Rivalry Games
The List: Duke/UNC games
The List is a new series where I’ll cover my favorite items from various Duke Basketball topics. I prefer tiers over rankings and each list will cover only the Coach K era. Since he took Duke to 13 Final Fours, I’ll narrow each list down to 13 items and include a few that just missed.
Here are my favorite games from the Duke/Carolina rivalry in the Coach K era, plus a few others that just missed the list. These are my personal favorites - not necessarily the most classic, best played, or down to the wire - just the ones that come to my mind first when I think about the rivalry.
Just Missed
March 10, 1984
#16 Duke vs. #1 North Carolina
Greensboro Coliseum
Although this one took place a few months before I was born, I used to watch this game on ESPN Classic all the time. Duke had beaten UNC just once in nine games since Mike Krzyzewski arrived in Durham, and was coming off a heartbreaking loss in double overtime the week before in Chapel Hill. This time around, “the class that saved Coach K” got their first win in the rivalry. As seniors in 1986, that recruiting class would help lead Duke to a 37-3 record and Coach K’s first trip to the Final Four. Final Score: Duke 77 North Carolina 75
February 2, 1995
#2 North Carolina at Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium
I probably knew it already, but this game cemented for me the idea that the records and narratives coming into the rivalry can be thrown out the window - either team can always win. Jerry Stackhouse and Jeff Capel gave us two of the most iconic plays ever in a Duke/UNC game and, although Duke lost, I was so proud of that team. Final Score: Duke 100 North Carolina 102 (2OT)
March 7, 1999
#1 Duke vs. #15 North Carolina
Charlotte Coliseum
With their win, Duke became the only team in ACC history to go 19-0 and began a streak of five consecutive ACC Tournament Championships. The Blue Devils completed the season sweep of Carolina, outscoring the Tar Heels by a combined 55 points in their three games. Final Score: Duke 96 North Carolina 73
March 13, 2010
North Carolina at #4 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium
Senior night for Jon Scheyer, Lance Thomas, and Brian Zoubek was never in doubt. Scheyer, Kyle Singler, and Nolan Smith opened the game with consecutive three-pointers and Duke rolled to victory. Those upperclassmen obviously led Duke to an ACC and NCAA Championship in the following weeks, but it was fun to celebrate their regular season that night in Cameron with a rout. Final Score: Duke 82 North Carolina 50
The List
Tier 3 - Signature Moments
#3 Duke at North Carolina
Dean E. Smith Center
February 3, 2000
It was a tale of two halves in Chapel Hill, with Duke leading 41-24 at the break. The Tar Heels scored 49 points in the second half, including Joseph Forte’s three-pointer with 0:05 left in regulation to tie the game at 73. It was the first overtime game in the rivalry since 1995 (2OT) and these two teams have only played an extra period three times since (2004, 2015, 2020). Duke scored on its first six possessions in overtime to take an 87-80 lead, before Mike Dunleavy sealed the victory with two free throws. Chris Carrawell finished with 23 points, while Shane Battier posted 25 points and 10 rebounds. For UNC, Ed Cota scored 21 points and Joe Forte added 20. Final Score: Duke 90 North Carolina 86 (OT)
February 5, 2004
#1 Duke at #19 North Carolina
Dean E. Smith Center
J.J. Redick gave Duke a 74-71 lead on a tough driving basket, before Jawad Williams shot-faked and hit a three-pointer to tie the game with 0:18 left. In overtime, Rashad McCants hit another game-tying three, this time with only 0:13 to go. With the game knotted at 81, Coach K elected not to call timeout, allowing Chris Duhon to take it the length of the floor for a reverse layup. When Melvin Scott’s three at the buzzer missed everything, Duke left Chapel Hill with their fifth win in the last six visits to the Dean Dome. Here’s Chris Duhon on the game winner. Shelden Williams posted 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Luol Deng added 17 and 12. In the first rivalry game for Roy Williams, Rashad McCants had 27 points and Sean May added 15 points and 21 rebounds. Final Score: Duke 83 North Carolina 81 (OT)
#2 North Carolina at #8 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium
February 9, 2005
Duke led 36-29 at halftime but the Tar Heels would tie the game at 38 early in the second half. After Duke went back ahead by seven, UNC would tie the game again at 53 with ten minutes left in the game. The Blue Devils answered with an 8-0 run and J.J. Redick’s fourth three-pointer of the game gave Duke a 67-58 lead with five minutes to go. Unsurprisingly, North Carolina responded again behind Sean May and Raymond Felton, cutting the deficit to three points at 69-66. After two free throws from Shavlik Randolph, Carolina had the ball down one with 0:18 on the clock. Duke disrupted the final play and the Tar Heels were unable to get a shot, losing the ball out of bounds after their initial action was denied. Duke forced 23 turnovers and was led by 18 points from Redick, 15 points from Daniel Ewing, and 16 points off the bench from Demarcus Nelson. Shelden Williams posted 11 points, 9 rebounds, 5 blocks and 5 steals. Sean May had 23 points and 18 rebounds for the Tar Heels. Final Score: Duke 71 North Carolina 70
February 7, 2006
#2 Duke at #23 North Carolina
Dean E. Smith Center
Thanks to the same buddy who invited me to all those ACC Tournaments, this was the first Duke/UNC game I attended during the regular season. I had been in the building for a few rivalry games in the ACC Tournament, but never one in Durham or Chapel Hill. After leading 40-35 at the break, Duke opened the second half on a 12-0 run to lead by 17. In rivalry game fashion, North Carolina responded with a 12-0 run of their own. The teams would then play back and forth before the Tar Heels built a 71-66 lead with 4:30 to go. J.J. Redick answered with five straight points to push Duke to a 76-75 advantage with 1:54 to play. Redick proceeded to hit a three-pointer from the top of the key and then, with 1:00 on the clock, a behind-the-back stepback three from the right wing. J.J. finished with 35 points, including five three’s on 12-22 shooting, while Shelden Williams posted 13 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 steals. Reyshawn Terry scored 17 points for Carolina and David Noel added 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. It was Duke’s 16th win in their last 19 games against UNC. Final Score: Duke 87 North Carolina 83
#20 Duke at #5 North Carolina
Dean E. Smith Center
February 17, 2016
The first half was evenly played, with both teams executing their offense well. Unfortunately, Matt Jones turned his ankle on a drive with 7:51 left in the half and would not return to the game. With the Tar Heels leading 46-42 at the break, Coach K would essentially go with five guys for the entire second half (Chase Jeter gave Marshall Plumlee a short rest). North Carolina built a seven point lead before the Blue Devils were able to cut it back down to a 62-60 deficit with just under ten minutes to go. Duke took a timeout after UNC pushed their advantage back to eight points at the 6:49 mark. Duke would outscore Carolina 14-5 down the stretch, including six straight points from Brandon Ingram and a clutch three from Luke Kennard to give Duke their first lead since the 11:30 mark of the first half. Grayson Allen’s two free throws put the Blue Devils ahead 74-73 and, after allowing just 27 points in the second half, the Duke defense came up with one final stop to seal the win. Ingram and Allen combined for 43 points and 17 rebounds, while Luke Kennard added 15 points. Brice Johnson had 29 points and 19 boards for UNC. Final Score: Duke 74 North Carolina 73
#5 Duke vs. #3 North Carolina
Charlotte Coliseum
March 15, 2019
My wife and I were at the game when Zion’s shoe busted, significantly changing the course of Duke’s season and putting a damper on the first two rivalry games that year. I may write more about that season sometime, but one reason I’ll always love Zion is because he came back to play after his injury. It would have been easy to sit out the remainder of the year and wait to go number one in the NBA draft. With Duke back at full strength, this top five match-up in the ACC semifinals was highly anticipated. The Tar Heels jumped out to a 22-13 lead behind 14 early points from Cam Johnson. Duke rallied back and the game was tied 44-44 at the half. The second half was back and forth, including four more ties and neither team leading by more than six, before UNC held a 71-67 lead with 2:48 remaining. Zion converted a three-point play and then had the ball with Duke trailing by one and 0:43 on the clock. Williamson drove the lane and spun back to his left. His initial shot missed, but a quick second jump allowed Zion to tip home the miss through a crowd of white jerseys. Carolina’s last second attempt was off the mark and the Blue Devils advanced to the ACC Championship - what a game. Williamson finished with 31 points and 11 rebounds, and R.J. Barrett posted 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Tre Jones added 11 points and 4 assists. Cameron Johnson led the way for UNC with 23 points, while Luke Maye added 14 points and 13 rebounds. Final Score: Duke 74 North Carolina 73
Tier 2 - Comebacks
February 28, 1998
#3 North Carolina at #1 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium
After jumping ahead 25-9 to start the game, North Carolina led 42-30 at the half. It was so hot in Cameron during the game that, at halftime, Coach K changed into a short sleeve polo shirt to wear underneath his jacket. After trading baskets for the first several minutes of the second half, the Tar Heels were able to push the lead to 17 points at 64-47 with 11:39 left in the game. Out of the under 12:00 media timeout, Elton Brand would lead a 19-4 run to cut the margin to 70-66 with just under six minutes remaining. UNC went ahead 75-71 on a Vince Carter free throw with 2:53 on the clock, but the Tar Heels wouldn’t score again. Roshown McLeod’s bucket with 1:00 to go put Duke ahead 77-75. Carolina couldn’t convert on two separate trips to the free throw line in the final seconds, the Cameron Crazies flooded the court, and Wojo sprinted to hug Coach K. Roshown McLeod finished with 23 points, Elton Brand added 16, and Steve Wojciechowski posted 11 assists. Final Score: Duke 77 North Carolina 75
February 9, 2011
#21 North Carolina at #5 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium
North Carolina led 43-29 at the half behind 30 combined points from John Henson, Tyler Zeller, and Harrison Barnes. Duke opened the second half with a quick 8-0 run to cut the lead down to six. It would be a back and forth game for the next several minutes before Ryan Kelly’s three with 9:12 to go gave Duke its first lead of the game at 57-55. Duke led for the remainder of the contest, outscoring North Carolina 50-30 in the second half. Nolan Smith notched a career high 34 points and Seth Curry had 18 of his 22 points after halftime. Tyler Zeller put up 24 points and 13 rebounds, while John Henson added 14 and 12. The win was the largest halftime deficit Duke had overcome since 1959. Final Score: Duke 79 North Carolina 73
February 18, 2015
#15 North Carolina at #4 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium
The game began with a show of respect and sportsmanship, as the teams huddled together at mid-court to honor the legendary Dean Smith, who had passed away 11 days earlier. Duke led by as many as 13 in the first half before going to the locker room with a 49-42 advantage. After working their way back in the game after halftime, the Tar Heels would use a 16-5 run that extended more than six minutes of game time to lead 77-67 with 3:22 left in the game. With their backs against the wall, Duke would outscore UNC 14-4 to close regulation behind nine straight points from Tyus “Stones”, including the game-tying layup with 0:27 left to send it into overtime. In OT, North Carolina would go ahead 87-84 but Tyus Jones, Quinn Cook, and Jahlil Okafor would respond with buckets and Duke held on for a two-point victory. Cook and Jones combined for 44 points and 11 assists while playing 88 minutes. As Tyus gave a postgame interview, Quinn let us know they were the best backcourt in the country. After leaving briefly with a sprained ankle in the first half, Jahlil Okafor returned to post 12 points and 13 rebounds. Brice Johnson led the Tar Heels with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Final Score: Duke 92 North Carolina 90 (OT)
#14 Duke vs. #6 North Carolina
Barclays Center
March 10, 2017
After downing Clemson and Louisville, Duke was in the ACC semifinals and trying to become the first team to win four games in four days on the way to winning the tournament title. Carolina, the regular season champion, had beaten the Blue Devils in Chapel Hill the previous week and blitzed Miami in their opening ACC Tournament game. The Tar Heels led by nine midway through the first half, before Duke cut the deficit back down to one at the 8:40 mark. UNC steadily rebuilt their margin, taking the largest lead of the game at 46-33 with just over two minutes until halftime, but Duke was able to battle back and go into the half trailing 49-42. Carolina pushed their lead back to 13, at 61-48 with 13:53 left in the game. A dunk by Jayson Tatum and a four-point play from Luke Kennard started the Duke run - Harry Giles finished it with a block and alley-oop to put Duke ahead 77-70 at the 5:31 mark. The Blue Devils maintained the margin for the remainder of the game, winning the second half 51-34. Tatum led the way with 24 points and 7 rebounds. Grayson Allen added 18 points and 5 assists, while Giles posted 6 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks in just 15 minutes of action. Duke would defeat Notre Dame the following night to win the ACC Tournament. Final Score: Duke 93 North Carolina 83
Tier 1 - Championships
March 15, 1992
#1 Duke vs. #20 North Carolina
Charlotte Coliseum
Duke was on the verge of their fifth consecutive trip to the Final Four but had “only” managed to win one ACC Tournament during that span, including a loss to North Carolina in the championship game the previous year - yet another example of the strength of the conference. Carolina led 26-21 midway through the first half before Duke took control of the game, leading 44-36 at halftime. The Blue Devils used a 13-5 run in the second half to push the margin to 65-49 en route to a 20-point victory. Tournament MVP Christian Laettner led the way with 25 points, including five three-pointers, to go along with 10 rebounds and 7 steals. Bobby Hurley posted 11 points and 11 assists, while Grant Hill added 20 points and 7 assists of his own. Final Score: Duke 94 North Carolina 74
#3 Duke vs. #6 North Carolina
Georgia Dome
March 11, 2001
Duke visited Carolina a week earlier, playing their first game without Carlos Boozer, who was sidelined with a broken foot. Coach K went small, inserting Chris Duhon into the starting lineup. The Blue Devils played fast, shot 38 three-pointers, and left Chapel Hill with a 95-81 win. I’m sure within the locker room Carolina prepared properly, but the media storylines centered on the idea that this time around the Tar Heels would be ready and, now that they had seen Duke’s lineup without Boozer, wouldn’t be caught off guard. After the two teams shared the regular season, it was awesome to have them squaring off in the rubber match for the ACC Tournament Championship. Duke played hard and fast, using a 19-1 first half run to take a 50-30 lead into halftime. It never got close in the second half and Duke finished with a 26-point victory. I guess the media was wrong. Mike Dunleavy posted 24 points and 13 rebounds, while tournament MVP Shane Battier added 20 points and 13 rebounds. Joseph Forte had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Tar Heels. Final Score: Duke 79 North Carolina 53
#5 Duke vs. #6 North Carolina
Greensboro Coliseum
March 13, 2011
As was the case ten years earlier, their third meeting took place in the ACC Championship game, and remains the last time Duke and North Carolina played in the ACC final. UNC had won the ACC regular season outright with their victory over Duke a week earlier in Chapel Hill, and the Blue Devils needed a large second-half rally to win in Durham (see above). Duke would come out strong, jumping ahead 25-8 and going into halftime with a 42-28 advantage. The Blue Devils would maintain a double-figure lead throughout most of the second half, going up by as many as 17 points. Carolina made a final push and cut the deficit to nine points at 63-54 with 6:01 remaining. Duke closed the game on a 12-4 stretch, while holding the Tar Heels without a field goal for the final six minutes. Seniors Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler hugged Coach K as they captured Duke’s third consecutive ACC Tournament title. Smith won MVP and finished with 20 points and 10 assists, while Singler and Seth Curry each added 11 points. John Henson posted 10 points and 18 rebounds for UNC, and Harrison Barnes scored 13 of his 16 points after halftime. Final Score: Duke 75 North Carolina 58
This list could easily be three times as long, and I plan to do a few of these games for future re-watches. I have a ton of respect for North Carolina, and especially Coach Smith. I love this rivalry and, of course, it’s even more fun when Duke comes out on top. Leave your favorite Duke/Carolina memories in the comments.
Thanks for reading, Go Duke!
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