The Top 5 Best Sports Rivalries: Difference between revisions

[[File:Carolina-Duke basketball 2006 1.jpg|thumb|Carolina-Duke basketball 2006 1]]Duke and North Carolina have been always known as the greatest rivalry in college basketball history. There are more than a few college basketball diehards who object to the fact that The Battle of Tobacco Road is the sport's foremost series and rivalry, but it's an established status that won't be challenged anytime soon. For nearly 100 years, the third-and-fourth winningest programs in college basketball history have fought on Tobacco Road, setting a precedent for rivalries around the country. Both teams located just eight miles apart, Duke and North Carolina have battled for local and national dominance since the first meeting on Jan. 24, 1920. That is when North Carolina beat Duke. The last 83 matchups North Carolina has 42 and Duke has 41 wins. The two teams have not only set historic matchups in ACC play, but have also stood as NCAA powerhouses. Duke is currently fifth all time with NCAA titles in 1991, 1992, 2001, and 2010 while North Carolina stands as third all-time with titles in 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, and 2009. Duke has earned 19 ACC tournament titles and is first overall in the conference for most conference titles. North Carolina is second overall in the conference with 17. Other Carolina greats like Vince Carter, Rasheed Wallace, Billy Cunningham, Phil Ford, James Worthy, Sam Perkins, Antawn Jamison, Rick Fox, Kenny Smith, Jerry Stackhouse and countless others have contributed to the Tar Heels program success over the decades. The Duke program has fostered countless standout players that have sealed their names in the Blue Devil history books. Duke greats Art Heyman, Dick Groat, Jason Williams, Danny Ferry, Johnny Dawkins, J.J. Redick, Shane Battier, Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill, and Christian Laettner are just a few Blue Devils who have paved the way for a historically successful program. The result of the dueling philosophies is an unrivaled combination of sustained success. The last 134 times these two have played, at least one has been ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. The last time neither was ranked by the AP was on February 27, 1960. The last meeting where neither was ranked in either poll was February 25, 1955. In all, UNC has owned a national ranking in 107 of the past 133 meetings with Duke, and the Blue Devils have also been ranked in 86 of those matchups.