"Grayson found a friend": Duke forward Kyle Filipowski tripping UNC's Harrison Ingram has college hoops fans drawing wild comparisons

Duke forward Kyle Filipowski tripped UNC
Duke forward Kyle Filipowski tripped UNC's Harrison Ingram

Atlantic Coast Conference teams Duke and UNC met in a heated match-up in which Kyle Filipowski took the spotlight. Filipowski found himself entangled with UNC's Harrison Ingram after a rebound play. What happened next ignited a storm that bore an uncanny resemblance to a similar incident from Duke's past.

Also Read: WATCH: Caitlin Clark pulls up from the logo for Steph Curry-esque shot as Iowa cruises to Big Ten tournament final

As Ingram swiftly rose to get on with it, Filipowski's leg appeared to block his movement, causing him to stumble. The incident reignited the debate around the time Grayson Allen, a former Duke player, was known to rile up opponents in a similar fashion.

However, Filipowski later defended his actions and said that he was just attempting to regain his footing. Despite his explanation, no foul was called, which further raised suspicions.

Social media erupted with criticism and comparisons as they wasted no time pointing out the irony of history repeating itself.

"Grayson found a friend," one fan said.

The game turned out to be a rollercoaster ride for Duke, with UNC seizing control early. Led by Cormac Ryan, who scored an impressive 31 points, UNC sealed the victory, 79-84.

The drama of this match didn't end with the final buzzer. Duke's fans reacted by hurling drinks and debris at the court and UNC players, destroying the post-game atmosphere.

Here is how fans reacted to this controversy:

"Duke is poverty after Coach K left," one fan said.
"Homeboy gonna push off his back to leapfrog, then the trip is fair play in my book," another fan reacted.
"This is so obvious. Not a single person in the world tries to get up like that. Gross," one fan added.
"He’s such a Tool. Perfect for Duke," another fan added.
"And some will say that isn’t intentional," said another fan.

Some other reactions:

"Def intentional. he doesn’t need to bend his knee back to get up. buncha tools at duke. learned from grayson."
"That knee/ankle doesn’t look sore/hurt/injured."
"Duke doing Duke things."
"Faked an injury and now he's trying to injure other players. He should be suspended lol."
"Kyle Filipowski has shifted his perspective on physical play with opponents on the court."
"Took that out of Grayson Allen's playbook."
"He should be removed from the court !"
"Grayson Allen Jr"
"Dudes gonna be more hated than Grayson Allen."
"A dive the premiere league would be proud of."
"Sergio Ramos of Basketball."

UNC's odds look better than Duke's for March Madness 2024

North Carolina v Duke
North Carolina v Duke

As March Madness mania reaches fever pitch, recent odds suggest that UNC has a better chance of winning it than their rivals. As of March 6th, Duke has +2300 odds to win the championship, whereas odds for UNC stand at +1600.

This is not without merit though as they hold the number one position in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Duke finds itself close on the heels of UNC at number two.

Duke has a conference record of 15-5 and an overall record of 24-7. On the other hand, UNC boasts a conference record of 17-3 and an overall record of 25-6.

Also Read: "Don't know how to do this tournament any other way": $3.1m NIL-valued Caitlin Clark bullish on Iowa success following fourth Big Ten final berth

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