Texas center gets lesson in Duke-Carolina rivalry

Texas center Dexter Pittman got a first-hand lesson in ACC fandom after the Longhorns beat Minnesota on Thursday, setting up tomorrow's second-round matchup with Duke.

"I kind of find it funny," Pittman said. "We were walking back to our locker room after the game and all the North Carolina fans were telling us, 'Give it to the Blue Devils.' I thought (Texas) A&M fans were worse, but they're worse here."

Carolina fans do face an interesting no-win dilemma tomorrow night. Rooting against Duke means rooting for Texas coach Rick Barnes, whose running feud and 1995 Greensboro tete-a-tete with Dean Smith made him permanent persona non grata in his home state.

"Oh they love me," Barnes said Wednesday. "Both of those fans love me." -- Luke DeCock, (Raleigh) News & Observer