Duke vs. North Carolina: How to watch one of sports' best rivalries in the NCAAW Tournament
It's Duke and UNC in the second weekend of March Madness. An instant classic. 'This one's for who? Us, us, us.'
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This is an intrastate rivalry that explains and defines the sport, a litmus test for college careers and local legacies. The latest installment has every reason to be a good one. It's the first tip-off of the Sweet 16, a Friday afternoon walk-in to weekend Madness. It's also a No. 2 vs. No. 3 matchup that was evenly split throughout the regular season. Duke won the last meeting, a February face-off at Cameron Indoor, while UNC took their January game at home and in overtime. The rubber match has augmented stakes in a Tournament field with increasing parity.
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The Blue Devils got by the Ducks, 59-53, in the second round on Sunday. They shot 38 percent from the field but 41 percent on 3s. Junior guard Ashlon Jackson had 20 points off five treys and a dogged 35 minutes. Such strenuous work was forced by the absence of Toby Fournier, Duke's star freshman, who was ruled out with an illness. When fully healthy, Fournier is a quick bucket and a tempo-claimer off the bench.
UNC beat West Virginia by double-digits to reach the Sweet 16. Fifth-year Tar Heel Alyssa Ustby was all-around sharp: 21 points, seven boards and seven stocks (steals + blocks). They looked comfortable even with senior sharpshooter Lexi Donarski off from distance. North Carolina had just six assists on 20 made shots.
Duke has been a trendy March pick since their ACC Tournament triumph. Ustby wants to keep leaping atop the scorer's table.
This matchup can also be streamed on ESPN+.
Streaming and Betting/Odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo of Lexi Donarski and Reniya Kelly: Matt Kelley / Getty Images)
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