UNC basketball vs. Duke: Caleb Foster, Cormac Ryan and other X-factors

RJ Davis, Kyle Filipowski, Armando Bacot and Tyrese Proctor.

Those are some of the players you’re likely to see on ESPN promos this week ahead of UNC basketball’s rivalry showdown with Duke. 

Those four standouts are among the stars expected to shine in the latest battle of the blues at the Dean E. Smith Center. Freshman guards Elliot Cadeau and Jared McCain have also elevated their game in recent weeks for the third-ranked Tar Heels (17-4, 9-1 ACC) and seventh-ranked Blue Devils (16-4, 7-2).

But which under-the-radar players could swing the momentum in favor of their team Saturday evening (6:30 p.m., ESPN) in Chapel Hill? Here’s a look at four players with the potential to be X-factors for the Tar Heels and Blue Devils.

Caleb Foster, Duke basketball

Foster showed his “spurtability” — as CBS Sports analyst Clark Kellogg likes to say — with eight points in the first six-plus minutes at Virginia Tech on Monday. Foster has used his 6-foot-5, 197-pound frame to bother smaller guards. Lost in the chaos of Duke’s home loss to Pitt was Foster’s performance. He had 16 points, six rebounds and five assists that night.

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Cormac Ryan, UNC basketball

Ryan has contributed in a variety of ways, but his shooting percentage (37.3%) has dipped after finishing above 40% in his previous two seasons at Notre Dame. Duke has improved its 3-point defense in the last three games, but the Blue Devils are 186th nationally at 33.7%. It could offer Ryan the chance for a breakout game from beyond the arc. He’s averaged 11.6 points with 11 three-pointers in the last four games.

Jae’Lyn Withers, UNC basketball

UNC coach Hubert Davis has hammered home the point that Withers brings a unique skill set to the Tar Heels. Withers’ athleticism and versatility on both ends has been a game-changer at different points this season. He could be a key factor again against a Duke team that likes to employ four-guard lineups. Before a quiet two-game stretch, Withers averaged 9.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in the previous four games.

Ryan Young, Duke basketball

One of the Blue Devils’ three captains, Young’s role has fluctuated throughout his final season but he knows what’s expected of him on the court. Duke’s “MVP” at Virginia Tech, according to KenPom.com, Young had 10 points, five rebounds and two assists in 15 minutes off the bench. He also had 10 points and nine rebounds against Georgia Tech at Cameron to help the Blue Devils rally from a double-digit deficit in the second half. Young’s size and rebounding ability will be key against a UNC squad that can put together big lineups.

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

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Caleb Foster, other X-factors for UNC basketball vs. Duke