HBG is MIA, but I talk post-Duke, looking ahead to Miami, and chance encounters.

I hate losing. I especially hate losing to Duke. I especially especially hate losing to Duke in Chapel Hill.

I don't know what to think of last night's game. I'm still turning things over in my head.
I have a dilemma, but it's going to take a while to get to. I like this team. It's a young, scrappy, well-coached team, with no quit in them. When four underclassmen left school with eligibility remaining, it was clear that new leaders would have to step up, and new players would have to fill big roles quickly.

Expectations were low, but, let's be honest: we're Carolina fans. No matter what, we expect our teams to compete and win.

So 20 games into this season, and the Heels have won 14. But they've lost four at home (against BC, Duke, Miami and Illinois). The problem with beating teams like Kentucky and N.C. State is that the expectations get raised with every win.

Coming into last night's game, I really expected a win. The Tar Heels are young, but they are deeper than the Blue Devils (who only got two bench points last night). Perhaps I was being a homer, but in front of the home crowd, in a huge rivalry game, I expected the Heels to step up and take the game from a Duke team that was not playing well recently.

In the first half, the Heels competed and had the lead for a bit. Duke stayed with them. Duke took the lead into the locker room.

I did not expect the Heels to turn the ball over six straight times to open the second half. Then, when Coach Williams put in the 'blue team,' I remarked, "Well, that's good for teaching a lesson, but what about winning the game?" I was incorrect. That team played inspired basketball and started the run that would help the Heels eventually take back the lead. Quentin Thomas continues to show improvement, and Byron Sanders is finally filling his shoes.

The Heels made their run, but you knew the Blue Devils weren't going to roll over. Redick hit a three to put them up four, and it was like the wind went out of the Tar Heel sails.

I was depressed at 84-77, with 56 seconds left. This is it, I thought. The Devils still own the Heels. But all of a sudden, it was 84-83, just 30 game seconds later. The Tar Heels had a chance to get a loose ball, but Noel tossed up a save into Duke hands.

We lose, 87-83. Had a chance to tie, but Danny Green makes a freshman mistake. He didn't expect the ball in his hands, and his mind left him. We didn't get a three attempt.

So to my dilemma: I love this team. It's one of Roy's best coaching jobs. But I'm not going to count moral victories anymore. This team has shown too much potential to be coddled. The freshmen are 20 games into their Tar Heel careers. They've been to Rupp Arena and won. They've been to Maryland and won. They've beaten N.C. State and played Duke hard.

This team has too much potential to buy into the 'young and inexperienced' argument themselves. They have a chance to be special in March, if they want to. Just play hard and play smart. I appreciate last night's effort, but I want one in the W column. I'm tired of losing to Duke.