No. 2 Duke men's basketball cruises past UNC in rivalry win

Cooper Flagg drained his third triple to reach 19 points. Freshman Isaiah Evans also joined the party, knocking down his first career bucket against North Carolina — a three-pointer to push Duke’s lead past 25.

Sion from Kon 🔨

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB)

Duke came out of halftime on fire, scoring on nine straight possessions before UNC finally got a stop. Knueppel is torching the Tar Heels with 11 points already in the half, bringing his total to 20. Duke up 64-36.

if you send 2 at Coop he's gonna find the open man

(Kon's got 15)

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB)

Referees issued North Carolina's Elliot Cadeau with his first flagrant foul after his arm swat at a Duke defender. Duke receives two shots and possession. 

The Blue Devils have completely stifled UNC, forcing 7 turnovers so far. Meanwhile, their 69.2% from the field has pushed the lead past 20. Duke 34, UNC 13 — 7:32 left in the first.

absolutely not

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB)

Cooper Flagg wasting no time. The Duke freshman is already stuffing the stat sheet — 6 points, 4 dimes, 2 steals — and drilling both of his threes. Blue Devils up 7-2 early.

6 PTS
4 AST
8-0 RUN
TO 🐏

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB)

No. 2 Duke and North Carolina meet for the 263rd time in about 15 minutes. The excitement at Cameron Indoor already kicked off earlier in the day with the College Game Day crew. 

$19K HALF-COURT SHOT 💰

Duke student Raphael Lee made it look easy 🎯

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay)

Every time Duke and North Carolina face off, the energy is electric, and history is written on the court. With just eight miles separating the two schools on Tobacco Road, their rivalry has become one of the most enduring in college basketball. They’ve claimed 77% of ACC regular-season titles and a major share of national championships since 1977. 

It all started in January 1920 at "The Ark," Duke’s former home, where UNC took 17 of the first 19 matchups. UNC is ranked No. 3 on the all-time wins list, with Duke close behind at No. 4. Between them, they’ve combined for 38 Final Fours and 11 national championships. The two programs even met in the 2022 Final Four in New Orleans, marking their first-ever NCAA tournament matchup. In an unforgettable game, UNC took down Duke, denying Coach K a fairytale ending in his final season.  

Duke is currently ranked 2nd, with only two losses on the season and undefeated in ACC, heading into Saturday’s game with momentum. UNC, which hasn’t been consistent recently, will be looking for a key win to add to its NCAA tournament resume, so it’ll be a must-watch game.

Duke and North Carolina’s rivalry is more than just a game—it’s a living, breathing storyline that keeps fans coming back for more. In the last 12 matchups, UNC has held a slim 7-5 edge, but each encounter feels like an epic. Overall, the Tar Heels lead the series 145–117, but there’s always something new on the line when these two clash. 

• Biggest Wins: UNC’s 53-point blowout (1921) and Duke’s 35-point rout (1964). 
• Longest Streak: UNC’s 16-game domination from 1921 to 1928. 
• Current Trend: The Tar Heels have won the last two meetings. 

Here's a complete look at the last 12 meetings between the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils: 

DATE	LOCATION	WINNER	SCORE
15-Mar-19	Spectrum Center (Charlotte)	No. 5 Duke	74- 73
8-Feb-20	Dean Smith Center	No. 7 Duke	98-96 (OT)
7-Mar-20	Cameron Indoor Stadium	No. 12 Duke	89-76
6-Feb-21	Cameron Indoor Stadium	North Carolina	91-87
6-Mar-21	Dean Smith Center	North Carolina	91-73
5-Feb-22	Dean Smith Center	No. 9 Duke	87-67
5-Mar-22	Cameron Indoor Stadium	North Carolina	94-81
2-Apr-22	Superdome (New Orleans)	North Carolina	81-77
4-Feb-23	Cameron Indoor Stadium	Duke	63-57
4-Mar-23	Dean Smith Center	Duke	62-57
3-Feb-24	Dean Smith Center	No. 3 North Carolina	93-84
9-Mar-24	Cameron Indoor Stadium	No. 7 North Carolina	84-79