In college basketball, the Duke verses North Carolina rivalry is unparalleled. There are many great games throughout the season, but Duke verses North Carolina is a must-see. When these two match up, you can always count on a highly competitive game that is 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 and have played at least twice per year ever since.

University of North Carolina and Duke University schools joined the ACC in 1958. They have a 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 those, however, came before Duke had established itself as a national power. The two teams have combined for 44 ACC titles, 27 Final Fours, and 7 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, most of the time when the two teams meet, it’s usually #1 against #2, which adds to the excitement and the drama.

The great thing about these to storied rivals is the fact that they can get quality players year in and year out, and that’s 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, well it’s gym is named after their school. The venue in which UNC 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 high on the ‘things to do list’ during rivalry weeks. One of the most memorable prank 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 also vowed to get them back.

- John A. Roberts

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Tags | Basketball, basketball rivalry, duke, Duke rivalry, North Carolina, Rivalries