In his first-ever game against Duke in 2015, North Carolina senior guard Joel Berry’s excitement became his downfall.
Fueled by the hype on social media and around campus that surrounds each Duke-Carolina rivalry game, including this one at Duke on Feb. 18, 2015, Berry, then a freshman, was so overcome with energy and anticipation, it drained him. By the time the game began, he was already tired, and it showed. He shot 1-for-6, contributing three points, five assists and zero rebounds as UNC lost 92-90.
That won’t happen again, Berry decided. Three seasons later, he has mastered methods for staying calm.