When people talk about the greatest rivalry in sports, there’s a wide variety of answers that come up.
The Boston Bruins-Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers, New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox, Alabama-Auburn and Michigan-Ohio State are just a few that come to mind.
There’s one rivalry that trumps all those – UNC-Duke.
The Tobacco Road Rivalry dates all the way back to 1920, when Duke was known as Trinity College. We’ve seen a lot of memorable moments in this epic, semi-annual battle, including the unforgettable 2022 Final Four matchup when North Carolina (17-3, 9-0 ACC) sent Coach K into retirement.
On Saturday, Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m. ET, the 192nd instillation of UNC-Duke will take place inside the Dean Smith Center.
Unlike last year, when the Blue Devils (16-4, 7-2) were running the ACC, it’s the Tar Heels who are the conference’s best team.
It’s not just a career year from RJ Davis – or the much-improved defense that make North Carolina a favorite to win its seventh national championship. It’s a more balanced, experienced and talented roster. UNC head coach Hubert Davis is learning from last season’s mistakes, playing significantly deeper into his rotation. Players seem to be getting along better and have significantly better chemistry – it shows in on-court ball movement and laughter in the huddle.
Let’s take a deeper dive into this rivalry’s 10 greatest moments in Chapel Hill.