North Carolina vs. Duke

Duke Blue Devils vs. North Carolina Tar Heels

A battle between two of the best programs in the history of the sport, the Tobacco Road rivalry between Duke and North Carolina may not just be the best rivalry in all of college basketball, but rather one of the best rivalries in all of sports. The quality of players in this rivalry in unparalleled, with coaches that will be remembered as some of the best ever leading them into each matchup.

On the North Carolina side, legends like James Worthy and Michael Jordan took part in this rivalry, while Duke boasted college basketball greats such as Grant Hill and Christian Laettner, in games that felt like auditions for the NBA in terms of the high level of talent on the floor as well as the massive amount of attention paid to the game each time these two teams played. Coaching royalty like Mike Kryzyzewski for Duke and Dean Smith and Roy Williams for North Carolina only served to make these games more entertaining.

Historic Duke vs. North Carolina Games

The greatest player of all-time may have been involved in the greatest chapter in the Duke-North Carolina rivalry, when the Tar Heels defeated the Blue Devils in double overtime in 1984. It was the final home game of Jordan's career, and required a Matt Doherty buzzer beater to go to overtime in the first place. In the second overtime, North Carolina played masterful defense, allowing just two field goals to be made by Duke, in a rare double digit win in an overtime game, with the final score being 96-83.

After that amazing contest, Duke clearly had revenge on their minds in the ensuing ACC Tournament. They knocked off the number one Tar Heels in a tight 77-75 game, despite 22 points from Jordan and a 20 point, 10 rebound double-double from Doherty. It was the first win by Duke over North Carolina in the 1984 season after two regular season losses to the Tar Heels.

In yet another double overtime classic in 1995, the Tar Heels got the job done in a 102-100 win over Duke, which was decided with a made shot and stolen inbounds pass with seconds remaining. Duke had a chance to tie the game before the final buzzer, but a couple of missed shots and putback attempts sealed the win for UNC.

For even more memorable moments between Duke and North Carolina, click here.

When Does Duke Play North Carolina?

Duke and North Carolina play each other twice every college basketball season, as a part of their ACC conference schedules. They often play a third time in the ACC Tournament, with that matchup frequently taking place in the conference championship game, as a result of the two teams being so consistently strong in their league. Duke plays its home games at Cameron Indoor Stadium, while the Dean Smith Center is the home of the Tar Heels.

For a complete list of upcoming games between Duke and North Carolina, scroll up to check out our listings.