Cultivating its own brand of Tobacco Road testiness, the Duke-UNC rivalry has been one of college basketball’s most celebrated games between two schools marked by their storied success and close proximity to each other.

In the Triangle, we like to believe the bi-annual game between the foes is college basketball at its highest form, distilled down to its purest intensity and raw emotional spectacle. Duke and North Carolina get together at least twice every season. They’ve been playing since January of 1920 and have won a combined 11 national championships and made 38 Final Four appearances. They met in the Final Four in 2022 in New Orleans, with UNC prevailing 81-77.

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Saturday’s game (6:30 p.m., ESPN) is the 263rd meeting between the teams. No. 2 Duke can clinch the ACC regular season title outright with a win. The Tar Heels have won a season-high six straight games and are looking for a signature performance that would give them a Quad 1 victory.

Here’s a look at the rich history of the enduring conflict between the two programs situated just miles apart.

All-time series: UNC leads 145-120.

First game: The first meeting was in January of 1920, when UNC beat Duke (then called Trinity College) 36-25.

Most recent game: Duke beat UNC 74-71 on March 14, 2025, in the ACC Tournament semifinal at Spectrum Center.

Combined NCAA national championships: The teams have won a combined 11 national championships. UNC won titles in 1957, 1984, 1993, 2005, 2009 and 2017. Duke won titles in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010 and 2015.

Most memorable finishes: There’s Caleb Love’s Final Four heroics, Austin Rivers’ buzzer beater and Jeff Capel’s heave. There’s been no shortage of classics. Here’s an extensive list.

Final Four appearances: Duke 18, UNC 21

ACC Tournament titles: Duke 23, UNC 18

Largest margin of victory: Duke won 104-69 on Feb. 29, 1964. UNC won 55-19 on March 15, 1921.

Times each team has been awarded a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament: Duke 15, UNC 18

You can watch bonus coverage on WRAL+ immediately after the game, including fan celebrations and postgame press conferences from both teams.