In college basketball, the rivalry of Duke versus North Carolina is unparalleled. There are many great games throughout the season, but this is the one that is considered a “can’t-miss”. When these two match up, you can always count on a highly competitive game played at an extremely high level.

Two of college basketball’s greatest programs reside only eight miles apart in basketball crazed North Carolina. The University of North Carolina (UNC) and Duke University began playing each other in 1920. They have played at least twice each year ever since.

The University of North Carolina (UNC) and Duke University joined the ACC in 1958 and have combined to win 79% of the conference’s regular season titles and 58% of its tournament championships. North Carolina leads the all time series 129-97, many of North Carolina’s wins, however, came before Duke had established itself as a national power. The two teams have combined for forty-four ACC titles, 27 Final Fours, and seven NCAA championships.

When I think about the rivalry between Duke and UNC, I think of how these two teams base their whole entire season on beating each other, regardless of how well they do in the AP Polls. Throughout the years, these two teams usually hold the #1 and #2 rankings, which adds to the excitement and the drama.

One of the great things about these to storied rivals is the fact that each school recruits quality players every year. And that hard to do, especially when their academic standards are so high.

Another great thing about Duke and North Carolina is the buildings they play in. North Carolina’s gym is named after the great Dean Smith, and Duke’s gym is named after their school. The venue in which the University of North Carolina plays is one of the most beautiful places to watch a basketball game. Duke’s gym is just like any other court in the nation, boring and dull, but it might just be the best place to watch a game because of the enthusiastic atmosphere the students give it.

Pranks are always great, especially when the college kids carry them out. One of the most memorable pranks happened in 2007, when Cleveland Cavalier General Manager and ex-Duke star Danny Ferry, walked in his office and saw that someone sneaked into his office and painted a Tar Heel logo on his wall. That was a great prank, but Ferry was not smiling, and he wasn’t happy. Ferry vowed to get them back but has yet made true on his promise. Now that’s what I call a rivalry.

- John A. Roberts

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Tags | College basketball, duke, ncaa basketball, Rivalry, the universith of north carolina