Has UNC Ever Defeated Duke (or Vice Versa) 3 or More Times In a Season?

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I imagine Carolina and Duke have met 3 times in a season more than once. But has either team ever swept all 3 contests?

It's looking likely that we could meet 3 times this season - and maybe even a 4th time in the NCAAT.

Now that Joey Baker has been activated, I'm sure we have no chance to sweep, but still....

 

[Carolina Way]

I imagine Carolina and Duke have met 3 times in a season more than once. But has either team ever swept all 3 contests?

It's looking likely that we could meet 3 times this season - and maybe even a 4th time in the NCAAT.

Now that Joey Baker has been activated, I'm sure we have no chance to sweep, but still....

For these types of questions it's always good to start with the 2001-2002 season. They swept us for 3 wins that year and I can't block that season out of my memory despite trying. I'll never forget us playing stall ball in the ACC tournament trying to limit possessions for Duke. Feelsbadman.

To be fair though, what team couldn't have beaten us 3 times that season? (Clemson)

 

[Carolina Way]

Just a fun tidbit:

I didn't realize it (before my time) but UNC and Duke actually played 4 times in the 1979-1980 season and split it 2-2. Two regular season match ups (won by UNC), one in the Big 4 tournament (won by Duke), and once in the ACC tournament (won by Duke)

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

For these types of questions it's always good to start with the 2001-2002 season. They swept us for 3 wins that year and I can't block that season out of my memory despite trying. I'll never forget us playing stall ball in the ACC tournament trying to limit possessions for Duke. Feelsbadman.

To be fair though, what team couldn't have beaten us 3 times that season? (Clemson)

I've blotted that season out. It never happened. Never.

Imagine being a fan of a school where that happens on a regular basis. I suppose you could make a joke of it (Mets), but it would be hard to stay an active fan.

 

[Heelicious]

For these types of questions it's always good to start with the 2001-2002 season. They swept us for 3 wins that year and I can't block that season out of my memory despite trying. I'll never forget us playing stall ball in the ACC tournament trying to limit possessions for Duke. Feelsbadman.

To be fair though, what team couldn't have beaten us 3 times that season? (Clemson)

If I am recalling that season correctly, I believe in one of the Duke / UNC games Duke outscored our (UNC) final score by one point (in Duke's halftime points scored). So if Duke didn't score at all in second half they would've won. Painful. Ugly

 

[dadika13]

Now that Joey Baker has been activated, I'm sure we have no chance to sweep, but still....

 

[unchampions]

Now that Joey Baker has been activated, I'm sure we have no chance to sweep, but still....

Is this sarcasm? I genuinely have no idea.

 

[Carolina Way]

If I am recalling that season correctly, I believe in one of the Duke / UNC games Duke outscored our (UNC) final score by one point (in Duke's halftime points scored). So if Duke didn't score at all in second half they would've won. Painful. Ugly

You're probably right but I couldn't find any box scores to confirm. The thing I most remember is Kris Lang putting up 34 in a pre-season game against the EA All Stars... we lost by 31...

 

[MCPO_Tarheel]

For these types of questions it's always good to start with the 2001-2002 season. They swept us for 3 wins that year and I can't block that season out of my memory despite trying. I'll never forget us playing stall ball in the ACC tournament trying to limit possessions for Duke. Feelsbadman.

To be fair though, what team couldn't have beaten us 3 times that season? (Clemson)

Being in the Navy for 25 years had me missing multiple Tar Heel games - However, I'm glad I missed most of the 2001-2002 season. Right after 9/11, we were surge-deployed for 4-5 months. Came back late February 2002 to find out the fun I was missing out on.

I think I was on the GoHeels message board then and was catching up on the season.... that place was not one of positive fans nor happiness.

 

[Middle Sound Heel]

They swept us in 88 and we were pretty good that year. That's when I realized that K was going to be a force. Because up until then I was under a false impression that they would take a step back after the great class of Dawkins, Bilas, Alarie, Henderson left. I was very wrong to assume that, they only got better.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Is this sarcasm? I genuinely have no idea.

I thought it was obvious, but I guess not. Yes. An attempt at humor.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

In addition to 2002, I believe dook also defeated Carolina three times in 1966, 1988 and 1999.

I believe Carolina defeated dook three times in 1959-60, each by blowout, but dook beat the Heels in the fourth meeting that season, which was an ACC Tournament Semifinal game in Raleigh. That wound up being McGuire's last ACC Tournament game as head coach at UNC.

I recall looking it up before, and I don't believe any of Dean Smith's teams ever defeated the dookies thrice in a single season.*

*ETA: I slouch corrected on this point. After a quick look at Tar Heel Times, Carolina beat dook three times in the 1966-67 and 1972-73 seasons.

Wow. Happened a lot more than I would have guessed.

Thanks for doing the work.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

They swept us in 88 and we were pretty good that year. That's when I realized that K was going to be a force. Because up until then I was under a false impression that they would take a step back after the great class of Dawkins, Bilas, Alarie, Henderson left. I was very wrong to assume that, they only got better.

And replaced NC State as our main rival.

 

[unchampions]

I thought it was obvious, but I guess not. Yes. An attempt at humor.

Gotcha. Now watch he's going to drop 30 on us.

 

[ChapelHeeled]

Gotcha. Now watch he's going to drop 30 on us.

Yep...

 

[truetarheelraider0806]

The yr we had jamison, cota, carter etc we swept them and then beat them by 14 in the acc tourney championship game if memory serves me

 

[TarHeelMark]

If my math is correct, this is the 100th season since UNC and Duke started playing each other (first game in Jan. 1920). In 44 of the previous 99 seasons, the two have met more than twice (39 times w/ 3 games; 5 times w/ 4 games).

In the seasons with 4 games, neither team was able to sweep. But to answer the OP's question, in the 3 game seasons,
UNC swept Duke 7 times (37, 50, 57, 67, 73, 74, 76)
Duke swept UNC 6 times (52, 64, 66, 88, 99, 02)

ETA: the 1970-71 season had the possibility of a 5th meeting, as Carolina and Duke played 4 times, but not in the ACC tourney. Carolina won in the Big 4 tourney, split in regular season, and then beat Duke in the NIT (the only meeting between the two in the post-season that wasn't in a conference tournament).

 

[notashelbyfan]

You're thinking of 1998, when Carolina whupped dook's ass two-and-a-half times, but the Heels let the game in Durham slip away.

They didn't let shit slip away the refs swallowed the whistle in the 2nd half for Dook and called everything on us. I remember a local reporter asking Cota after that game to comment on the Dook pressure D and Cota held his arms out with scratches all over them and said "you talking about the pressure D?"

Carolina was up 18 or 20 in the 2nd half of that game!

 

[TarHeelMark]

They didn't let shit slip away the refs swallowed the whistle in the 2nd half for Dook and called everything on us. I remember a local reporter asking Cota after that game to comment on the Dook pressure D and Cota held his arms out with scratches all over them and said "you talking about the pressure D?"

Carolina was up 18 or 20 in the 2nd half of that game!

I remember listening to that game on the radio while on the highway, and getting so PO'd at what I was hearing that I damn near ran off the road.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

The yr we had jamison, cota, carter etc we swept them and then beat them by 14 in the acc tourney championship game if memory serves me

If you could add one of those 3 to our current team, who would it be?

 

[truetarheelraider0806]

Jamison... could you imagine him and luke maye down low and pulling people out with all our athletes we already have... deadly

 

[notashelbyfan]

I'll concede the point, as you seem to remember that game better than I do and I find I don't recall specific details well from games that are years in the past. It's been damn near 21 whole years since that game, and I've never bothered to watch a replay of the game, but I remember that Carolina had a sizeable lead -- I believe 17 points -- and wound up losing. I can imagine Wojciechowski did his fair share of hacking against Cota that day, but it was nice to see the Heels get revenge in Greensboro the following weekend. Either way, 1998 is the closest season in "recent" memory that Carolina has come to completing a three-game sweep of the hated dookies in a single season.

I was more pissed after that game than I can ever remember being after a Carolina game. We was 25 or 30 point better than that Dook team.

And truthfully 15 points better than any team in the country that year, but in a one and done tournament and anything can happen like it did against Utah!

 

[notashelbyfan]

On another note if Dean is still coaching that season we win it all anyway.

 

[2DDIMOND]

On another note if Dean is still coaching that season we win it all anyway.

No doubt, he cost himself #3 retiring a year too soon.

 

[TarHeelMark]

No doubt, he cost himself #3 retiring a year too soon.

He did for sure. But he did his damned best to set up Gut for success.