Roundtable with Brenden and Candace on the Duke vs UNC game!

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Visit us at capitalfinancialusa.com. She is our returning champion because before the first Duke Carolina game, she basically predicted, I believe, every possession the Friday before the game. And blowing up my timeline or maybe sending me a text or something, I told you. And yeah, you had nailed the game. I thank you very much for your time. How's it going? It's good.

How are you? Happy Friday. Thanks for having me as always. Pleasure. An absolute pleasure. And here's what's going to happen is whenever Brendan Whitted shows up, we talk to Brendan a lot.

Whenever he shows up, it's going to be, you're putting me in the position of, I'm just going to have to give the Duke perspective here because we are going heavy light blue in this match. And that's okay. I think it should be fun. So let me ask you this question, Candace. You cover the entire league with locked on. Is North Carolina still the clear best team to you?

You know, it's a great question. I think that the league as a whole really has some studs, but as a collective unit, I would argue that Carolina is the best team on any given night. You never know with this conference.

So I think it's hard to really say, but I would give them, but it's very close, very, very close and Duke playing at home is going to make it more challenging for the Tar Heels. But we know that they know how to play up in Cameron and door, but I do team. They thought they're figuring it out and they're figuring out at the right time. So when you look at the Blue Devils, what about them is a little bit concerning from a North Carolina perspective right now? I think just, I mean, honestly playing for pride right now. I think they're a team that's really trying to, they've heard all the disrespect they've heard the year that the coach K ending and all the different things.

And of course, I'm on to being in his 20th year at UNC. Like I think they don't want him to go out with a W. So I think for Duke right now, it's certainly like tunnel vision play for play for pride. I think McCain's going to have a great game. I think that, you know, you also look at some of that senior leadership and trying to go out with a bang and they want to play up for their guys. So I think it's truly going to be a good one.

Well, I think I think it will definitely be a good one. It does seem as though Armando. Armando Baycott has been here a long time. Isn't it interesting? There's almost like a like a bell curve career arc for Armando, right?

Started small, got huge. Do you get the sense that his role this year is somewhat lessened based on the guys around him? You know, I really think that R.J. has taken off merely for the Caleb love transferred.

And it's probably who R.J. has always been and probably could have been more of. And he might have had a lesser role for Armando. And you could definitely tell Armando's passion for the game. I think he had some misplaced passion last season in terms of just trying to sort of gut check other people. And he could have been working on his own jump shot. But now I feel like he's just however we get the win. I don't care.

I think that's a very good, mature mindset that he'll need to have in this postseason. Candace Cooper joining us here on the roundtable and welcome to the party. My friend already talked about him earlier. Brendan Whitted at H.U. Cosell on Twitter.

Part of our old league pass layer. One of the best basketball minds I know and I appreciate you. So we got two tar heels here because you both you both pro light blue. So people can think what they want, but I will be in the role of pushing back from a from a darker blue. I don't know if it's royal or not perspective. Brendan, tell me where you think North Carolina has the biggest matchup advantage over Duke. Man. Well, with the emergence of McCain, I think it's a little bit closer, but still in the backcourt.

Are you? Davis is he's the best player. I think he's the player of the year. He's the best guard that I've seen throughout the entire year. The thing that I love about him so much is he understands the moment. And there's a thing about as we get into position as basketball, we can kind of lose this sometimes. But the thing that I've always associated with point guards is what he is.

I thought Coop was absolutely right. I think Caleb love while they suck overall for the team. I think having a clearer defined role for RJ so that there wasn't just this kind of two combo guard backcourt. RJ is the guy and you can tell he's the guy because if you want to see can kind of go into these offensive laws doesn't happen often.

Obviously, they're they're the best offense in the in the conference, but they can get into these spots where they just don't know how to get going. He knows. Hey, this is my time to go get my because he can go get his whenever the fact he's been become such a better finisher at the cup. You know what he does from from three and he's even very comfortable with the mid range like he always can go get his. And so when he when various situations when they really need something from him, he understands the situation say nothing of his of how long he's been at UNC. I trust him implicitly with the ball, particularly late late in games.

I think that RJ Davis for me as one of my favorite players ever at North Carolina, RJ Davis for me, I think you can tell when Adam Golan studio with my man coach Peter Ruda, capital financial advisory group on your website. And I love the term financial termites because there are always things eating at your money that you can't see. So you don't want financial termites, termites in the financial world, our risk fees, unnecessary commissions. All the bad things that we see and we hear about on TV are happening many times inside your portfolio.

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Adam Gold is a paid spokesman investment advisory services offered by Capital Financial Advisory Group, North Carolina registered investment advisor. He's about to make a shot be well before he even attempts the shot. I think you can tell coming up in transition and rhythm book it. You might as well all head back down the other end of the floor. And I think when he gets into the lane, if you give him any room in the lane, that's also you're taking it out of your bucket. I think the only way to stop RJ Davis is to make life difficult for him off the bounce. That's really the only way to stop him.

I think other than that, you're just hoping he misses and he's not going to miss when the shots when the shots really count. I've really I love everything about his game. Let me go.

I'll go back to Candace here. Two years ago, when Hubert Davis made the switch and he took the ball out of Caleb Love's hands and put it in RJ Davis's hands. I thought it changed the entire calculus of that team. Why do you think that might have been or maybe you disagree? Why do I think that might have been? I don't know. Maybe Hubert reads tweets.

Maybe he has a burner account. But I think that sometimes you just got to go with, you know, what's your gut decision and what you truly feel like is going to be best for the team. And, you know, obviously it worked out. Do I think that, you know, when we look at NIL deals and transfers and all the splits, this has probably been the most rewarding split for both parties. And so just being able to see RJ flourish and Caleb flourish and their different perspectives isn't good. Well, also, you know, Armando being that guy who was the face of Carolina basketball last season only to not even make the NCAA tournament. I feel like Hubert has certainly probably had some humble conversations with all of that locker room and just trying to remember to play for the name on the front side of the back.

Same question to you, Brendan, because I know you and I talked about it, about what it how it changed everything. And maybe it was bad for Caleb, but it wasn't bad for for North Carolina that year. And they got tons of great performances out of Caleb Love after that switch.

Yeah, sometimes you just can't give the keys to the car to everybody. Right. Like Caleb Love is a scorer. Right. And so he's going to look to score. And so that's going to always be his first instinct. And obviously he's incredibly talented. But that's going to leave some guys out in the dust somewhere.

Right. Like RJ was going to be fine regardless because he can go get the ball and go get his. But guys like Baker got that play off the ball that can really, really hurt you. Because if you got two guys that are kind of fighting for possession, I think you see this occasionally not to take this to the NBA. But of course, I'm going to take this to the NBA.

But like the Mavericks, sometimes you can get into some of this stuff when it comes to Luca and Kyrie, because you have two guys that are phenomenal scores. But it's the other guys that you're going to need to distribute the guys that can't go and eat what they kill. Like you have to go bring it to them. Those are guys that suffer. So if you give it to them, if you are Hubert and you give it to RJ, you know that, hey, he still does have that instinct to get other guys involved. They've incorporated a lot more of the pick and roll. Like the stuff that I really like about this iteration of this UNC team, they're deeper than they usually are, like Washington and Trimble. They can bring guys off the bench and have confidence in them. I thought that is the reason that they ran out of gas a couple of years ago in the finals.

And they're so much better defensively on ball. I love the fact that the one thing that I've always had an issue with, even dating back to Roy Williams, everybody needed help all the time. Oh, I got beat.

Help, help, help. Overhelping. We would see it all the time. You see, you'd see these teams have these great three-point shooting performances versus UNC all the time.

And it came to a point where it's like, no, this isn't just a coincidence. It's because they're always overhelping. They are so much better, much more athletic, staying in front of guys and point of attack defenders. Harrison Ingraham, man, like that boy is a dog on that side of the floor, particularly at the defensive rebounding position. They're able to stay in front of guys and that allows a guy like they got who is a, I think, an all ACC store caliber defender.

You have one. He doesn't always have to be the first guy up, doesn't get out of position as much, doesn't give up as many offensive rebounds. And like, it just makes the entire process go to say nothing. The fact that now, if you're a better defense, what does that mean? That means you get that UNC run, that UNC secondary break.

You get all of that sort of stuff playing in transition. This is a, this is the best team Hubert Davis has had and I know he went to the finals with his first, with his first run with this guy. I'll just say it this way. This is the first UNC team in a long time that is better defensively than they are offensively. And it's not, I always thought when, when Roy's had his best teams, whether it's 2005, 2009, the team that didn't win in the, you know, in the middle teens, thanks to the injury to Kendall Marshall, or even the team that did win it in what, 17 or 18, I don't remember the year, everything folds together. But those teams were good defensively, but I thought they were good defensively because they put so much pressure on you offensively that it just made their defense easier.

They didn't have to do as much. This team, their offense doesn't have to be there for them to win games. It's the defense that does it.

I think it's a total mindset. And frankly, maybe, I don't know if it's why I like this team. It's such a departure.

They look so different to me. And I want to give one person special credit here. And I don't know that Carolina fans would like him if he was wearing a different uniform. Cormac Ryan. Ryan came in, everybody thought, oh, he's a shooter. We can get into the stereotypes as to why people thought he was a shooter.

I was like, why is that going on? And he's a good shooter. He's a good shooter. He is a better all-around player, agitator than I think anybody thought was coming here.

So first, Brendan, then you, Candace, on what Ryan adds to this group. Meanness. I mean that in the best way possible. There has been a general consensus about UNC just being a whole bunch of nice guys. And that's cool, right?

It's nice to be nice. I get that. A hundred percent.

I learned in kindergarten. A hundred percent. However, when you're in a competition, I'm going to need somebody to talk a little bit, maybe give them an extra little push. Because you see other guys, when Ryan gets into it, everybody's back into it. Baycoddle, Baycoddle's been chirping more this season.

Ingraham, they have no problem. All of them just kind of like, hey, chill, chill out. That's my boy. Like, you need one.

You don't need two, but you need one. And that's who he is for that team. Like the entire, like the general demeanor of the team.

They came out the other night from the tunnel with like a boom box or something. And there's just a there's just a different sort of a vibe to this Carolina team. And I feel like they're under less pressure. I think they're having a good time. Sure, they're winning in that age and that.

But I think that them being able to like after the embarrassment of last season being preseason, number one, not making it to the NCAA tournament and then like, OK, all of that pressure, it got dumped right on top of it. OK, well, we didn't die. Did you die?

No, you're fine. And so now some of that USC lore and all the banners hanging, some of that doesn't matter anymore. Now we're just going out, go hoop. I think Ryan's a big part of it. Candace, what do you think of Cormac? Yeah, I think Cormac is good because he came in with this level of like respect required in order to like ball with him. And I think that's elevated the play for the other guys.

Typically, we have transferred. Sometimes you don't know how the vibe is going to be. But he sort of backs up what he sort of expects out of his teammates. And so I think that's been a fresh change for Carolina at the end of the day. Like the wind is most important and not necessarily gets the glory. I think that whole mindset that Cormac brings has certainly been something exciting and a fresh change for these Tar Heels to definitely have been feeling themselves past couple of years.

But now they've put the work behind it. I if if the Hurricanes, who have, I think, three million in unused cap space, if they added Cormac Ryan to their forward group, I would be all about it because I think he is an agitating forward who would help stir it up in front of the opposing net. I love I love the way Cormac Ryan plays. And I know how her how Tar Heel fans would feel about him if he happened to play for Duke. I know it.

Oh, that is, you know, the way, you know, it'd be later. It'd be 100 percent would be that guy. I love it.

I love every element of that. He actually they're not the same player, but I think they bring the same attitude. I look at him as Justice Winslow when Duke from 2015.

All right. Tell me, Brendan, do you believe North Carolina is going to win this game? Calling all North Carolina sports fans soon enough. DraftKings Sportsbook will be live in your state starting March 11th. You'll be able to bet on all your favorite sports from the comfort of your own home with DraftKings. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app now and sign up with code 999 to get up to three hundred dollars in bonus bets when you place a five dollar bet. Once mobile sports betting goes live only on DraftKings Sportsbook coming soon to North Carolina on March 11th with code 999.

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Twenty twenty four bonus bets expire one hundred and sixty eight hours after issuance deposit wagering and eligibility restrictions apply terms at DraftKings.com. Dotcom slash sportsbook slash NC. Absolutely. Tell me why.

Tell me why. I just I think they're playing well at the right time. They had they had a dip right like right after that that game. They lost a couple of games that you didn't maybe didn't expect. Well, they tough it out versus Virginia. They were dominant from start to finish first Notre Dame.

I know they were supposed to be Notre Dame. But it but it's senior night. You got the game coming first do coming up easy. It's a look ahead game.

Right. It was a call. They could easily dump that game of a big emotional because they got thirty thousand seniors on this squad. Like they could easily dump that game. And they've been and they've been rough or at least just not played well from start to finish. They played and they look like the best iteration of themselves. And I one of the things I gave Roe Williams credit for and then I'm going to give Hubert Davis credit for at least for this team. The team that starts the season is not always is not as good as the team that finishes. They're playing well at the right time. The roles are clearly defined. They have the lineup like you're not getting you're not still trying to shuffle and figure out. OK, well, who are we going to put in here? Who's the sixth man? What? No.

All of that is clearly defined. And I like the fact that everyone seems to know and do their job. You don't really see a lot of players trying to act out of character. We've seen in the past. We've seen Koop Mitch and Baycott. You see him trying to step out and knock down, picket pop shots or, you know, kind of show who he will be at the next level or something like that.

None of that is there. Everybody is doing their job. I Duke is incredibly talented and they're you know, they're going to be at home.

So any time you go into camera, you can't lose. I'm not saying this is a lock, but I just really like the way that they're playing. They feel like a complete team. And I mentioned the defense. You know what the offense is. I think they're hitting their stride at the right time.

Candace, who's who's winning and why? Honestly, of course, I want Carolina to win, but I feel like Duke is just playing for pride. You got to get to have some pride about you this game. There's absolutely no reason that you allow Carolina to come into your house and beat you like a brick the way they've done these past couple of times. I think that, you know, for the strength of just an ego going into NCAA tournament NCAA tournament play, Duke needs this win. I think they're going to pull it out. I think they're going to pop Carolina in the mouth. Keep Carolina humble because they need to be humble at the right time. This is a good time to keep that humility rocking. And I just feel like this is going to come away with the W. They're going to do it for Jeremy.

I didn't even have to prevent present the other side. I was just about to ask. So who are you? Wait, do you want you? I know you're she's rooting for Duke. But are you rooting for Duke so that they get to catch the loss? You never heard the verbiage of Candace rooting for Duke. Candace is a Duke fan.

Do you understand that? And Candace Cooper, man. You got to go. You got to happen at Candace.

At Candace D. Cooper. Just don't get that wrong. Here's why I think Duke is going to win the game. Duke's best two players in Chapel Hill are Jared McCain and Jeremy Roach.

And I think they will also be Duke's two best players in this game. And what I love about Roach is that he is unflappable. Doesn't make a difference where he is. And the thing that I love about McCain most is that he is not married, even though he's probably Duke's best three point shooter. Even though Roach has the best percentage.

He's not married to that. He doesn't have to shoot the three. He's going to put the ball on the deck.

I think Duke will come at Carolina at every spot on the floor, including whether it's Mark Mitchell, who is you don't have to guard. He's going to make you be aware of him because he'll drive. Whether he makes the one three he takes or not doesn't matter to me. But I think he'll drive. I don't think Kyle Philipowski will be a no-show. I know he had the points, but I didn't think he was a big factor in the game. And I think their X Factor is Sean Stewart. I think the way Stewart has played over the last several games, I think portends a much larger role going all the way through, whenever Duke's run ends.

But I think I think McCain and Roach are the reasons. I was a little surprised by how well big I play versus Phil because he the last time he struggled sometimes versus length. Yeah. And like I thought he played really, really well.

Like that's the matchup that honestly, I'm looking at you more than the backboard. Yeah. But I was surprised, like you've seen him struggle versus length sometimes because he's not a great athlete, even though he's got solid size and like he just just he kind of moved through him like he wasn't there. And I was really kind of surprised by how offensively he was still able to be as much of a contributor as he was.

So two of us are correct. You know, triumphant recovery, heroic, if you will. He's been through a lot this season. So I think he's going to pull out one more good one. So I think he's going to have the match at the game of his life.

I think he'll play well. But I think when we give out our hockey three stars, it'll be McCain, Roach and an X Factor to Sean Stewart. Candace, you and I are right this time. I was wrong last time you were right, Brendan.

And you're going to be wrong. That's good at H.U. Cosell on Twitter.

And at Candace D. Cooper locked on ACC. Thank you both for joining and having some fun. Appreciate it. Thank you, guys. Have a good weekend. All right. Always good. And Candace, she doesn't want to send the text.

I was right again. But maybe she will. Maybe she will. She would. I mean, we'll just have to go to her when we next time we place bets. Like, Candace, what do you think? Which is to get everything confirmed through Candace Cooper.

Exactly. Calling all North Carolina sports fans. Soon enough, DraftKings Sportsbook will be live in your state. Starting March 11th, you'll be able to bet on all your favorite sports from the comfort of your own home with DraftKings. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app now and sign up with code 999 to get up to three hundred dollars in bonus bets when you place a five dollar bet once mobile sports betting goes live. Only on DraftKings Sportsbook coming soon to North Carolina on March 11th with code 999. The crown is yours.

Gambling problem? Call 877-185-543 or visit morethanagame.nc.gov. Twenty one plus North Carolina only. New customers only.

Subject to regulatory licensing requirements. Maximum three hundred dollars in bonus bets not available for use until March 11th, 2024. Bonus bets expire one hundred and sixty eight hours after issuance. Deposit, wagering and eligibility restrictions apply. Terms at DraftKings dot com slash sportsbook slash NC.