Here's some amazing facts about the storied UNC-Duke BB rivalry, the most storied of all

-- The Tar Heels and Blue Devils have met at least twice a year since 1920.

-- The schools are located only 8 miles from each other's campus (USC and UCLA are only 10 miles apart).

-- UNC leads the all-time series, 142-115 (257 meetings).

-- UNC is 3rd nationally in wins; Duke is 4th nationally.

-- This will be UNC's 21st FF (#1), Duke's 17th (tied #3 w/Kentucky); UCLA is #2 (18) and Kansas is #5 (16).

-- UNC has won 6 national titles (was retroactively awarded the national title for 1924 unbeaten season in 1942 by the Helms Athletic Foundation); Duke has won 5 titles.

Combining for 11 national championships over the last 36 years, Duke and Carolina have captured 28% of the national championships, or greater than one every four years. Over the past 18 years, one of the two teams has been the AP pre-season #1 ranked team in the country 8 times (44% of the time). Since 1977–78, Duke or Carolina has been in the pre-season top three 28 times (70%). Over the entirety of the AP poll (the past 69 years), the teams have been in the pre-season top four 69% of the time. Over this same period, one has been pre-season #1 18 times, making it an almost 3 in 10 chance that Duke or North Carolina starts the year at #1 in the last 50+ years. One of the two teams has peaked at AP #1 in 32 separate seasons since 1977, a 7 in 10 chance that Duke or Carolina peaked as the top-ranked team in the country at some point in the season since 1977.


To me, here's the greatest fact about this most famous of all college basketball rivalries: UNC and Duke....have NEVER played each other in the NCAA Tournament, much less have never met in the Final Four -- until this year, 2022!!

TV ratings for this year's FF matchup of Duke & UNC could set all time records, especially in light of this being Coach K's swan song season and the intense white-hot rivalry this game already is.

Don't miss this game if you can help it!