The Duke-North Carolina rivalry matchup delivered the hype it promised.
The Tar Heels knocked off the Blue Devils 71-68 following a game-winning shot from Seth Timble, resulting in UNC fans rushing the court to celebrate, on Saturday, Feb. 7. While fans in the arena certainly seemed to appreciate the instant class, so did viewers watching at home.
According to ESPN, the game averaged 3.5 million viewers and peaked at 4.8 million. That is a 53% spike from the first time the teams faced off in 2025. The game was the most-watched men's basketball game in the last four years.
Saturday’s @DukeMBB vs @UNC_Basketball thriller was ESPN’s most-watched #NCAAMBB game in 4 years!
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) February 10, 2026
🏀 3.5M avg. viewers
🏀 Peak: 4.8M viewers
🏀 Up 53% from first Duke-UNC matchup in 2025 pic.twitter.com/R8PZ90iIHr
UNC trailed by 12 points at halftime and as many as 13 points in the second half. The Tar Heels' only lead of the game came on Timble's heroic shot.
Of course, the drama did not end with the game. Following the game, Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer alleged that members of his staff "got punched in the face." Two days later, he said an assistant "got trampled on the floor" during the court storming.
The Tar Heels were fined $50,000 by the ACC on Sunday, Feb. 7, for fans storming the court, as it was a "violation of the league’s event security policy."
Duke and UNC are scheduled to conclude their regular seasons with their second matchup of the season on March 7, from Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.
The sequel has a tough act to follow.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UNC's dramatic win over Duke draws most ESPN MBB viewers in 4 years