The best rivalry in college sports is on the horizon, as the No. 4-ranked Duke travels to Chapel Hill to take on the No. 14 North Carolina.
Duke is coming into Chapel Hill with a three-game win streak against the Tar Heels, and to send the Blue Devils home with a loss is no easy feat this season. If the Tar Heels want to reclaim bragging rights, these are the three main keys to victory.
Get off to a fast start
Slow starts haunted the Tar Heels early in the season, but as of recently, that issue appears to be disappearing or, at the very least, less common than the beginning of the year suggests. The numbers back up the importance of a strong first half: North Carolina is 14-1 when leading at the half, and if they can jump-start some juice against Duke on Saturday, they can get the advantage early.
Some interesting stats regarding UNC basketball:
— Kade Nix (@kadesdraftroom) February 3, 2026
UNC's record when they...
Have more rebounds - (15-2)
Scores 80 or more points - (12-2)
Lead at Half - (14-1)
Opponents held under 80 points - (15-1)
Win the rebounding battle and capitalize on second-chance opportunities
This season, North Carolina is 11-1 when they have more second-chance points and 15-2 when they have outrebounded the opposing team, making rebounds that much more crucial. Also, following that narrative, UNC is 11-0 when Caleb Wilson records a double-double, once again emphasizing rebounds.
Hit your shots from deep!
Third, the Tar Heels have to hit their shots from beyond the arc. The Tar Heels haven’t exactly excelled in three-point shooting this season, but when they have been on, they win games. When multiple players make multiple threes, North Carolina boasts a 10-1 record in those games. They cannot afford to have large cold stretches from behind the arc if they want to send Duke home with a loss.
For the Tar Heels to win, they must control the tempo in the first half and get off to a strong start. They also must control the boards, get second-chance points, and hit their threes when given the chance. All of this is much easier said than done, but if UNC wants to snap Duke’s three-game win streak, these are the areas of major concern for them on Saturday.