Gameday Preview: #2 Duke vs North Carolina – Sat March 8th 2025

Chapel Hill, NC: After all the storylines of the season, the tale of the ACC comes down to “The Game”. The North Carolina Tar Heels (20-11, 13-6 ACC) host the Duke Blue Devils (27-3, 18-1 ACC) in the last game of the ACC regular season.

What’s at stake:

Duke: With a win

• The Blue Devils put a bow on their dominant ACC season, claiming the regular season title and the 1 seed in the ACC tournament. 
• With Auburn’s loss earlier in the week, the Blue Devils have another opportunity to win an ACC road game and claim the #1 ranking, and possibly the overall #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. 

With a loss, 

• The Blue Devils can fall to the #3 seed in the ACC tournament behind Clemson and Louisville depending on how their games progress today.

Carolina: With a win:

• Could possibly claim the #4 seed in the ACC tournament and the last double-bye of the tournament 
• A jump into the field of 68 (barring a bad loss in the tournament). The Heels are squarely on the bubble, a win against their rivals and a Quad 1 opponent can lead the the Heels not having to sweat on Selection Sunday

With a loss

• The Heels could tumble from the 4 seed to the 6 seed in the ACC tournament with a loss to Duke and a SMU and Wake win today. The Deacons play Georgia Tech and the Mustangs play Florida State
• Increased importance of the ACC tournament, something the Heels usually do not focus on. The Heels will need to make a run, most likely to the title game to make the Big Dance. Standing in their way would be the top three seeds in Duke, Clemson, and Louisville, a daunting lineup but an excellent opportunity for meaningful wins. 

Storylines to watch:

UNC:

• RJ Davis’ last game in the Dome (barring the NIT). Davis has been a staple for the Heels over the last 5 seasons. Look for him to carry his team with a great performance.
• Who will score besides RJ? The Heels have been playing better as of late, but RJ still carries the brunt of the offensive responsibilities. The Heels will need multiple contributors to keep up with the Devils offensive output. 
• Revenge: The Heels were run out of Cameron in the first matchup with a 17 point loss that greater than the final score reflects. The Heels can play major spoiler for that team down the road, stealing the 1 seed from them and the #1 ranking. 

Duke:

• It has been awhile since the Blue Devils have been consistently challenged for a whole game. Duke has won by over 30 points in 5 of their last 6 games, and over 20 in 8 of their last 9. Can the Devils sustain in the face of the Heels pressure?
• Can the Devils handle a hostile crowd? They have played well on the road, but the Rivalry is different. If shots are not falling ealy, can the Blue Devils ride the wave or will  they be forced in a game the Tar Heels want to play.
• Cooper Flagg- as always he is the player to watch. Flagg has a lot to play for in addition to the team goals, Flagg has been in a battle with Auburn’s Johni Broome for National Player of the Year. A dominant performance in a rivalry game can set Flagg apart and lead to his jersey hanging in the rafters in Cameron.