This year’s matchup between the No. 9 Duke Blue Devils and unranked North Carolina Tar Heels may not have delivered with a closely-contested game — but it certainly delivered with some big-time TV ratings.
According to ESPN PR, there were 2.19 million viewers for Saturday night’s primetime matchup between the bitter college basketball rivals — making it the second most-watched game of the 2021-22 season. It was also the most-watched UNC/Duke regular-season matchup since March 2020.
Saturday’s @DukeMBB–@UNC_Basketball matchup delivered again!
🏀 The 2nd most-watched men’s college basketball game of the season
🏀 ESPN’s Sonic Blockbusters | up 26% compared to the ’20-’21 season pic.twitter.com/FUlEgQG5cI— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) February 8, 2022
Entering the contest separated by less than one game in the conference standings, head coach Mike Krzyzewski lead his Duke squad into Chapel Hill one last time. Fans from around the college basketball world tuned in for this historic matchup despite the wire-to-wire, lopsided lead in favor of the Blue Devils.
After jumping out to an early lead, Duke never let the Tar Heels get back into it. With deficits fluctuated up to nearly 30 points, the game finished with a final score of 87-67.
North Carolina will get another crack at the Blue Devils with a matchup in Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 5.
UNC holds the advantage in the overall rivalry with a 141-115 record.
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