally only to Kent State’s 16.54.
According to kenpom.com, UNC is No. 1 in the country because it has corralled 42 percent of the rebounds available on its it offensive end.
Hence Krzyzewski’s concerns.
While UNC has 6-10 senior forward Kennedy Meeks, 6-9 senior forward Isaiah Hicks, 6-8junior forward/guard Justin Jackson and 6-10 freshman forward Tony Bradley leading the push inside, the Blue Devils (18-5, 6-4) have a rebounding weapon or two of their own.
Forward Amile Jefferson has only lost one game to UNC that he’s participated in. When the 6-9 grad student has led Duke in rebounding, the Blue Devils are 10-1 this season and 35-3 in his career.
“There is no more important player for what we are doing than Amile,” Krzyzewski said.
Krzyzewski was talking about all phases of the game, but rebounding is of particular importance. So is Jefferson’s leadership and he is impressing upon his teammates how to attack this game.
“We have to fight,” Jefferson said. “We have to be tough. We have to rebound collectively. We have to put bodies on guys. They are an excellent rebounding team. It’s something they do really well. So we all have to be rebounders. We all have to out well. We all have to be ready to do that for 40 minutes.”
