Duke Rolls Past UNC to Extend Win Streak to 15

Photo by Zachary Taft, Imagn Images 

Led by the dynamic freshman duo of Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, Duke dominated North Carolina on Saturday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium, cruising to an 87-70 victory. The final score made the game seem closer than it actually was. Flagg finished with 21 points, while Knueppel added 22. They were joined in double figures by Tyrese Proctor, who contributed 17 points, and Sion James, who chipped in 13.

From the opening minutes, it was clear this game was never truly in doubt. North Carolina briefly kept it close down by 1 point at 7-6 before Duke erupted for a commanding 16-0 run, seizing control of the game early. By halftime, the Blue Devils had built an overwhelming 47-25 lead, evoking memories of the historic 82-50 beatdown Duke delivered to UNC during Jon Scheyer’s senior year.

Though North Carolina attempted to fight back in the second half, cutting into the deficit with an 11-0 run, Duke quickly regained momentum following a timely timeout by Scheyer. The Blue Devils never let the Tar Heels get within striking distance, securing a convincing win. Duke’s defense was stifling, overwhelming UNC’s smaller lineup and setting the tone throughout the game.

Following the victory, Scheyer praised the Cameron Crazies and the electric atmosphere inside Cameron Indoor Stadium:

“First, I just want to thank our fans. It was such an incredible environment tonight. I thought our guys really helped with the defense and how we played on that end, it got the crowd going. From the get-go, you could just feel a special environment and its credit to all the students; I'm really thankful for that."

Maliq Brown’s return to the court was a welcome sight for Duke fans, as his defensive instincts and quick reactions elevated the team’s defensive intensity.

As expected, ESPN College GameDay was in attendance for this rivalry showdown. While Duke-UNC matchups are often unpredictable, this one was a statement from the Blue Devils. There was no need for an Austin Rivers buzzer-beater or a Tre Jones miracle to force overtime—this was a wire-to-wire domination, spearheaded by the freshman duo of Flagg and Knueppel.

With this being what is almost certainly Cooper Flagg’s only UNC rivalry game inside Cameron, he made sure to acknowledge the fans who fueled the Blue Devils’ performance:

“It was an incredible game, incredible atmosphere. The students really brought it tonight, so it was just really fun to be able to  play in front of them and get the win. I thought it was a great start.  We came out with really good energy. The building was jumping. Something Coach (Scheyer) stressed to us was that this is just another game, but you could definitely  feel a different energy in the gym tonight."

Duke now holds a 1-0 lead over UNC this season, with the rematch set for March 8th in Chapel Hill. But for now, the focus shifts to Syracuse, where the Blue Devils will look to extend their win streak beyond 15 games in a road matchup this Wednesday. It’s a one-game-at-a-time mentality for this Duke squad, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.