Every game against Duke means a little bit more. And with just two games remaining in the regular season and both teams competing for a double bye in the ACC tournament, Thursday's edition of the Tobacco Road rivalry will be no exception.
After a hard-fought 79-75 win in Louisville on Sunday, the No. 8-ranked UNC women's basketball program will close out their road trip on Thursday in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The No. 16-ranked Blue Devils come in as the five seed in the ACC Tournament, in desperate need for a big-time ACC win to vault them into the top four.
The Tar Heels, on the other hand, are looking to hold on to their spot as the three seed in the conference. A win against the Blue Devils on Thursday would go a long way in doing that. It would also clinch UNC's first series sweep of Duke since the 2022-23 season.
2024-2025 Season
North Carolina Tar Heels
Overall record: 25-4
Conference Record: 13-3
Home Record: 12-3
Away Record: 9-0
Neutral Site Record: 4-1
Duke Blue Devils
Overall record: 21-7
Conference Record: 12-4
Home Record: 12-1
Away Record: 7-6
Neutral Site Record: 2-0
Key Players
North Carolina
Maria Gakdeng (Sr. Forward/Center) – 11.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
Alyssa Ustby (Gr. Guard/Forward) – 10.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists
Reniya Kelly (So. Guard) – 10.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Duke
Toby Fournier (Fr. Forward) - 13.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
Ashlon Jackson (Jr. Guard) - 12.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists
Oluchi Okananwa (So. Guard) - 9.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Keys to Victory for North Carolina
Put the ball in the basket. Sounds simple, doesn't it?
Seemingly every time Duke and UNC meet, it's a slugfest. The rivalry has become known for ugly, hard-fought battles over the last few years. The Tar Heels rank first in the ACC in scoring defense, allowing 56.4 points per game. Where do the Blue Devils rank? Second.
This is going to be a low-scoring affair. The first game between these two teams this season amounted to just 99 total points. UNC will need to lean on its top scorers to breakdown Duke's defense and win the race to 40.
Something to Watch for
Can UNC end the regular season undefeated away from home?
The Tar Heels are entering Thursday's game with a 9-0 record on opposing courts. They are the only team in the nation who hasn't lost a true road game. Their lone loss outside of Chapel Hill came in a neutral site contest against UConn.
With a win against Duke, UNC will end the regular season with a perfect 10-0 away record — a major achievement for Courtney Banghart's squad.
Projected Starters
No. 5 Maria Gakdeng (Sr. 6'3)
No. 10 Reniya Kelly (So. 5'7)
No. 20 Lexi Donarski (Gr. 6'0)
No. 24 Indya Nivar (Jr. 5'10)
No. 34 Blanca Thomas (Fr. 6'5)