Duke vs UNC basketball history: H2H, records and more
Nobody needs to say it twice: Duke versus UNC men's basketball is always going to be an instant classic. As the two top hoops programs in the entire world, the Blue Devils and Tar Heels always give it their all on the hardwood whether it's the regular season or March Madness. And every single time they clash against one another always has the potential to be contentious.
Here's a quick look at the Duke versus UNC basketball rivalry and its history.
Duke vs. UNC basketball rivalry history
UNC might be the premiere school in the state of North Carolina, but Duke is also in the neighborhood – as Durham lies just 24 minutes southwest of Chapel Hill. These two schools have always had a bit of a rivalry going on, but basketball seems to have always had a bigger impact on either institution.
Duke and UNC are No. 3 and 4 on the list of the schools that have produced the most number of NBA players all-time (via Erudera), respectively. The only schools above them are UCLA at No. 2 and Kentucky at No. 1. Aside from that, the rivalry has almost always stemmed from these two teams being perennial contenders for at least the ACC title, as well as the national championship multiple times, for almost 40 years.
This is true today as well. As of this writing, the Blue Devils are No. 7 in the nation and the second-best team in the ACC. The Tar Heels, on the other hand, are No. 2 in the nation behind UConn and currently the top team in the Atlantic Coast.
How many times has UNC beat Duke in basketball?
North Carolina and Duke have met each other on the hardwood a total of 260 times. And in those 260 games, the Tar Heels lead the Blue Devils, 143–117. But while this record seems to paint UNC in a far more favorable light, it doesn't show the full picture.
The last 100 games in the all-time series show Duke winning 52-48, and this includes a couple of wins in the Dean Smith Center last season and in 2022. Furthermore, the Tar Heels' record in Chapel Hill isn't exactly impressive against the Blue Devils – going just above .500 at home, 20-18 (via GoDuke.com).
Duke vs. UNC H2H
The head-to-head matchup is as close as anything can get, that's for sure. No one team has been dominant over the other for the entire time they've been playing each other.
Since the 1949-50 season, the point differential between these two teams is a paltry 39 points with UNC just leading (via Sports-Reference). That might not sound like much, but keep in mind that the spread covers a total of 191 games. Almost 200 contests and the Tar Heels only outscored the Blue Devils by 39 points.
Notable records in the Duke vs. UNC basketball rivalry
There are far too many notable records in the Duke versus UNC men's basketball rivalry to talk about, but perhaps this is the most amazing fact. Their upcoming game on Feb. 3 will be the 49th time the Blue Devils and Tar Heels have met each other as top 10 teams in the nation. And once again, the playing field is split dead-even: The record is 24-24, with UNC outscoring Duke by a paltry 0.8 points.
How many times have Duke and UNC played each other in March Madness?
For all the insane moments covering the Duke versus UNC basketball rivalry, these two teams have only met in the NCAA Tournament (aka March Madness) once.
This happened during the 2022 season, which was also former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski's last season at the helm of the Blue Devils' helm (via NCAA). North Carolina beat Duke in the 2022 Final Four in thrilling fashion, winning 81-77 off clutch free throws. But while they only met once in the NCAA Tournament, Duke and UNC have also actually met another time in the postseason in the past – in 1971, to be specific.
That was the year of the National Invitation Tournament of the NCAA. The Tar Heels beat the Blue Devils then as well, 73-67, in a game played at the iconic Madison Square Garden.
When was the last time Duke and UNC weren't ranked?
Duke and UNC have always been ranked AP teams, so the last time that they weren't was a long time ago – 64 years. Both teams were unranked in the AP top 25 in the 1959-1960 season (via the Tar Heels Times). Back then, the legendary Dean Smith was only an assistant coach for the Heels.