“The execution down the stretch over these last 3 games has been phenomenal” - JJ Redick believes Duke will beat North Carolina to advance to the final of the NCAA tournament

The Duke Blue Devils are hitting their stride at the perfect time, stitching together three gritty wins to reach the Final Four.

Duke (32-6) excelled in their late-game execution to pull away from Michigan State 85-76, Texas Tech 78-73 and Arkansas 78-69. In the process, freshman standout Paolo Banchero and defensive anchor Mark Williams have taken their games to another level.

The next challenge for Duke (32-6) will be its rivals, the North Carolina Tar Heels (28-9), with a spot in the national championship game on the line.

The first NCAA Tournament meeting in the rivalry's history will take place in a national semifinal Saturday in New Orleans, Louisiana. It's likely to install another storied chapter in their illustrious history.

On ESPN's "First Take," basketball analyst and former Duke standout JJ Redick praised the team's clutch execution over its last three games:

“The execution down the stretch over these last three games has been phenomenal.”

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Duke Blue Devils soaring in NCAA Tournament

Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski has taken Duke to an NCAA record 13 Final Fours.

Fans are anxious to see the March Madness showdown between the Blue Devils and Tar Heels on Saturday. With Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski retiring, it seems fitting that Coach K will have to defeat UNC one final time to reach the national championship game.

Despite shocking losses to North Carolina and Virginia Tech earlier this month, Duke has looked like one of the most dangerous teams in the Final Four.

The Blue Devils' roster is one of the country's most talented. As many as five players could be selected in the first round of the NBA draft.

Freshman standout Paolo Banchero has taken the spotlight as one of the stars of the NCAA Tournament. The 6-foot-10, 250-pound forward has averaged 18.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 51.0%, including 53.3% from 3-point range.

Duke and North Carolina have played each other 257 times, but they've never had an NCAA Tournament game against each other until now.

UNC is in its NCAA-record 21st Final Four, winning six national titles with five runner-ups. Duke is in its 17th Final Four, with 13 under Krzyzewski. Coach K has led the Blue Devils to five national championships and four runner-up finishes. Duke was a national runner-up two other times.