Carolina–Duke rivalry
The Carolina–Duke rivalry refers to the sports rivalry between the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke University Blue Devils, particularly in the sport of basketball. It is considered one of the most intense rivalries in all of US sports; a poll conducted by ESPN in 2000 ranked the basketball rivalry as the third greatest North American sports rivalry, and Sports Illustrated on Campus named it the #1 "Hottest Rivalry" in college basketball and the #2 rivalry overall in its November 18, 2003 issue. The intensity of the rivalry is augmented for many reasons. One reason is the proximity of the two universities—they are located only ten miles apart along U.S. Highway 15–501 (also known as Tobacco Road) or eight miles apart in straight-line distance. In addition, Duke is a private university whereas Carolina is a public school; the vastly different funding structures and cultures between the two further contribute to the intensity of the rivalry. One of the biggest reasons for this rivalry lies in the success of their respective basketball programs; almost every year, at least one of the schools is a contender to win the national championship.
North Carolina Tar Heels
| |
| Sport | College basketball |
|---|---|
| First meeting | January 24, 1920 North Carolina 36, Duke (Trinity College) 25 |
| Latest meeting | March 9, 2024 North Carolina 84, Duke 79 |
| Next meeting | 2025 |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 261 |
| All-time series | North Carolina leads, 145–117 |
| Largest victory | North Carolina: 53points (1921) Duke: 35 points (1964) |
| Longest win streak | North Carolina, 16 (1921–28) |
| Current win streak | North Carolina, 2 |
Carolina leads the rivalry 145–117.