What does the UNC-Duke rivalry mean to you?

On the eve of the UNC-Duke men’s basketball game, Daily Tar Heel reporter Carolyn Ebeling talked to students on campus and asked them “What does the UNC-Duke rivalry mean to you?”

Maia Pringle, exchange student

“I’m not that familiar with the history of it, but I was really surprised at how strongly everyone felt about it, like there are definitely elements of hatred in that rivalry.”

Vivane Feldman, freshman

“I’ve grown up in the area and I always knew that UNC-Duke was a huge rivalry and to be here now like actually participating feels so thrilling. I feel like my high school had crazy rivalry with the cross-town high school, but to come to the games and see our team play with that intensity of a long-held rivalry is a whole new level.”

Danielle McLaughlin, sophomore

“I don’t watch sports enough to get overly aggressive. but sometimes (all the time), I’ll put on that old fashioned ‘I HATE DUKE’ front. Most of the time it’s not real but some days you just need to hate something. so I choose to hate Duke.”

Abby Evans, sophomore

“The rivalry brings the best and worst side of each team for that game. I think it brings the worst out of the fans but the best out of the players.”

Julia-Scott Dawson, junior

“I hate Duke with every fiber of my being and I wish they would stop being tacky and die.”

Daniel Meister, sophomore

“It means very little to me. I don’t care about basketball.”

Graham Petrea, freshman

“It means it’s the greatest rivalry in college sports. There’s just not as much passion by the players or fans put into two basketball games than any other thing in the country. Especially for UNC and Duke’s programs to be as prestigious as they are and the record of games between the two to be as evenly split as it is. All the classic moments and iconic shots and finishes that have come out of games just between two teams is just uncanny.”

Mary Yount, junior

“I mean it’s not a secret that it’s the biggest rivalry in college sports. My parents didn’t go here but I’ve grown up a Carolina fan. Going to Duke’s campus too and seeing how much they hate us — I remember going there in high school and I saw K-Ville. It’s very much understood. I respect Duke as an academic institution but I hate their basketball team.”

Sarah Kennedy, junior

“I grew up knowing about the rivalry and hating Duke. I’m proud to continue that tradition and be a part of it.”

Teddy Gonzalez, sophomore

“To me it is a confrontation between different ideologies. One that prioritizes victory at all costs versus an ideal of striving towards victory as a team.”