North Carolina defeated Duke 71-68 on February 7, 2026, at the Dean Smith Center in the 257th meeting of college basketball's most storied rivalry. The Tar Heels improved to 18-8 overall and 10-5 in ACC play, while Duke fell to 19-7 and 9-4 in conference.\n\nSeth Trimble led North Carolina with 16 points, including 4-of-6 from the free-throw line in the final two minutes. His driving layup with 3:42 remaining gave UNC a 67-64 lead, and his subsequent free throws sealed the victory.\n\nDuke freshman Cameron Boozer scored 14 points with 8 rebounds, including a three-pointer assisted by his twin brother Cayden Boozer. Isaiah Evans added 12 points for the Blue Devils, hitting a three-pointer after a Caleb Wilson assist that cut the deficit to 65-63 with 4:15 left.\n\nThe game featured 12 lead changes and was tied at 62-62 with 5:30 remaining. UNC's Caleb Wilson finished with 18 points and 7 rebounds, while Patrick Ngongba II added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting.\n\nThe victory gives North Carolina its 143rd win in the all-time series against Duke and marks the sixth time in the last eight meetings that the home team has prevailed. Both teams are now positioned for NCAA Tournament consideration, with UNC projected as a 7-seed and Duke as a 5-seed in latest bracketology.