‘Not worried’: Former UNC basketball player Caleb Love returns to Duke as Arizona Wildcat

DURHAM – The Caleb Love experience returns to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Friday.

After three seasons at North Carolina, Love heads back to Duke as a member of the Arizona Wildcats to play the Blue Devils for the first time in a different blue No. 2 jersey.

During his time with the Tar Heels, Love had a string of memorable moments against Duke. In seven games against the Blue Devils, Love averaged 17.7 points on 38.9% shooting and finished with a 4-3 record.

The 6-foot-4 senior guard scored 1,476 points – averaging 14.6 points per game – in 101 games for the Tar Heels. His 200 three-pointers rank eighth in UNC history.

Now, in his first season with the Wildcats, Love is set for a return to North Carolina in what is sure to be a rowdy environment, ignited by the always-rowdy Cameron Crazies.

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In a press conference on Oct. 31, Love went through what it’s been like since he arrived at Arizona.

“I’m having a lot of fun. I love being here. As soon as I stepped on campus, I’ve enjoyed every second, every moment,” Love said. “I’m grateful to be here. I’m grateful to have teammates like this and coaches that embraced me as soon as I got down here.”

In Arizona’s 122-59 win against Morgan State on Monday, Love had 12 points, four assists and three rebounds in 21 minutes. Following Love’s debut, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd gave some thoughts about the guard’s next trip to Durham.

“I’m not worried about it. I think Caleb’s pretty tough and tough-minded. Obviously, I know it’s probably gonna draw a lot of attention, but he’s built for it,” Lloyd said.

On Thursday, Duke coach Jon Scheyer and sophomore standout Kyle Filipowski gave their thoughts on Love's return to Durham. But here’s a look at what to expect from Love at Arizona and his history vs. Duke.

What to expect from Caleb Love at Arizona 

If Love has three points or 30 on Friday, neither scenario would be all that surprising. It’s all a part of the experience.

In his final season at UNC, Love was often the main target for criticism after shooting 29% from 3-point range with 15 more assists than turnovers. His inefficiency as a shooter and facilitator was constantly spotlighted as UNC became the first preseason No. 1 team to miss the NCAA Tournament.

He became one of seven UNC players from last season’s team to enter the transfer portal, picking Michigan before that fell through and he ended up at Arizona.

Now, Love will attempt to be more efficient for an Arizona squad that doesn’t need him to be superman.

Arizona put together a top-10 offense, according to KenPom.com, in each of Lloyd’s first two seasons. The Wildcats were also top 5 in assist rate, dishing out assists on more than 64% of their baskets in the last two years.

“I just know this: We can go (to Duke) and play a good basketball game without Caleb playing out of his mind,” Lloyd said.

“One of the gifts I’ve tried to give him is: You don’t need to necessarily blend in here, but you have an opportunity to settle in and let the game come to you a little bit. I think he’ll get more and more comfortable over that. Every time he’s put our uniform on against another team, I think he’s played really good and he’s been a great teammate.”

Caleb Love’s history with UNC basketball vs. Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium 

Love started his career with consecutive 20-point games in his first two trips to Cameron Indoor Stadium, dropping 25 points on 56% shooting against the Blue Devils as a freshman before adding 22 points as a sophomore in Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final game at Cameron. Love struggled in Durham as a junior, missing 10 of 15 shots to finish with 12 points in a loss.

Caleb Love’s all-time Tar Heel moment vs. Duke at 2022 Final Four 

It can be found inside UNC’s basketball museum. Just beyond the top of the key on a court full of memorable shots, there’s a spot to commemorate Love’s 3-pointer with 24.8 seconds left that helped the Tar Heels beat Duke in the 2022 Final Four. It was the signature shot on a memorable night for Love, who made nine of his last 11 shots and finished with 28 points.

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

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Former UNC basketball player Caleb Love returning to Duke with Arizona