North Carolina has done more than seize firm control of the ACC regular-season race, moving to a 24-2 overall record after defeating N.C. State on Wednesday night.The Tar Heels now have 60 wins over this season and last, thrusting them into elite company in ACC history. Fifteen times since the advent of the conference in 1953-54, teams at the same school garnered at least 60 wins over a two-year period. Each came from Duke or North Carolina, including the current Heels and last season's 36-3 Final Four unit.
The most wins to date were achieved by Duke in 1998 and 1999, when Mike Krzyzewski's Blue Devils had a cumulative record of 69-6.
Roy Williams' 2009 squad has four games left during the regular season, then the ACC Tournament and the NCAAs. That's a minimum of six games to be played, a maximum of 13. UNC has been beaten five times combined over this season and last, tied for second-fewest in ACC history. Even three more losses would leave the 2008 and 2009 Tar Heels among the least-defeated groups to ever play in the ACC.
The record for fewest losses belongs to N.C. State's teams of 1973 and 1974. Led by David Thompson, Tom Burleson, and Monte Towe, currently a Wolfpack assistant coach, Norman Sloan's teams tasted defeat only once against 57 victories, the least-blemished run in league history.
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| Ws | School | Record | Seasons (Records) |
| 69 | Duke | 69-6 | 1998 (32-4), 1999 (37-2) |
| 67 | North Carolina | 67-10 | 2007 (31-7), 2008 (36-3) |
| 66 | Duke | 66-9 | 1991 (32-7), 1992 (34-2) |
| 66 | Duke | 66-7 | 1999 (37-2), 2000 (29-5) |
| 66 | Duke | 66-8 | 2001 (35-4), 2002 (31-4) |
| 64 | Duke | 64-9 | 2000 (29-5), 2001 (35-4) |
| 62 | North Carolina | 62-11 | 1993 (34-4), 1994 (28-7) |
| 62 | North Carolina | 62-11 | 1997 (28-7), 1998 (34-4) |
| 61 | North Carolina | 61-10 | 1981 (29-8), 1982 (32-2) |
| 61 | Duke | 61-12 | 1986 (37-3), 1987 (24-9) |
| 61 | Duke | 61-16 | 1990 (29-9), 1991 (32-7) |
| 60 | North Carolina | 60-10 | 1982 (32-2), 1983 (28-8) |
| 60 | Duke | 60-11 | 1985 (23-8), 1986 (37-3) |
| 60 | North Carolina | 60-10 | 1986 (28-6), 1987 (32-4) |
| 60 | North Carolina | 60-5 | 2008 (36-3), 2009 (24-2)* |
| * 2009 season in progress. | |||
| Most Wins By School Over Two-Year Span, As ACC Member: | ||
| 49 | Boston College 49-20 | 2006 (28-8), 2007 (21-12) |
| 49 | Clemson 49-21 | 2007 (25-11), 2008 (24-10)* |
| 69 | Duke 69-6 | 1998 (32-4), 1999 (37-2) |
| 47 | Florida State 47-20 | 1992 (22-10), 1993 (25-10) |
| 54 | Georgia Tech 54-15 | 1985 (27-8), 1986 (27-7) |
| 57 | Maryland 57-15 | 2001 (25-11), 2002 (32-4) |
| 35 | Miami 35-31 | 2007 (12-20), 2008 (23-11) |
| 67 | North Carolina 67-10 | 2007 (31-7), 2008 (36-3) |
| 57 | N.C. State 5 | 7-1 1973 (27-0), 1974 (30-1) |
| 59 | Virginia 59-8 | 1981 (29-4), 1982 (30-4) |
| Virginia 59-9 | 1982 (30-4), 1983 (29-5) | |
| 43 | Virginia Tech 43-26 | 2007 (22-12), 2008 (21-14) |
| 52 | Wake Forest | 52-12 1995 (26-6), 1996 (26-6) |
The current Clemson squad already is 21-4, with a minimum of 7 additional games to be played, assuming just one appearance each in the ACC and NCAA tournaments.
Five more wins could set a new two-year victory mark at the school.
| Fewest Losses By ACC School, Two Seasons Combined: | ||
| 1 N.C. State | 57-1 | 1973 (27-0), 1974 (30-1) |
| 5 North Carolina | 50-5 | 1956 (18-5), 1957 (32-0) |
| 5 North Carolina | 60-5 | 2008 (36-3), 2009 (24-2)* |
| 6 Duke | 69-6 | 1998 (32-4), 1999 (37-2) |
| 7 N.C. State | 52-7 | 1974 (30-1), 1975 (22-6) |
| 7 Duke | 66-7 | 1999 (37-2), 2000 (29-5) |
| 8 N.C. State | 52-8 | 1955 (28-4), 1956 (24-4) |
| 8 Duke | 53-8 | 1963 (27-3), 1964 (26-5) |
| 8 Duke | 66-8 | 2001 (35-4), 2002 (31-4) |
| 8 Virginia | 59-8 | 1981 (29-4), 1982 (30-4) |
| * 2009 season in progress. | ||