Caleb Love's last UNC-Duke game ended Coach K's career. He's ready for Cameron Crazies' response

CHAPEL HILL — Fans on either side of the rivalry won’t soon forget the matchup between North Carolina basketball and Duke at the 2022 Final Four.

But this season, even as winners of the last two games in the fierce rivalry, the Tar Heels (15-7, 7-4 ACC) have made a concerted effort to move on from memories of last season’s late surge, particularly their success against the Blue Devils (16-6, 7-4).

Coming into the season opener against UNCW, the Tar Heels watched from the bench as the video boards in the Smith Center showed highlights from UNC’s victories against Duke in Durham and New Orleans.

The pregame video included the voice of Jones Angell – the play-by-play radio broadcaster for the Tar Heels – saying “and in his final game in Cameron, Coach K takes an L,” followed up by “ding dong, Duke is done!” in reference to the Final Four victory.

INJURY UPDATE:Puff Johnson will return from injury for UNC basketball vs Duke, Hubert Davis says

UNC VS. DUKE PREVIEW:North Carolina basketball vs. Duke: Score prediction for Tar Heels-Blue Devils rivalry

HANSBROUGH, 'SHEED, STACK:These UNC basketball players starred against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium

After a start that saw UNC go from No. 1 to outside of the AP Poll Top 25, those snippets were removed from the pregame video. Was it done purposefully or did UNC just have enough highlights from this season to replace the past?

“Last year is last year," said UNC's Caleb Love, who scored 28 points and had one of the biggest shots in the history of the rivalry against Duke in the Final Four victory.

"We handled business last year, but that’s last year."

UNC coach Hubert Davis wasn’t aware of the changes to the pregame video.

“I have no idea. Before the game, I’m thinking about the game. I don’t know what’s going on in the video, I don’t know who’s in the stands – I know my wife and my kids are there – but I didn’t know (about the video),” Davis said Friday with a laugh.

One thing is certain: Davis has been consistent in his message that the Tar Heels need to focus on the “discipline in the details” as it relates to their current journey.

Now, after a 65-64 loss to Pitt, UNC’s focus ratchets up with a trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium on the schedule for Saturday (6:30 p.m., ESPN).

“I feel like, just with everything at stake, just knowing the history of the rivalry, I feel like big-time players show up in big-time games,” said Love, who has scored 20 or more points in back-to-back wins in Durham.

Armando Bacot, UNC’s leading scorer and rebounder, recalls the fun the Tar Heels had beating Duke twice, but he too is focusing on what’s next.

“We just gotta worry about what’s next. We can’t worry about beating them last year, we can’t worry about losing the last game (to Pitt),” Bacot said.

“When you let all those things come into your mind, you’re not focused on what’s at hand.”

As for returning to Cameron Indoor Stadium for the first time since his dagger 3-pointer in the Final Four, Love expects the Cameron Crazies to bring their best.

“I feel like that’s just what comes with it,” Love said with a smile. “I wouldn’t be fazed. I like it being that way.”

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC-Duke basketball: Caleb Love ready for Cameron Crazies after Final 4