March Madness 2025: UNC women's basketball vs. Duke Blue Devils Sweet 16 Preview
March Madness 2025: UNC women's basketball vs. Duke Blue Devils Sweet 16 Preview Here's everything you need to know for the UNC-Duke women's basketball Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament matchup Friday.
The North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils just can't seem to avoid each other in the postseason, no matter which sport both archrivals are playing.
On Friday, March 28 at 2:30 p.m. ET, the UNC and Duke women's basketball teams will face off in the Sweet 16 from Birmingham, Alabama's Legacy Arena.
If the Tar Heels (29-7, 13-5 ACC) and Blue Devils' (28-7, 14-4 ACC) two regular-season matchups are any indication of how Friday's decisive NCAA Tournament rematch will play out, we're in for a tremendous battle.
North Carolina needed overtime to down Duke, 53-46, on January 9 from Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill. UNC kept February's rematch close, leading by a point at halftime, then the Blue Devils charged ahead in the second half for a 68-53 victory.
The Tar Heels were fully healthy during Round 1, led by a 10-point, 12-rebound performance from star forward Alyssa Ustby. Round Two was a different story, with Ustby and guard Reniya Kelly both injured. Duke took full advantage of this: Reigan Richardson scored 23 points, Toby Fournier added a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double off the bench and Ashlon Jackson recored 11 points.
Both teams are fully healthy, which should create for plenty of exciting action. There's plenty on the line in Friday's rivalry matchup besides bragging rights: North Carolina is hunting for its first Elite Eight appearance since 2014, while the Blue Devils are looking for their first Elite Eight appearance since 2013.
If you're going to Birmingham or already there, enjoy your time and cheer the Tar Heels to victory. If you're watching on TV, your favorite streaming device or listening on the radio, keep reading below for broadcast information.
Key to victory for UNC
During its Round of 32 matchup, UNC pulled away from West Virginia thanks to a big third quarter from Ustby, who finished the win with 21 points. Kelly and Lexi Donarski each added 11 points, giving North Carolina a well-rounded scoring attack.
The Tar Heels didn't shoot the ball well from deep, though, making just three of their 15 attempts. Donarksi was an ice-cold 1-of-7 from deep, Kelly drained just one of her three attempts, while Lanie Grant nailed one 3-pointer off the bench.
I have no doubt Duke will try and double-team Ustby and Maria Gakdeng, UNC's 6'3" center. When this happens, North Carolina will need to make shots from the perimeter.
If the Tar Heels can shoot a serviceable percentage from deep, they'll be advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time in over a decade.
Something to Watch
North Carolina was the ACC's worst free throw-shooting team during the regular season, recording a paltry 67 percent mark from the line. UNC wasn't much better against West Virginia, making just 15-of-22 attempts (68.2%).
If the Tar Heels are aggressive and keep feeding the ball to their Ustby-Gakdeng duo, they'll go to the charity stripe a bunch. I'd keep my eye on how efficient North Carolina is from the free throw line on Friday, which could very well be a deciding factor between a win and loss.
What you need to know
What: North Carolina Tar Heels (29-7, 13-5 ACC) vs. Duke Blue Devils (28-7, 14-4 ACC)
When: Friday, March 28 at 2:30 p.m. ET
Where: Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala.
TV: ESPN
Radio: SiriusXM (Channel 203)
All-Time Series: UNC leads, 56-54
Last meeting: Duke 68, UNC 53 on February 27 in Cameron Indoor Stadium
Statistical Leaders
North Carolina Points: Maria Gakdeng, C, 11.1 points per game
North Carolina Rebounds: Alyssa Ustby, F, 9.4 rebounds per game
North Carolina Assists: Alyssa Ustby, F, 2.9 assists per game
Duke Points: Toby Fournier, F, 13.4 points per game
Duke Rebounds: Jadyn Donovan, G, 6.5 rebounds per game
Duke Assists: Taina Mair, G, 3.8 assists per game
2024-2025 UNC basketball schedule
Nov. 4: vs. Charleston Southern (W, 83-53) (1-0)
Nov. 7: vs. UNC-Wilmington (W, 77-50) (2-0)
Nov. 12: at North Carolina A&T (W, 66-47) (3-0)
Nov. 15: vs. UConn in Greensboro, NC (L, 69-58) (3-1)
Nov. 23: vs. Ball State in Battle 4 Atlantis (W, 63-52) (4-1)
Nov. 24: vs. Villanova in Battle 4 Atlantis (W, 53-36) (5-1)
Nov. 25: vs. Indiana in Battle 4 Atlantis Championship Game (W, 69-39) (6-1)
Nov. 29: vs North Carolina Central (W, 119-42) (7-1)
Dec. 5: vs. Kentucky in ACC-SEC Challenge (W, 72-53) (8-1)
Dec. 8: vs. Coppin State (W, 72-46) (9-1)
Dec. 11: vs. UNC-Greensboro (W, 80-56) (10-1)
Dec. 15: vs. Georgia Tech (L, 82-76) (10-2, 0-1 ACC)
Dec. 18: vs. Florida in Jumpman Invitational (W, 77-57) (11-2, 0-1)
Dec. 21: vs. Norfolk State (W, 90-47) (12-2, 0-1)
Dec. 29: at Miami (FL) (W, 69-60) (13-2, 1-1)
Jan. 5: vs. Notre Dame (L, 76-66) (13-3, 1-2)
Jan. 9: vs. Duke (W, 53-46) (14-3, 2-2)
Jan. 12: vs. Boston College (W, 80-67) (15-3, 3-2)
Jan. 16: at SMU (W, 64-33) (16-3, 4-2)
Jan. 19: at Pitt (W, 75-58) (17-3, 5-2)
Jan. 23: vs. Wake Forest (W, 76-51) (18-3, 6-2)
Jan. 26: vs. Florida State (L, 86-84) (18-4, 6-3)
Jan. 30: at California (W, 65-52) (19-4, 7-3)
Feb. 2: at Stanford (W, 69-67) (20-4, 8-3)
Feb. 9: at Clemson (W, 53-51) (21-4, 9-3)
Feb. 13: vs. Virginia Tech (W, 67-62) (22-4, 10-3)
Feb. 16: vs. NC State (W, 66-65) (23-4, 11-3)
Feb. 20: at Syracuse (W, 68-58) (24-4, 12-3)
Feb. 23: at Louisville (W, 79-75) (25-4, 13-3)
Feb. 27: at Duke (L, 68-53) (25-5, 13-4)
March 2: vs. Virginia (L, 78-75) (25-6, 13-5)
March 6: vs. Boston College in ACC Tournament (W, 78-71) (26-6, 13-5)
March 7: vs. Florida State in ACC Tournament (W, 60-56) (27-6, 13-5)
March 8: vs. NC State in ACC Tournament Semifinals (L, 66-55) (27-7, 13-5)
March 22: vs. Oregon State in NCAA Tournament Round of 64 (W, 70-49) (28-7, 13-5)
March 24: vs. West Virginia in NCAA Tournament Round of 32 (W, 58-47) (29-7, 13-5)
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