who won the game between duke and carolina

North Carolina Tar Heels defeated Duke Blue Devils 71-68 in their thrilling men's college basketball matchup on February 7, 2026, at the Dean Smith Center.

Game Outcome

The game concluded with North Carolina securing a narrow three-point victory (71-68), snapping Duke's undefeated ACC streak as they entered 21-1 overall and 10-0 in conference play.

North Carolina improved to 18-4 overall and 6-3 in the ACC, maintaining their perfect 13-0 home record this season.

Duke, ranked highly and leading the league, couldn't overcome a late rally despite tying it at 68.

Key Final Plays

• At 0:01 left, Seth Trimble sank a clutch 24-foot three-pointer assisted by Derek Dixon to seal the win for UNC.

• Moments earlier (0:15), Duke's Cameron Boozer missed a critical layup, followed by a defensive rebound for UNC.

• The second half saw UNC outscore Duke 42-27 after trailing 41-29 at halftime.

Team Stats Overview

Team| 1st Half| 2nd Half| Total| Record (Overall/ACC)
---|---|---|---|---
Duke| 41| 27| 68| 21-1, 10-0 15
UNC| 29| 42| 71| 18-4, 6-3 13

Pre-Game Context

Both squads entered hot off home wins: UNC edged Syracuse 87-77, while Duke dominated Boston College 67-49.

This rivalry clash lived up to hype, with UNC's home dominance shining through in a comeback fueled by second-half adjustments.

Duke coach Jon Scheyer praised his team's defensive focus, but UNC's Hubert Davis highlighted fixing "stretches of brilliance mixed with mistakes."

Trending Buzz

Fans lit up forums post-game, debating Trimble's dagger shot and Boozer's missed layups as pivotal "what-if" moments.

Rivalry history adds flavor—Duke had won recent clashes like 87-70 earlier last season—but UNC's home edge prevailed here.

TL;DR: UNC 71, Duke 68—Trimble's last-second three clinched it for the Tar Heels in a comeback classic.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.