Breaking Down the Officiating in Duke-UNC: Strange Night in a Storied Rivalry
Before we turn the page on another electric chapter of Duke vs. North Carolina, there’s one piece of the puzzle that’s tough to ignore-and no, it’s not some grand conspiracy cooked up in the ACC offices.
But if you watched that game and walked away thinking the officiating felt... off? You weren’t alone.
Let’s start with the stat that jumps off the page: North Carolina was called for one foul in the second half. One. That’s not unheard of, but it’s definitely not something you see every night-especially in a rivalry game this intense, where physicality usually comes standard.
Now, here’s where it gets even more curious. Duke led for most of the game.
We’re talking double-digit leads in the first half, and at least a two-possession cushion for the bulk of the second. And in games like that, the general trend is pretty well established: the team that’s trailing tends to foul more, whether it’s chasing the game or trying to extend it late.
That’s just basketball logic.
Also worth noting: Duke was the bigger, more physical team in this one. That usually translates into more trips to the line-or at the very least, more contact going the other way.
Instead, Duke’s frontcourt duo of Patrick Ngongba II and Maliq Brown were whistled for a combined nine fouls in just 42 minutes on the court. Meanwhile, UNC’s Henri Veesaar played 35 minutes and didn’t pick up a single foul.
Not one. That’s eyebrow-raising.
And then there were the no-calls.
The first came when Derak Dixon appeared to draw a textbook charge-feet set, legal guarding position, offensive player barrels in. If you’re teaching charge/block in a referee clinic, that’s your film. Yet, whistles stayed silent.
Then there was the moment with the game tied at 68. Cam Boozer went up strong for a layup and clearly absorbed contact.
No call. In a game of this magnitude, those are the moments that stick.
The idea that officials “don’t want to decide the game” by calling a foul late? That logic cuts both ways.
Not calling a foul in that moment is making a decision that affects the outcome.
So, what happened? Was it the roar of 20,000 fans swaying the crew?
A tough night at the office? Just human error?
Maybe a combination of all three. Jon Scheyer hinted at the foul disparity postgame, and you got the sense he said as much as he could without drawing a fine.
There’s no need to go full tinfoil hat here. This wasn’t Cold War-era figure skating. But when you stack up the numbers, the eye test, and the moments that mattered most-it’s hard not to walk away thinking something just didn’t add up.
No conspiracy. Just a strange night in a rivalry that rarely gives us anything ordinary.