When it comes to college basketball rivalries, few deliver like North Carolina vs. Duke - and Saturday night’s showdown didn’t just live up to the hype, it blew past it. From a last-second dagger to eye-popping TV numbers, this one had it all.
Let’s start with the numbers. North Carolina’s dramatic 71-68 win over Duke wasn’t just a win on the court - it was a ratings juggernaut.
The game averaged 3.5 million viewers on ESPN and peaked at 4.8 million, making it the third-most watched men’s college basketball game of the 2025-26 season. For ESPN, it was their most-watched men’s regular season game in four years - not since Coach K’s farewell tour in March 2022 has a regular season matchup between these two drawn this kind of national attention.
To put that in perspective, this game pulled in 53% more viewers than the first UNC-Duke meeting last season. That’s not just a bump - that’s a full-on leap.
It also topped ESPN’s previous high for the season: Kentucky’s win over Arkansas on January 31, which brought in 2.4 million viewers. Earlier that same day, BYU vs.
Kansas drew 2.1 million. So yeah, it was a banner weekend for college hoops - and ESPN.
But the numbers only tell part of the story. The game itself was a classic, the kind of back-and-forth battle that reminds you why this rivalry is so revered.
And when the dust settled, it was Seth Trimble who played hero. His clutch three-pointer in the final seconds sealed the win for the Tar Heels and sent the Dean Dome into a frenzy.
With the victory, North Carolina improved to 19-4 on the season, while Duke took just its second loss, falling to 21-2. Caleb Wilson led the way for UNC with 23 points, showing once again why he’s one of the most dynamic scorers in the country. On the other side, Cameron Boozer was a force for Duke, finishing with 24 points and 11 rebounds in a performance that would’ve been the headline on most nights - just not this one.
This win does more than give UNC bragging rights on Tobacco Road. It sets the stage for a highly anticipated rematch in the regular season finale - and possibly a third meeting in the ACC Tournament. If Saturday night was any indication, fans will be tuning in for every second.
UNC vs. Duke isn’t just a rivalry - it’s an event. And once again, it delivered.