Jay Williams Stirs Controversy at College GameDay
Former Duke basketball player Jay Williams stirred up a contentious moment for Blue Devils supporters during the latest installment of “College GameDay” on Saturday. As the pregame festivities took place at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Williams initiated a chant in support of the North Carolina Tar Heels, much to the dismay of loyal Duke fans.
Light-Hearted Antics and Rivalry Tensions
In a light-hearted moment leading up to the highly anticipated matchup between the ranked rivals, Williams admitted,
“I just want to witness this for one second because I usually never do this,”
before leading the Tar Heels chant alongside fellow Duke alum, Jay Bilas. Unfortunately for Williams, his antics did not sit well with Bilas, who humorously critiqued him, calling him a “suck up.”
Matchup Overview
This game marks another chapter in the fierce rivalry as the 3rd ranked Duke seeks its fourth consecutive victory over UNC, having previously won all encounters in the last season, including a win in the ACC Tournament semifinals. Duke, highlighted by the promising freshman talent Cameron Boozer, boasts an impressive 9-1 record in Quadrant 1 games, which is deemed highly significant by the NCAA Tournament selection committee — second only to Arizona.
In contrast, the Tar Heels, featuring standout freshman Caleb Wilson, are positioned at 27th in the NET rankings, eager for a victory that would bolster their unsatisfactory Quad 1 record to five wins this season.
Game Details
The matchup is set for a 6:30 p.m. ET tip-off on Saturday, promising thrilling action for college basketball fans across the nation. The intensity is palpable as both teams vie for dominance in this storied rivalry, with the stakes higher than ever as they compete for critical NCAA Tournament positioning.
