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Nationally, people may not think the Duke-UNC game Saturday will be as great because both teams, for the first time in 60 years, are struggling at the same time, but locals know better.
In the 1965 ACC Tournament, Dean Smith, still building a viable program after the scandals of the early 1960s, opted for stall-ball and Duke won, barely, 21-20.
In 1973, Duke was pretty bad but upset #3 UNC, holding Tar Heel legend Bob McAdoo to 1-12 for the game.
In 1978, Duke was superior and UNC tried to hold the ball again, this time for just the first half, with Smith figuring that UNC could compete with Duke for 20 minutes but not 40. Didn’t work: this was the famous air ball game. Duke won 47-40.
In 1995, Duke nearly upset the Tar Heels, with Jeff Capel hitting his famous half-court shot to force the first overtime.
Much like Auburn-Alabama, or Alabama-Auburn to you ‘Bama fans, it’s not the question of the particular teams but the nature of the rivalry.
The game elevates, in other words. So we expect a good one again.
This is very minor, but telling. We were looking up information on former UNC coach Matt Doherty, and turns out his daughter is enrolled at Chapel Hill and was on the UNC rowing roster last season. But look how they list her father in her bio - not one word about his time as UNC’s coach: “Born September 13 in South Bend, Ind. ... Daughter of Matt and Kelly Doherty ... Her father played basketball at UNC and helped the Tar Heels to the 1982 National Championship ... “
We’ll be adding more links as they come in so check back.
- Duke needs a statement win over North Carolina before ACC Tournament begins
- Preview: Interior battle will play a key role for Duke men’s basketball against North Carolina
- X-Factor: Joey Baker’s outside presence could guide the Blue Devils to a Chapel Hill upset
- Duke and UNC often make history. Saturday’s game will for reasons other than basketball.
- One positive spot in Duke’s poor basketball season? The ‘sensational’ Mark Williams.
- A Duke-UNC encore and the big questions for college basketball’s final weekend of the regular season
- Roy Williams: Mark Williams Makes Duke a Great Deal Stronger
- Then and now: How has Duke men’s basketball changed since its first matchup with UNC?
- Duke, UNC Square Off Saturday Night in Chapel Hill
- WATCH
- LISTEN
- LIVE STATS
- DUKE GAME NOTES (PDF)
- ‘It’s win or go home’
- Roy Williams: “It’s Still Duke-Carolina”
- UNC vs Duke: Three Things to Watch on Senior Night
- UNC men’s basketball looks ahead to Duke with NCAA Tournament implications at stake
- Chapel Hill: UNC-Duke Preparation, Group 3 and Short-Term Rentals
- Williams: It is Duke and North Carolina. The rivalry is there regardless
- Duke’s Nolan Smith speaks out against ‘plantation’ comment made by Creighton coach Greg McDermott
- A look back at some of the uniforms worn in the Duke-North Carolina game over the years
- ‘Almost having a really good year’ means Duke’s NCAA tournament hopes are all but dead
- Students have mixed reactions to Dean Dome reopening for in-person attendance
- University plans for potential Franklin Street rush as second UNC-Duke game approaches
- UNC Basketball: Duke STILL on the NCAA Tournament bubble? HOW?!
- Giglio: Good weekend on the NCAA bubble for UNC and Duke. Wait, Duke?
- ‘Almost having a really good year’ means Duke’s NCAA tournament hopes are all but dead
- ACC Network Presents All ACC Watch Party: Duke vs North Carolina Saturday
- A look back at some of the uniforms worn in the Duke-North Carolina game over the years
- Brand names on the bubble: Duke, UNC among blue bloods scraping for an NCAA tourney bid
- CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm breaks down Duke’s NCAA Tournament odds entering games at Georgia Tech, North Carolina