A two-game sweep of the Duke Blue Devils
It’s certainly a lot to ask, but it isn’t completely unrealistic. However, a two-game sweep of the Duke Blue Devils in 2019 would be a sweet, sweet Christmas gift.
One of, if not the absolute best rivalry in all of college basketball, the Duke-UNC rivalry is even more special this season, considering the current state of both programs.
Both programs are built by freshmen, with Dukes four five-star freshman, and North Carolina’s pair of five stars. All six of the combined five-star recruits between the two teams were heavily recruited by both Duke and UNC, adding extra fire to an already hot rivalry.
As usual, Duke and North Carolina are two of the best teams in the country and are two bonafide National Championship contenders. Duke is the clear favorite, but a two-game sweep of the Blue Devils would almost certainly shift the National Championship odds in the favor of the Tar Heels.
As mentioned in the previous slide, North Carolina could use a strong conference play season for the seniors. A two-game sweep against Duke in their final taste of the rivalry would be an extremely special cap to their college careers while leaving a bad taste in the mouths of Dukes four one-and-done freshman.
Past the moral victories, a pair of wins against Duke would put North Carolina in the driver’s seat to win the ACC regular season championship. Beating Duke once would be great in its own right, and while beating them twice is a lot to ask, if the Tar Heels can find a way to pull it off, they’ll feel far more positive effects than the obvious moral victories in a storied, competitive rivalry.