Duke hasn't had much go wrong this regular season with a 28-2 overall record and the nearly undisputed No. 1 team in college basketball. But they'll get the opportunity on Saturday to correct one of the only wrongs, which was a road loss to North Carolina last month.
Since then, however, the Blue Devils have begun to round into their final form. They've won seven straight games, including a tight neutral-site win over Michigan, a home blowout over ACC No. 2 Virginia, and a road walloping of NC State to clinch the ACC regular season crown.
Duke has won its last seven games by an average of 24 points per game. When it comes to beating North Carolina, just one point will do.
The Tar Heels have confidence that they can play with Duke. It's time for Cameron Boozer and company to change their minds.
How to Watch No. 1 Duke vs. No. 17 North Carolina men's basketball
- Date:Â Saturday, March 7th
- Time:Â 6:30 PM ET
- Venue:Â Cameron Indoor Stadium
- How to Watch (TV):Â ESPN
- Streaming:Â fuboTV
- Duke record:Â 28-2 (16-1)
- North Carolina record:Â 24-6 (12-5)
Duke men's basketball injury update
No changes for the Blue Devils on the injury front. Senior center Ifeanyi Ufochukwu is out for the season with an injury he suffered in practice in December. Freshman Sebastian Wilkins is sitting out to preserve his redshirt season.
Otherwise, Duke is healthy and ready to go.
North Carolina men's basketball injury update
All eyes are on whether or not North Carolina star freshman Caleb Wilson will play or not. UNC head coach Hubert Davis is being intentionally coy about his status, though from the outside looking in it would appear to be a longshot for him to give it a go.
Wilson fractured his left hand last month in a game against Miami and hasn't played since.
The Heels are also down sophomore center James Brown, who had season-ending surgery last month.
Duke men's basketball vs. North Carolina series history
- First-ever matchup: January 24th, 1920: 36-25 UNC
- Most recent matchup: February 7th, 2026: 71-68 UNC
- Overall record: 146-120 UNC
Prior to the February 7th loss in Chapel Hill, Duke had won the three previous meetings against North Carolina, sweeping the Tar Heels last season with wins in Durham, Chapel Hill, and again in the ACC Tournament.
The series has traded season sweeps the last four years. A Duke win on Saturday would be the first time the series has been split since 2022.