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Duke Blue Devils men's basketball

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The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team represents Duke University in NCAA Division I college basketball and competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The team is fifth all-time in wins of any NCAA men's basketball program,[2] and is currently coached by Jon Scheyer.

Duke Blue Devils men's basketball
2023–24 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team
UniversityDuke University
First season1905–1906
All-time record2,299–928 (.712)
Athletic directorNina King
Head coachJon Scheyer (2nd season)
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
LocationDurham, North Carolina
ArenaCameron Indoor Stadium
(Capacity: 9,314)
NicknameBlue Devils
Student sectionCameron Crazies
ColorsDuke blue and white[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
Alternate jersey
Team colours
Alternate
NCAA tournament champions
1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015
NCAA tournament runner-up
1964, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1999
NCAA tournament Final Four
1963, 1964, 1966, 1978, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2015, 2022
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1978, 1980, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1978, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024
NCAA tournament round of 32
1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
NCAA tournament appearances
1955, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
Conference tournament champions
1938, 1941, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1978, 1980, 1986, 1988, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2019, 2023
Conference regular season champions
1940, 1942, 1943, 1954, 1958, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1979, 1986, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2022

Duke has won 5 National Championships (tied with Indiana for fourth all-time behind UCLA, Kentucky, North Carolina, UConn, and appeared in 11 Championship Games (third all-time) and 17 Final Fours (tied for third all-time with Kentucky and only behind North Carolina UConn) and UCLA). Additionally, all of Duke's championships were won after the NCAA instituted a shot clock. Duke has an NCAA-best .755 NCAA tournament winning percentage. Eleven Duke players have been named the National Player of the Year, and 71 players have been selected in the NBA draft. Additionally, Duke has had 36 players named All-Americans (60 total selections) and 14 players named Academic All-Americans. Duke has been the Atlantic Coast Conference Champions a record 22 times, and also lays claim to 19 ACC regular season titles. Prior to joining the ACC, Duke won the Southern Conference championships five times. Duke has also finished the season ranked No. 1 in the AP poll eight times[3] and is the all-time leader in total weeks ranked as the number one team in the nation by the AP with 145 weeks.[4] Additionally, the Blue Devils have the third longest streak in the AP Top 25 in history with 200 consecutive appearances from 1996 to 2007, trailing only Kansas' 231 consecutive polls from 2009 to 2021, and UCLA's 221 consecutive polls from 1966 to 1980.

Team history

Early years (1906–1953)

In 1906, Wilbur Wade Card, Trinity College's Athletic Director and a member of the Class of 1900, introduced the game of basketball to Trinity. The January 30 issue of The Trinity Chronicle headlined the new sport on its front page. Trinity's first game ended in a loss to Wake Forest, 24–10. The game was played in the Angier B. Duke Gymnasium, later known as The Ark. The Trinity team won its first title in 1920, the state championship, by beating the North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (now NC State) 25 to 24. Earlier in the season they had beaten the University of North Carolina 19–18 in the first match-up between the two schools. Trinity college then became Duke University.[5]

Billy Werber, Class of 1930, became Duke's first All-American in basketball.[6] The Gothic-style West Campus opened that year, with a new gym, later to be named for Coach Card. The Indoor Stadium opened in 1940. Initially it was referred to as an "Addition" to the gymnasium. Part of its cost was paid for with the proceeds from the Duke football team's appearance in the 1938 Rose Bowl. In 1972 it would be named for Eddie Cameron, head coach from 1929 to 1942.

In 1952, Dick Groat became the first Duke player to be named National Player of the Year.[7] Duke left the Southern Conference to become a charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1953. The Duke team under Vic Bubas made its first appearance in the Final Four in 1963, losing 94–75 to Loyola Chicago in the semifinal. The next year, Bubas' team reached the national title game, losing to the Bruins of UCLA, which claimed the first of that program's 10 titles in the next 12 years. Bob Verga was Duke's star player in 1967.

Co-captains Bernie Janicki and Rudy D'Emilio hold Duke's 1953 Dixie Classic trophy.

Bill Foster (1974–1980)

The basketball program won its 1000th game in 1974, making Duke only the eighth school in NCAA history to reach that figure.[8] In a turnaround, Coach Bill Foster's 1978 Blue Devils, who had gone 2–10 in the ACC the previous year, won the conference tournament and went on to the NCAA championship game, where they fell to Kentucky. Gene Banks, Mike Gminski ('80) and Jim Spanarkel ('79) ran the floor.

Mike Krzyzewski (1980–2022)

Krzyzewski being named Duke's head coach on March 18, 1980.

Mike Krzyzewski was at Duke from 1980 to 2022.

  • 5 National Championships – 2nd most all time, the last being in 2015
  • 13 Final Fours as well as five in a row from 1988 to 1992
  • 17 Elite Eights
  • 26 Sweet Sixteens and nine straight from 1998–2006
  • 36 NCAA tournament berths
  • 101 NCAA tournament wins (most ever)
  • 14 No. 1 seeds
  • 28 conference titles (13 regular season, 15 tournament), 10 of the 13 ACC Tournament Titles from 1998–99 through 2010–11
  • 15 30-win seasons
  • 36 20-win seasons
  • Number 1 AP ranking in 17 of the past 28 seasons
  • 8 Naismith College Player of the Year Awards
  • 9 National Defensive Players of the Year Awards
  • 26 AP All-Americans
  • 14 consensus first team All-Americans
  • 11 NBA top-10 picks: T-1st[9]
  • 23 NBA Draft first round picks
  • 1,202 career wins

Krzyzewski's teams made the Final Four in 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2015 and 2022.

Johnny Dawkins in the 1986 Final Four

In Krzyzewski's first season, the Blue Devils would finish the season with a 17–13 overall record and 6–8 record in ACC play. The team would later play in the NIT tournament advancing to the quarterfinals. Despite having a good record the previous season, the Blue Devils would struggle during the next two seasons finishing with 10 wins in 1982 and 11 wins in 1983. The 1984 team, led by Tommy Amaker & Johnny Dawkins, would bounce back in strong fashion finishing 24–10 and was ranked the No.14 in the AP and Coaches poll, but lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament to the Washington Huskies (having earned a first-round bye).[10][11]In 1985 Duke defeated Pepperdine in the first round of the NCAA tournament, for Krzyzewski's first tournament win, but lost to Boston College in the second round 74–73. The next season the Blue Devils made their first Final Four under Krzyzewski. They beat Kansas to advance to the title game against Louisville, where they ultimately lost 72-69.

The trio of Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill, and Christian Laettner would lead Duke to back to back National championships in 1991 and 1992.

Duke upset the heavily favored UNLV Runnin' Rebels 79–77 in the Final Four in 1991, a rematch of the 1990 final in which Duke lost by 30 points. The team, led by Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill, and Thomas Hill, went on to defeat Kansas 72–65 to win the university's first NCAA Championship.[12] Ranked #1 all season and favored to repeat as national champions in 1992, Duke took part in a game "acclaimed by many [as] the greatest college basketball game ever played," according to ESPN.[13][14][15] In the Elite Eight, Duke met the Rick Pitino-led Kentucky Wildcats. It appeared Kentucky had sealed the win in overtime when guard Sean Woods hit a running shot off the glass in the lane to put Kentucky up by one with 2.1 seconds left on the clock. After a timeout, Duke's Grant Hill threw a full-court pass to Christian Laettner. Laettner took one dribble and nailed a turn-around jumper at the buzzer to send Duke into the Final Four with a 104–103 victory (The Shot). Duke went on to defeat sixth-seeded Michigan, led by the Fab Five as freshmen starters including Chris Webber, Jalen Rose and Juwan Howard, 71–51 to repeat as national champions.[16] Following the successful repeat, Laettner was the only collegiate player to be chosen for the Dream Team that won Olympic gold in Barcelona,[17] while Krzyzewski was an assistant coach under Chuck Daly of the Detroit Pistons in a precursor to his becoming Team USA coach in 2006 and coaching them to two gold medals.

They would later meet Kentucky for another classic regional final game, but blow a 17-point second half lead in losing to the Wildcats. The Blue Devils would lose the 1994 title game to Arkansas and their "Forty Minutes of Hell" defense. The next two seasons would see them fall to just 31–31, though they made the 1996 tournament with an 18–12 record, 8–8 in conference play.[18] They would also fall in the 1999 title game, this time to Jim Calhoun and the UConn Huskies. Duke defeated Arizona 82–72 to win its third NCAA Championship in 2001, becoming one of a handful of teams in NCAA Tournament history to defeat all of their tournament opponents by double digits. Krzyzewski was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame later that year. On April 5, 2010, Duke Men's Basketball won their fourth NCAA Championship by defeating Butler 61–59.[19] On April 6, 2015, Duke's Men's Basketball won their fifth NCAA Championship by defeating Wisconsin 68–63.[20]

Coach K announced that the 2021–22 season would be his last coaching for Duke.[21] Making it to the Final Four one last time, Duke fell just short of the championship game losing to the North Carolina Tar Heels 81–77 in the first ever meeting between the rivals in the NCAA Tournament.

Jon Scheyer (2022–present)

On June 2, 2022, Scheyer was named as the new head coach at Duke following Krzyzewski's retirement.[22] On March 11, 2023, he became the first person to win an ACC tournament title as both a coach and a player.

Former Duke stars such as Jim Spanarkel, Gene Banks, Alaa Abdelnaby, Johnny Dawkins, Cherokee Parks, Bobby Hurley, Antonio Lang, Roshown McLeod, William Avery, Trajan Langdon, Grant Hill, Danny Ferry, Christian Laettner, Kenny Dennard, Brian Davis, Elton Brand, Shane Battier, Carlos Boozer, Chris Duhon, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Dahntay Jones, Daniel Ewing, JJ Redick, Shavlik Randolph, Shelden Williams, Corey Maggette, Luol Deng, Josh McRoberts, Gerald Henderson, Andre Dawkins, Austin Rivers, Lance Thomas, Kyle Singler, Miles Plumlee, Mason Plumlee, Marshall Plumlee, Bob Verga, Quinn Cook, Nolan Smith, Jason Williams, Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood, Seth Curry, Kyrie Irving, Matt Jones, Amile Jefferson, Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones, Justise Winslow, Grayson Allen, Brandon Ingram, Luke Kennard, Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles, Frank Jackson, Gary Trent Jr., Trevon Duval, Marvin Bagley III, Wendell Carter Jr., RJ Barrett, Marques Bolden, Cam Reddish, Zion Williamson, Tre Jones, Vernon Carey Jr., Cassius Stanley, Jalen Johnson, Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams, Wendell Moore Jr., Trevor Keels, AJ Griffin and Dereck Lively II have gone on to play in the NBA.[23]

Many of Krzyzewski's assistants and former players, such as Tommy Amaker (Seton Hall, University of Michigan and Harvard), Bob Bender (Illinois State University and University of Washington), Chuck Swenson at William & Mary, Mike Brey (Delaware and Notre Dame), Jeff Capel (VCU, Oklahoma and Pittsburgh), Chris Collins (Northwestern), Johnny Dawkins (Stanford, UCF), Quin Snyder (Missouri, Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks), and Steve Wojciechowski (Marquette) have become head basketball coaches at major universities and the NBA, while Pete Gaudet is now the head coach of the India women's national basketball team.

Team captains

Results by season (1980–2024)

Statistics overview
SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Mike Krzyzewski (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1980–2022)
1980–81Mike Krzyzewski17–136–8T-5thNIT Quarterfinals
1981–82Mike Krzyzewski10–174–10T-6th—
1982–83Mike Krzyzewski11–173–117th—
1983–84Mike Krzyzewski24–107–7T-3rdNCAA Round of 32
1984–85Mike Krzyzewski23–88–6T-4thNCAA Round of 32
1985–86Mike Krzyzewski37–312–21stNCAA Runner-Up
1986–87Mike Krzyzewski24–99–53rdNCAA Sweet Sixteen
1987–88Mike Krzyzewski28–79–53rdNCAA Final Four
1988–89Mike Krzyzewski28–89–5T-2ndNCAA Final Four
1989–90Mike Krzyzewski29–99–5T-2ndNCAA Runner-Up
1990–91Mike Krzyzewski32–711–31stNational Champions
1991–92Mike Krzyzewski34–214–21stNational Champions
1992–93Mike Krzyzewski24–810–6T-3rdNCAA Round of 32
1993–94Mike Krzyzewski28–612–41stNCAA Runner-Up
1994–95Mike Krzyzewski
Pete Gaudet		Mike K. 9–3
Pete G. 4–15		2–149th—
1995–96Mike Krzyzewski18–138–8T-4thNCAA Round of 64
1996–97Mike Krzyzewski24–912–41stNCAA Round of 32
1997–98Mike Krzyzewski32–415–11stNCAA Elite Eight
1998–99Mike Krzyzewski37–216–01stNCAA Runner-Up
1999–2000Mike Krzyzewski29–515–11stNCAA Sweet Sixteen
2000–01Mike Krzyzewski35–413–3T-1stNational Champions
2001–02Mike Krzyzewski31–413–32ndNCAA Sweet Sixteen
2002–03Mike Krzyzewski26–711–5T-3rdNCAA Sweet Sixteen
2003–04Mike Krzyzewski31–613–31stNCAA Final Four
2004–05Mike Krzyzewski27–611–53rdNCAA Sweet Sixteen
2005–06Mike Krzyzewski32–414–21stNCAA Sweet Sixteen
2006–07Mike Krzyzewski22–118–8T-6thNCAA Round of 64
2007–08Mike Krzyzewski28–613–32ndNCAA Round of 32
2008–09Mike Krzyzewski30–711–5T-2ndNCAA Sweet Sixteen
2009–10Mike Krzyzewski35–513–3T-1stNational Champions
2010–11Mike Krzyzewski32–513–32ndNCAA Sweet Sixteen
2011–12Mike Krzyzewski27–713–32ndNCAA Round of 64
2012–13Mike Krzyzewski30–614–42ndNCAA Elite Eight
2013–14Mike Krzyzewski26–913–53rdNCAA Round of 64
2014–15Mike Krzyzewski35–415–32ndNational Champions
2015–16Mike Krzyzewski25–1111–7T-5thNCAA Sweet Sixteen
2016–17Mike Krzyzewski28–911–75thNCAA Round of 32
2017–18Mike Krzyzewski29–813–52ndNCAA Elite Eight
2018–19Mike Krzyzewski32–614–43rdNCAA Elite Eight
2019–20Mike Krzyzewski25–615–5T-2nd—[a]
2020–21Mike Krzyzewski13–119–910th—
2021–22Mike Krzyzewski32–716–41stNCAA Final Four
Mike Krzyzewski:1129–309 (.785)466–193 (.707)
Jon Scheyer (Atlantic Coast Conference) (2022–present)
2022–23Jon Scheyer27–914–6T-3rdNCAA Round of 32
2023–24Jon Scheyer27–915–52ndNCAA Elite Eight
Jon Scheyer:54–18 (.750)29–11 (.725)
Total:1183–327 (.783)495–204 (.708)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

NCAA tournament seeding history

The NCAA began seeding the tournament with the 1978 edition.

Years'78'79
Seeds1Q2
Years'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89
Seeds4–––331522
Years'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99
Seeds32132–8211
Years'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09
Seeds1113111622
Years'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19
Seeds1122314221
Years'20'21'22'23'24
Seeds–[a]–254

National championships

YearCoachOpponentScoreRecord
1991Mike KrzyzewskiKansas Jayhawks72–6532–7
1992Mike KrzyzewskiMichigan Wolverines71–5134–2
2001Mike KrzyzewskiArizona Wildcats82–7235–4
2010Mike KrzyzewskiButler Bulldogs61–5935–5
2015Mike KrzyzewskiWisconsin Badgers68–6335–4
National championships5
1991 NCAA tournament results
RoundOpponentScore
Round #1#15 NE Louisiana102–73
Round #2#7 Iowa85–70
Sweet 16#11 Connecticut81–67
Elite 8#4 St. John's78–61
Final 4#1 UNLV79–77
Championship#3 Kansas72–65
1992 NCAA tournament results
RoundOpponentScore
Round #1#16 Campbell82–56
Round #2#9 Iowa75–62
Sweet 16#4 Seton Hall81–69
Elite 8#2 Kentucky104–103
Final 4#2 Indiana81–78
Championship#6 Michigan71–51
2001 NCAA tournament results
RoundOpponentScore
Round #1#16 Monmouth95–52
Round #2#9 Missouri94–81
Sweet 16#4 UCLA76–63
Elite 8#6 USC79–69
Final 4#3 Maryland95–84
Championship#2 Arizona82–72
2010 NCAA tournament results
RoundOpponentScore
Round #1#16 Arkansas-Pine Bluff73–44
Round #2#8 California68–53
Sweet 16#4 Purdue70–57
Elite 8#3 Baylor78–71
Final 4#2 West Virginia78–57
Championship#5 Butler61–59
2015 NCAA tournament results
RoundOpponentScore
Round #1#16 Robert Morris85–56
Round #2#8 San Diego St68–49
Sweet 16#5 Utah63–57
Elite 8#2 Gonzaga66–52
Final 4#7 Michigan St81–61
Championship#1 Wisconsin68–63

Final Four history

1963–Third Place1964–Finalist1966–Third Place1978–Finalist
1986–Finalist1988–Semifinalist1989–Semifinalist1990–Finalist
1991–Champion1992–Champion1994–Finalist1999–Finalist
2001–Champion2004–Semifinalist2010–Champion2015–Champion
2022–Semifinalist

Complete NCAA tournament results

The Blue Devils have appeared in the NCAA tournament 46 times. Their combined record is 122–40.

NIT results

The Blue Devils have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) five times. Their combined record is 5–6.

YearRoundOpponentResult
1967QuarterfinalsSouthern IllinoisL 63–72
1968First Round
Quarterfinals		Oklahoma City
Saint Peter's		W 97–81
L 71–100
1970First RoundUtahL 75–78
1971First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game		Dayton
Tennessee
North Carolina
St. Bonaventure		W 68–60
W 78–64
L 69–73
L 88–92
1981First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		North Carolina A&T
Alabama
Purdue		W 79–69
W 75–70
L 69–81

Key statistics

As of the 2017–18 season, the Blue Devils' program record is as follows.[34]

Overall
Years of basketball119
First season1905–06
Head coaches (all-time)19
All games
All-time record2,299–928 (.712)
Home record961–174 (.847)
20+ win seasons58
30+ win seasons16
Conference games
Conference record770–370 (.765)
Conference regular season championships22
Conference tournament championships25
NCAA tournament
NCAA appearances46
NCAA tournament wins121
Sweet Sixteens32
Elite Eights23
Final Fours17
Championship games11
Championships5
As of 4 June 2015

Duke has been ranked as the #1 team in the nation 235 weeks in their history.

Duke had not lost a non-conference game at Cameron from 2000 until 2019, when SFASU beat Duke in overtime (85–83). Duke maintains a tradition of hosting the previous season's Division II national champion in an exhibition game each November.

Cameron Indoor Stadium

Cameron Indoor Stadium, home of the Blue Devils

Cameron Indoor Stadium was completed on January 6, 1940, having cost $400,000. At the time, it was the largest gymnasium in the country south of the Palestra at the University of Pennsylvania. Originally called Duke Indoor Stadium, it was renamed for Coach Cameron on January 22, 1972.[35] The building originally included seating for 8,800, though standing room was sufficient to ensure that 12,000 could fit in on a particularly busy day. Then, as now, Duke students were allowed a large chunk of the seats, including those directly alongside the court. Renovations in 1987–1988 removed the standing room areas and added seats, bringing capacity to 9,314.

Cameron Crazies

Duke's men's basketball teams have had a decided home-court advantage for many years, thanks to the diehard students known as the Cameron Crazies.[36] The hardwood floor has been dedicated and renamed Coach K Court in honor of head coach Mike Krzyzewski, and the tent city outside Cameron where students camp out before big games is known as Krzyzewskiville. In 1999, Sports Illustrated ranked Cameron the fourth best venue in all of professional and college sports,[37] and USA Today referred to it as "the toughest road game in the nation".[38]

Player awards

Retired numbers

Mike Gminski (left) and Grant Hill have their jersey numbers retired by the University
No.PlayerPos.TenureNo. Ret.Ref.
4
JJ RedickSG2002–062007[39][40]
10
Dick GroatPG1949–521952[39]
11
Bobby HurleyPG1989–931993[39]
22
Jay WilliamsPG1999–20022003[39]
23
Shelden WilliamsPF2002–062007[41]
24
Johnny DawkinsPG1982–861986[39]
25
Art HeymanSF1960–631990[39]
31
Shane BattierSF1997–20012001[39]
32
Christian LaettnerPF1988–921992[39]
33
Grant HillSF1990–941994[39]
35
Danny FerryPF1985–891989[39]
43
Mike GminskiC1976–801980[39]
44
Jeff MullinsSG1961–641994[39]


National Players of the Year

ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year

Danny Ferry was named ACC Player of the Year in 1988 & 1989.
Nolan Smith was the ACC Player of the Year in 2011.
Zion Williamson was named ACC Player of the Year in 2019.

ACC Rookies of the Year

Kyle Singler was the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2008.

National Defensive Player of the Year

ACC Defensive Player of the Year

(since 2005)

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

McDonald's All-Americans

The following 78 McDonald's All-Americans have signed and played for Duke.[68]

Jahlil Okafor from 2014 Game
Brandon Ingram 2015 McDonald's All-American
Jayson Tatum 2016 McDonald's All-American
Wendell Carter Jr. 2017 McDonald's All-American

Current Blue Devils in the NBA

As of February 9, 2023, these former Blue Devils players were in the NBA:

Rivalries

The Duke–North Carolina rivalry is often ranked among the top rivalries in both college basketball and all North American sports.[104] Entering the 2023 - 2024 season, North Carolina leads the rivalry, winning 141 games to Duke's 115.[105] The Duke Blue Devils face the North Carolina Tar Heels twice each year during ACC play, with thousands of Duke undergraduate students participating in an annual tradition of camping out in Krzyzewskiville, a lawn in front of Cameron Indoor Stadium, for months to line up for admission into the rivalry game.[106] The two teams always face each other for their last game of the regular season, with the home team hosting their Senior Night. Some years, the two teams meet for a third game in the ACC tournament. The teams have met twice in post-season tournament play. In 2022, the two schools met in the Final Four to face each other in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. In that game, the Tar Heels defeated the Blue Devils 81–77. In 1971 the two rivals met in the semi-finals of the NIT, a game also won by North Carolina by a score of 73 - 69. Duke also has rivalries with NC State and Wake Forest, and together with UNC, the 4 schools form Tobacco Road.

Duke and North Carolina have combined for 11 national championships, with North Carolina leading Duke 6–5. The intensity of the rivalry is augmented by the proximity of the two universities, located only ten miles apart along U.S. Highway 15–501 (also known as Tobacco Road) or eight miles apart in straight-line distance in the cities of Durham and Chapel Hill.[107][108] In addition, Duke is a private university whereas North Carolina is a public school; the vastly different funding structures and cultures between the two further contribute to the intensity of the rivalry.[109]

Former Esquire editor and author (and North Carolina graduate) Will Blythe argues that the rivalry's passion can be attributed greatly to class and culture in the South.

To legions of otherwise reasonable adults, it is a conflict that surpasses sports; it is locals against outsiders, elitists against populists, even good against evil... The rivalry may be a way of aligning oneself with larger philosophic ideals — of choosing teams in life — a tradition of partisanship that reveals the pleasures and even the necessity of hatred.[110]

The March 4, 2006 game was the most watched college basketball game in ESPN history.

The rivalry has been the subject of various books and articles, including To Hate Like This Is to Be Happy Forever by Blythe and Blue Blood by Art Chansky.[111]

Further illustrating the intensity of the rivalry, U.S. Representative Brad Miller, a die-hard Carolina fan, told an Associated Press writer in 2012, "I have said very publicly that if Duke was playing against the Taliban, then I'd have to pull for the Taliban."[112]

However, also due to the close proximity of the two schools, there is respect and collaboration within the rivalry. Inspired by the men's basketball teams, twenty-four students from the two schools got together from January 14–16, 2006 in order to attempt to break the world record for the longest continuous game of basketball ever recorded. The game set a new world record at 57 hours, 17 minutes and 41 seconds with Duke winning the game 3699–3444. All $60,000 raised from the marathon benefited the Hoop Dreams Basketball Academy, an organization which helps children with life-threatening illnesses develop successful life skills through basketball.[113]

Beyond athletics, the school papers have also engaged in the rivalry. As a tradition, one day prior to a Duke-North Carolina basketball game, The Chronicle, Duke's student newspaper, publishes a spoof cover page for the day's edition with the title The Daily Tar Hole. Contained within are satirical stories poking fun at The Daily Tar Heel and the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Daily Tar Heel typically publishes former columnist Ian Williams' "Insider's guide to hating Duke" for the two basketball match-ups each year. There is a longstanding agreement that if Duke wins the first matchup, The Daily Tar Heel's masthead is printed in Duke blue, and if North Carolina wins the first matchup, The Chronicle's masthead is painted Carolina blue. The losing school's paper also has to put the other school's logo in a conspicuous location and claim that the winning school is "still the best."[114]

The Michigan Wolverines and the Maryland Terrapins basketball teams have also claimed rivalries against the Blue Devils, but Duke has long rejected both claims and considers North Carolina to be its only rival.[115][116]

Perception

The Duke men's basketball team has been noted as a particularly hated team within the sport. Some of the hate comes from fans of rival teams, most notably the North Carolina Tar Heels. However, the hate extends beyond rivalries to other fans.[117] The hate is often tied to Duke's record, as the team has experienced success in most seasons since the late 1980s.

The hate is often tied to specific players. Christian Laettner, who played for Duke from 1988 to 1992 as they won two national championships, is often named as one of most hated players in college basketball.[118][119] The 2015 documentary I Hate Christian Laettner names five main reasons for the hate: "privilege, race, bully, greatness and looks".[120] JJ Redick, who played at Duke from 2002 to 2006 also experienced hatred and animosity from fans during his tenure.[121] Another particularly hated player is Grayson Allen, who played for Duke from 2014 to 2018. In addition to many of the reasons Laettner was hated, Allen was also targeted after several incidents in which he deliberately tripped opposing players.[122]

By the numbers

  • All-time wins – 2,271
  • All-time winning percentage – .712
  • NCAA championships – 5
  • NCAA tournament runner-up – 6
  • All-Americans – 49 players
  • ACC regular season titles – 23
  • ACC tournament titles – 22 (most all-time)
  • NCAA championship games – 11
  • NCAA Final Fours – 17
  • NCAA tournament appearances – 45
  • NCAA tournament wins – 121
  • No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament – 14
  • Number of weeks ranked all-time in the top 25 of the AP Poll – 870
  • Number of times defeating the No. 1 ranked team in the country – 10

Victories over AP No. 1 team

Duke has 10 victories over the AP number one ranked team.

  • January 27, 1958 – NR Duke 72, No. 1 West Virginia 68
  • December 10, 1965 – No. 8 Duke 82, No. 1 UCLA 66
  • December 11, 1965 – No. 8 Duke 94, No. 1 UCLA 75
  • March 11, 1984 – No. 16 Duke 77, No. 1 UNC 75
  • March 26, 1988 – No. 5 Duke 63, No. 1 Temple 53
  • March 30, 1991 – No. 2 Duke 79, No. 1 Nevada-Las Vegas 77
  • December 5, 1992 – No. 4 Duke 79, No. 1 Michigan 68
  • November 26, 1997 – No. 4 Duke 95, No. 1 Arizona 87
  • February 22, 2014 – No. 5 Duke 66, No. 1 Syracuse 60
  • November 26, 2021 – No. 5 Duke 84, No. 1 Gonzaga 81

See also

Footnotes

References

External links

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