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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 2021 127 YEARS OF SERVING UNC STUDENTS AND THE UNIVERSITY VOLUME 128, ISSUE 58 RUSH COVERAGE COVERAGE RUSH UNC conquers Duke, 91-87

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATALIE LEDONNE VIA THE ACC DTH/MORGAN PIROZZI Duke Men’s Basketball takes on the UNC Tar Heels in the first half at the Cameron Indoor UNC basketball fans cheer on the team from inside Top of The Hill on Franklin Street Stadium on Feb. 6, 2021 at Durham, North Carolina. during their matchup against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021. Even this year, this rivalry win still matters

By PJ Morales between national championship contenders. It needing all 91 points to scrape past the Blue Devils’ Assistant Sports Editor wasn’t an explosive fan bonanza. 87. That’s not how the players, or UNC fans, see it. For everything it wasn’t, though, it was still UNC- For fans, Duke will always be Duke — a league of When legendary Alabama football coach Paul Duke. For the players, despite everything that was “super-villains” with dark blue blood. “Bear” Bryant said “Nothing matters more than missing, the emotions were still there, all the same. Rain or shine, fans or no fans, that storyline beating that cow college on the other side of the “It feels good, fans or no fans,” Leaky Black said. remains. Those feelings, in the hearts and minds of state,” he was talking about his Crimson Tide’s most “We beat Duke, so it definitely feels good.” fans and players alike, remain just as strong now as hated rivals, the Auburn Tigers. But for the North First-year guard Caleb Love proved what it meant if they were playing for a national championship. Carolina Tar Heels, the object of their unending ire to him on the court, scoring a career-high 25 points They don’t want this win, they need it. lives just eight miles down Tobacco Road. on 9-16 shooting and going 4-5 from 3-point range. “It’s always going to be close, that’s the rivalry,” Who cares about squeaker wins against Miami or UNC’s powerful core of big men also proved what Bacot said. “We just fought, and we came out with a embarrassing blowout losses to Clemson? For UNC, it meant to them, with Brooks, Armando Bacot and W, and that’s all we care about.” in this most strange season, all the drama can be Day’Ron Sharpe combining for a monstrous 39 So, remember Bryant’s words when the Tar Heels washed away if the Tar Heels can put it together for points and 21 rebounds. But one might be inclined and Blue Devils face off a month from now in the one night against the Blue Devils. to ask: does the team North Carolina played against Smith Center, likely playing in front of empty seats For that one night, UNC-Duke is all that matters. diminish its accomplishment? and under championship banners — a prestige And by a score of 91-87, the Tar Heels silenced all Sure, Duke now sits at a mediocre 5-5 in ACC play neither team is projected to reach this season. His that outside noise on Saturday night in Durham. and came into the matchup off a 77-75 loss to the short- words ring true, maybe now more than ever, for “I think it meant a lot to us because we needed to handed Miami Hurricanes. But it doesn’t matter. those on the court who are playing for their pride, or win and they needed to win,” Garrison Brooks said. It doesn’t matter that Love’s career night or a those at home, cheering with everything they have. Needed to win — not wanted, needed. tremendous performance in the paint came against Nothing matters more. Leading up to Saturday, much of the talk focused a middling ACC team. It doesn’t matter that North on what this game wasn’t. It wasn’t a matchup Carolina didn’t have a great defensive performance, Twitter: @pjdaman12 Following win over Duke, here’s what’s next for UNC

By Zachary Crain The Tar Heels have often struggled against the Assistant Sports Editor Cavaliers in recent years, but this matchup will present North Carolina with its best opportunity After beating Duke for the first time since March for a true signature win for the remainder of the 9, 2019 on Saturday, the North Carolina men’s bas- campaign, as Virginia is slotted at No. 9 in the ketball team sits at fifth in the conference and firm- KenPom rankings. ly within the NCAA Tournament bubble. UNC’s three remaining major ACC tests — No. Four of the Tar Heels’ eight remaining regular 16 Virginia Tech, Louisville and Florida State, in season games are against the top four teams in the that order — will all take place in the Dean Smith ACC, presenting UNC with the opportunity to earn Center, where the Tar Heels are undefeated this its first signature win. With just a month left in the year. Picking up a statement win or two will be regular season, here’s a look ahead at where North critical if North Carolina hopes to climb the ladder Carolina goes from here. in the NCAA Tournament discussion and avoid a double-digit seeding in the Big Dance. Major tests lie ahead Consistent guard play Aside from a bout with now-No. 20 Florida State on Jan. 16, UNC hasn’t had the opportunity to gain As UNC has won seven of its last nine games, a a true signature win in ACC play. Beating Duke will growing trend is improved guard play. always stand as something of a signature win on Those improvements were never as clear as they Tobacco Road, but this year’s Blue Devils sit at just were against the Blue Devils, as oft-struggling first- 7-7, and barring a late-season surge, they are likely year guard Caleb Love finished with a career-high out of the NCAA Tournament conversation. 25 points, and the Tar Heels put together a 10-15 On Feb. 13, UNC will travel to Charlottesville, shooting performance from beyond the arch. Virginia, to face a Cavaliers squad that not only North Carolina is built from the inside out leads the ACC regular season race, but has earned PHOTO COURTESY OF NATALIE LEDONNE VIA THE ACC a No. 14 national ranking. SEE TOUGH PAGE 3 UNC’s sophomore forward Armando Bacot (5) dunks against Duke on Feb. 6, 2021. ...and I took that personally. MICHAEL JORDAN 2 Monday, February 8, 2021 UNC 91 | DUKE 87 The Daily Tar Heel 3 Amid COVID-19, UNC fans bring the rush of Duke win to Franklin Street Hundreds ignore health Tough road ahead Video shows UNC warnings, gather on Franklin for the Tar Heels players partying after Continued from Page 1 win against Duke with its big man triumvirate of Garrison Brooks, “I know many Tar Heels enjoy rushing Franklin By Claire Perry Armando Bacot and Day’Ron Sharpe — which sits Street to celebrate a big win, but we are in the middle By Ryan Wilcox Data Editor near the top of the NCAA leaderboards in every major [email protected] of a global pandemic, and COVID doesn’t take a break rebounding category — but UNC functions at its Senior Writer for the Duke game,” Guskiewicz tweeted. “We will [email protected] best when the guard play can complement its paint Normally, students rushing Franklin Street would be a investigate this incident and work with local authorities dominance to create a well-rounded unit. celebration — a relief, even. to pursue consequences.” Video obtained by The Daily Tar Heel shows UNC men’s If the Tar Heels’ young backcourt can continue to But 2021 is not a normal year. Ran Northam, the interim communication manager basketball players Armando Bacot and Day’Ron Sharpe partying improve, UNC will be a threat come March. Ahead of in-person classes beginning on Monday, for the Town of Chapel Hill, said the crowd would be alongside at least seven others, celebrating a 91-87 win over Duke hundreds of students rushed to the intersection reviewed in the coming days as any other possible COVID- on Saturday night. of Franklin and Columbia streets following UNC Winning the games the Tar Heels are The video, taken at some point between midnight and 1 a.m. after DTH/MORGAN PIROZZI 19 violation by Town and University officials. basketball’s 91-87 win over Duke, eventually lighting the game, shows the pair maskless, dancing and with loud music Students rushing Franklin Street chant, “Where y’all goin’?” in reference to “Officers did ask those in attendance to make their supposed to a fire and leaving the street littered with foam from a way home safely, so we’re glad to see they’ve done so playing in the background. The location had several more individuals an Instagram page known for exposing students for COVID-19 infractions. crowd-surfing mattress. now and hope everyone has a safe rest of their evening,” DTH/MORGAN PIROZZI UNC’s season so far has been defined by inconsistency. in the background. No one else in the video appears to be wearing Despite warnings from the University not to rush, Northam said. A firefighter sweeps away debris left in the street by UNC Back-to-back losses to start ACC play? Well, the Tar a mask. students were able to gather on Franklin Street for Denuzzi said she was excited to see her final rivalry students after the Franklin Street rush and celebration. Heels have won seven of nine since then. Three dominant The 11-second clip, posted on Snapchat, was taken the same night about 45 minutes before Chapel Hill Police dispersed game as a UNC student end in a win, but that didn’t erase performances against Wake Forest, N.C. State and hundreds flooded Franklin Street after the Tar Heel victory — some the group. her fear about this event’s possible implications. Pittsburgh? The next game, UNC looked overmatched masked, some not — and the same night Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz Since June, North Carolina and Orange County “Obviously it’s a big moment, and we all want to be in a season-low scoring performance against Clemson. tweeted that the University would “pursue consequences” for those residents have been required to wear face coverings in here emotionally, but it just — it is what it is, you know,” If North Carolina hopes to further itself as a contender and violating COVID-19 protocol. indoor and outdoor settings. Some students rushing wore Denuzzi said. “We’re trying to do it the right way while still earn an all important double bye in the ACC Tournament, it While Bacot and Sharpe are almost certainly not the first UNC masks, but many did not. sort of taking part in what’s happening. Who knows if it’s cannot follow up a season-high scoring output in Cameron students to have partied during this pandemic, this is the first video Alton Grossman, a senior studying business, came to safe for everybody. Obviously not for them, but who knows Indoor Stadium with a loss to ACC bottom-feeder Miami. evidence the DTH has obtained regarding North Carolina athletes Franklin Street with five of his housemates. The group if it’s even safe for us.” Inconsistent teams don’t often garner much violating health and safety protocols. hung back from the center of the action. Following the rush on Saturday night, Guskiewicz and postseason success, and if the Tar Heels struggle to They weren’t the only ones not social distancing after the game. “We wanted to come here, but we didn’t really want to Provost Bob Blouin announced on Sunday afternoon that win games against the teams they should beat with Hundreds of students rushed Franklin Street ahead of the first day enter the crowd because that doesn’t really seem COVID- faculty could have the option to delay in-person instruction a murderers’ row of ACC foes coming up, they could of in-person classes, which led to Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz and safe,” Grossman said. “We all live together.” until Feb. 17. easily find themselves out of the NCAA Tournament Provost Bob Blouin to announce that professors could continue online Hannah DeNuzzi, a senior studying global studies and In the message, Guskiewicz and Blouin said the Office of conversation in a few weeks. instruction for an additional week. peace, war and defense, was a member of Grossman’s Student Affairs has already received hundreds of student Saturday’s win over Duke was key, and a complete A UNC spokesperson told the DTH that the school is looking into group. She said they had double-masked for a reason: conduct complaints connected to the celebration. offensive performance against a team that certainly has the issue and plans to talk to both players to find out more information. despite their excitement about the game, they were still “Those leads will be evaluated and students found to talent, despite its subpar record, is nothing to scoff at. But afraid of the virus. have violated our COVID-19 Community Standards will with the win, expectations will continue to build, and every Twitter: @ryantwilcox Grossman said he was excited as any student to see be subject to developmental or disciplinary action,” they game will be important for the Tar Heels moving forward DTH/CHRIS OCANA as they look to write their postseason destiny. UNC’s basketball team pull it together, but he and his said in the message. DTH ONLINE: To watch the video of UNC players partying and to group were not coming any closer to the crowd. As cases in North Carolina continue to rise, they Patrons of Sup Dogs watch as UNC men’s basketball read more, visit the sports section of The Daily Tar Heel at “This is as close as we want to be,” Grossman said. reminded the campus community to continue getting competes against Duke on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021. Twitter: @zachycrain www.dailytarheel.com/section/sports. “We want to stay 6 feet away from people who aren’t in DTH/CALLI WESTRA tested, washing their hands and social distancing to slow our group.” the spread of COVID-19. Hundreds of students gathered at the intersection of Franklin and Columbia At 8:50 p.m., 35 minutes after the game ended, despite COVID-19 restrictions to celebrate UNC’s victory over Duke. Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz tweeted about the crowd. Twitter: @sclaire_perry EDITORIAL The Tar Heels may have won, but we lost

The students who rushed Franklin Sam protests, when UNC Police deployed pepper spray, staged riot gear and arrested those who allegedly broke Street put our entire community at the law. risk — and for what? Though Chapel Hill Police and UNC Police are separate entities, both exhibit a blatant double The annual Duke vs. UNC basketball game is one of standard: enforcing the law in some cases and looking UNC’s favorite traditions. Especially when we win. away in others. What might be even more exciting than the game itself, It’s no coincidence — it’s a classic and well-known case however, is the custom of rushing Franklin Street after a of white privilege. Tar Heel victory. The experience is UNC lore, a bucket It should have been expected that students would rush list item before graduation, a historical precedent that Franklin Street after a UNC win. It should have been students have enjoyed for years. prevented as much as possible. While UNC encouraged But this was not the year to do it. students not to rush, there did not seem to be an effective Not only were students recklessly celebrating a win plan to stop it from occurring. The police seemed to be over the worst Duke basketball team in recent memory, even less prepared for the Franklin rush than they would they did so amid a deadly pandemic and with in-person have been in a normal year. classes scheduled to begin Monday. Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz did not issue a statement Some students could be seen grinning ear-to-ear as until after the game, saying the University would they posed for pictures with friends. Many were not “investigate this incident and work with local authorities wearing masks. Others yelled things like “F--- COVID” to pursue consequences.” and said they weren’t worried about the spread of It was too little, too late. He should not have been COVID-19 because they’d “already had it.” surprised that the events of Saturday night transpired As of Saturday, almost 10,000 North Carolinians the way they did. have died from COVID-19. About 2,500 are currently It’s easy to say, “These students do not represent hospitalized — some of them just down the street at Carolina.” But the harder truth is that they do. From UNC Hospitals. rushing Franklin to weekend partying and other It should not go unnoticed that the vast majority of violations of UNC’s COVID-19 Community Standards, we students rushing were white. Openly flouting COVID-19 witness this privilege, self-absorption and shamelessness restrictions, the group started a fire and left the street every day. littered with foam from a crowd-surfing mattress — yet These fleeting moments of fun have a deadly cost, one the chaos continued for about 45 minutes before Chapel that we will all have to pay. The University and Town Hill Police finally dispersed the group. must work to ensure there are consequences for those The lack of effort by police to stop the rush and control who chose to take part in the celebration rather than a superspreader event was appalling. It took an exorbitant stay home. amount of time for police to disperse the crowd, when the Saturday’s events should be interpreted as a sign that solution to the problem was not a difficult one. The police many students are simply unwilling to follow public should have sent students home. Instead, they stood idly health guidelines and put safety first. These students by as the crowd grew. know how their actions will affect others — they simply If these students were Black and brown, would they don’t care. They must be held accountable. have been treated the same? Contrast this to crowd control tactics used at Silent Twitter: @dthopinion “It’s easy to say, ‘These students do not represent Carolina.’ But the harder truth is that they do. From rushing Franklin to weekend partying and other violations of

UNC’s COVID-19 Community Standards, we withness this privilege... every day.” DTH/MORGAN PIROZZI DTH/CHRIS OCANA Editorial Board A maskless fan celebrates UNC’s 91-87 defeat of Duke from atop a friend’s UNC basketball fans gather around a mattress that was set on fire at the Franklin Street intersection. Students hopped over the fire and set more objects ablaze before police eventually dispersed the crowd. shoulders amid the Franklin Street rush on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021. 4 Monday, February 8, 2021 UNC 91 | Duke 87 The Daily Tar Heel A win for the history books Future looks promising for UNC squad By Zachary Crain But in the end, there would be no Assistant Sports Editor Saturday night heartbreak for UNC. Not [email protected] this time. First-year Caleb Love pulled down a Twelve months ago, security guards rebound as the clock expired, and the quiet stood at the edge of the court in the Dean celebration began. It was North Carolina 91, Smith Center. Duke 87. As last year’s iteration of the Tar Heels “I can’t even explain it, it feels good — who had already sunk below the .500 though,” said junior forward Leaky Black, mark — somehow held a 10-point lead with who finished with 12 points on 4-4 shooting. two minutes and change remaining against “Fans or no fans, we beat Duke. It definitely arch rival Duke, they were preparing for a feels good.” raucous crowd of North Carolina fans to Shooting 66.7 percent from deep. rush the court. Leading for over 35 minutes of game Of course, they never would. time. A career-high 25 points for Love Instead of claiming a lone moment and six players in double figures. The Tar of glory amid an inglorious season, a Heels’ takeaway from this edition of the miraculous overtime buzzer-beater by rivalry is simple: this team can win when Duke’s Wendell Moore Jr. sent the Tar the lights are the brightest and the game Heels home from the Smith Center as is in the balance. they had left so many times that year; “We were on the edge of our seats disappointed, and with yet another loss the whole time,” sophomore forward added to the column. Armando Bacot said. “We had to win “We’re all just kind of in our own heads this game. We knew how much it meant right now,” then-junior guard Andrew Platek for bragging rights for the fans, with us said after last year’s loss. “Nobody really said knowing all of them. We just wanted to PHOTO COURTESY OF NATALIE LEDONNE VIA THE ACC anything. It is what it is.” win this game badly.” UNC senior forward Garrison Brooks (15) attempts a basket against Duke on Feb. 6, 2021. Twelve months later, UNC had the With 15 seconds to go, UNC led by one — chance to earn redemption in another a similar difference to the one it maintained Saturday night edition of the North with 15 seconds remaining in last year’s Carolina-Duke rivalry. opening tilt. In Cameron Indoor Stadium, there were Duke was forced to foul, and Black went to no Blue Devil faithful to rush the court, the line and cashed in on one of two attempts. dance in Speedos or lose their voices. With a chance to tie the game up, Moore Jr. Neither team was ranked in the heralded — the forward who permanently etched his game, either — the first time that could name in UNC-Duke lore just a year ago — be said in over 60 years. A rivalry that has was swarmed at the baseline and forced into been defined by starpower and excellence a turnover. was played by two teams holding onto Two buried UNC free throws and one their lives at the edge of the NCAA last-second Duke heave later, and Love Tournament bubble. victoriously held the ball under the But for North Carolina, none of that basket. There would be no late collapse mattered. With a chance to exorcise last this time. year’s demons and reclaim bragging “It was a big (statement), just having rights over Duke for the first time in two this be one of the best rivalries in years, UNC didn’t let this opportunity college basketball,” Love said. “It felt slip away. like there were fans, just how hard we The Tar Heels pulled away, and let the were playing and how into the game we Blue Devils back in the game. were. We were just locked in coming Then, they did it another time. into the game.” DTH FILE/ANGELICA EDWARDS And again. UNC sophomore guard Leaky Black (1) dribbles upcourt in the game against Duke on March 7, 2020. And a fourth time. Twitter: @zachycrain The Daily Tar Heel Column: This game was ... fine Established 1893 127 years of editorial freedom ahead of matchups like March 9, 2013, NBA legend David Robinson, did have blowout in favor of the Tar Heels, but By PJ Morales ANNA POGARCIC where No. 3 Duke led by 18 at halftime his greatest collegiate game ever that that destroyed sneaker has become an Assistant Sports Editor EDITOR!IN!CHIEF [email protected] and won 69-53 in the Dean E. Smith day with 13 points, six rebounds, four iconic moment in the short history of EDITOR"DAILYTARHEEL.COM Center over the unranked Tar Heels. blocks and three assists, the ascent of one of the NBA’s fastest-growing stars. If UNC’s 91-87 win over Duke On the other hand, something that Caleb Love — who registered a career- If his career keeps growing as it has, I BRANDON STANDLEY in Cameron Indoor Stadium on can make a match far more exciting, high 25 points on 9-16 shooting on don’t see any way of ranking Saturday’s EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR Saturday night proved anything, it’s the stakes. Granted, the stakes are Saturday — matters a bit more. game above a moment like that. MANAGING.EDITOR"DAILYTARHEEL.COM that even in a pandemic, and even always high when you’re talking But at the same time, it’s hard to Still, though, it was UNC-Duke, WILL MELFI without fans, it was still UNC-Duke. about the greatest rivalry in college rank Saturday night above the Feb. and that counts for something. DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR The tension, the storylines, the basketball, but frankly, there wasn’t a 20, 2019, iteration of the rivalry game, DIGITAL"DAILYTARHEEL.COM excitement, the controversial rushing whole lot to lose this time around. known to history as Zion Williamson’s Twitter: @pjdaman12 MAEVE SHEEHEY of Franklin Street; all that and more Both teams were coming into “Shoe Game.” Sure, it was an 88-72 DIRECTOR OF ENTERPRISE showed that this game still means Saturday night off of what may be their ENTERPRISE"DAILYTARHEEL.COM everything to players and fans alike. worst losses of the season — UNC only Let’s be honest, though: as far as MADDIE ELLIS scoring 50 in a blowout loss to Clemson, UNIVERSITY EDITOR UNC-Duke games go, this one was and Duke losing a way-too-close game UNIVERSITY"DAILYTARHEEL.COM … fine. to the depleted Miami Hurricanes. In It was certainly unique, seeing as terms of the NCAA Tournament, both JARED MCMASTERS how it will be one of only two games teams are currently on the outside SPORTS EDITOR of the rivalry (possibly ever?) played looking in, although UNC’s win did SPORTS"DAILYTARHEEL.COM without fans in the stands. It also had bring them closer to the entrance. PAIGE MASTEN its exciting moments — a steal from Sure, playing for pride is important, but OPINION EDITOR first-year guard Caleb Love in the first ACC or NCAA Tournament aspirations OPINION"DAILYTARHEEL.COM half led to a ferocious and-one slam might be a bit more important. JEFFREY SHUTTER on the fast break, while Duke’s Jalen One surefire way to leave your mark DESIGN & GRAPHICS EDITOR Johnson had a huge block to maintain on history is with a buzzer-beating, DESIGN"DAILYTARHEEL.COM an 88-87 scoreline in the dying seconds. game-winning shot, moments Austin MORGAN PIROZZI But in the past decade alone, different Rivers and Wendell Moore Jr. know all PHOTO EDITOR versions of this age-old matchup have too well, while Coby White probably PHOTO"DAILYTARHEEL.COM seen nationwide implications, standout wishes he knew. There wasn’t really a performances and moments that will chance of that happening this game, KRISTA NICHOLS live forever in the college basketball though, since Jeremy Roach’s last- COPY CHIEF collective unconscious. Compared to second heave came with UNC already COPY"DAILYTARHEEL.COM those, where does this game stack up? up four. While UNC only led by four A few things can lead to a game because of Leaky Black hitting three Mail and Office: 109 E. Franklin St. standing out in the history books — Chapel Hill, NC 27514 of his last four foul shots, people won’t Anna Pogarcic, editor, 962-4086 for better or worse. be rewatching those for years to come. Advertising & Business, 962-1163 At the very least, we can say that In the grand scheme of the last News, Features, Sports, 962-0245 Saturday’s game was not a blowout. decade, this game probably falls closer One copy per person; Despite UNC’s lead growing to as much additional copies may be purchased to the bottom than the top. It certainly at The Daily Tar Heel for $.25 each. as 12 at one point, both teams were able ranks higher than UNC’s previous Please report suspicious activity at our to keep it close and pour on the points matchup with Duke, an 89-76 loss DTH FILE/DUSTIN DUONG distribution racks by emailing [email protected] until the very end, even if that meant and the last one to take place before Duke sophomore guard Tre Jones runs the ball past UNC first-year guard © 2012 DTH Media Corp. forgetting the meaning of the word the COVID-19 pandemic struck the Cole Anthony during a game in the Smith Center on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020. All rights reserved defense. In that regard, this game ranks nation. While Justin Robinson, son of