No one needs to say it twice: Duke vs. UNC men's basketball is always an instant classic. As the two highest-seeded programs in the world, the Blue Devils and Tar Heels always give it their all on the hardwood. whether it's the regular season or March Madness. And when they face off against each other, it's always likely to be controversial.
In this article, we will take a look at the Duke vs. UNC basketball rivalry and its history.
Duke vs. UNC basketball rivalry history
UNC may be located in the state of North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball, but Duke is also a new door closer, as Durham is located just 24 minutes southwest of Chapel Hill. There has always been a bit of a rivalry between these two schools, but basketball has always had a major impact on either institution.
Duke and UNC are No. 3 and 4, respectively, on the list of schools that have produced the most NBA players ever (via Erudera). The only schools above them are UCLA at No. 2 and Kentucky at No. 1. Additionally, the rivalry almost always stems from both of these teams winning at least one ACC title, as well as being national championship contenders at times. 40 years.
How many times has UNC beaten Duke in basketball?
North Carolina and Duke have met a total of 260 times on the hardwood, with the Tar Heels leading the Blue Devils 143–117. But while this record appears to paint UNC in a far more favorable light, it doesn't show the full picture.
Duke has won the last 100 games of the all-time series 52–48, and that includes a pair of wins at the Dean Smith Center last season and in 2022. Furthermore, the Tar Heels' record in Chapel Hill is not exactly impressive. Against the Blue Devils: slightly over.500 at home, 20-18 (via GoDuke.com).
Duke vs. UNC h2h
The head-to-head competition is so close that anything can happen. As long as they have been playing each other, no team has dominated the other.
Since the 1949–50 season, the point difference between these two teams has been a modest 39 points, with UNC leading (via Sports-Reference). This may not seem like much, but keep in mind that there are a total of 191 games in the spread. The Tar Heels have outscored the Blue Devils by just 39 points in nearly 200 contests.
Notable records in the Duke vs. UNC basketball rivalry
The Duke vs. UNC men's basketball rivalry holds many notable records, but perhaps this is the most surprising fact: their upcoming game on February 3 will mark the 49th time the Blue Devils and Tar Heels have faced each other as two of the top 10 teams in the country. Will meet. And once again, the playing field is perfectly split: the record is 24-24, with UNC outshooting Duke by a modest 0.8 points.
How many times have Duke and UNC played each other in March Madness?
For all the crazy moments covering the Duke vs. UNC basketball rivalry, these two teams have only met once in the NCAA Tournament (aka March Madness).
This occurred during the 2022 season, which was also former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski's last season at the helm of the Blue Devils (via the NCAA). North Carolina defeated Duke in thrilling fashion in the 2022 Final Four, winning 81–77 on clutch free throws. But while they have only met once in the NCAA Tournament, Duke and UNC have actually met one other time in the postseason in the past, most notably in 1971.
That was the year of the NCAA National Invitation Tournament. The Tar Heels defeated the Blue Devils 73-67 in a match played at the prestigious Madison Square Garden.
When was the last time Duke and UNC were not ranked?
Duke and UNC have always been ranked AP teams, so the last time they were there wasn't that long ago—64 years ago. Both teams were not ranked in the AP top 25 in the 1959–1960 season (via Tar Heels Times). At the time, the great Dean Smith was only an assistant coach for the Heels.
