Cameron Boozer had 26 points, 15 rebounds and five assists as No. 1 Duke beat No. 17 North Carolina 76-61 on March 8, 2026, in Durham, N. C. The win moved Duke to 29-2 overall and 17-1 in ACC play while unc fell to 24-7 and 12-6.
Unc Injury and Availability
Caleb Wilson suffered a season-ending broken right thumb during a non-contact drill Thursday, ending the possibility of his return, after he had been recovering from a fractured left hand earlier in the season. The freshman sat on the bench with his right thumb wrapped in a black brace as unc went 5-2 without him.
Duke’s Surge and Game Turning Points
Duke was tied with North Carolina early in the second half before posting 16 unanswered points that expanded into a 24-2 surge to break the game open. The Blue Devils led 47-44 before the run and used that push to separate from the Tar Heels late in the second half.
Cameron Boozer finished with 26 points, 15 rebounds and five assists, and Maliq Brown added 15 points for Duke. The Blue Devils have won eight straight games, a stretch that includes a neutral-court victory over then-No. 1 Michigan and a win over No. 13 Virginia.
North Carolina’s Performance and Seeding
Derek Dixon scored 17 points for North Carolina, which trailed 47-44 on Seth Trimble’s drive with 16: 45 left before Duke’s decisive run. The Tar Heels went six minutes without a point and managed one basket over more than 10 minutes as Duke pulled away.
North Carolina finished the regular season 24-7 overall and 12-6 in ACC play, holding the No. 4 seed and a double-round bye into Thursday’s ACC Tournament quarterfinals in Charlotte.
Both teams will play in Thursday’s ACC Tournament quarterfinals in Charlotte; if Duke wins that quarterfinal game, the Blue Devils would improve from 29-2 to 30-2.
