Duke Dominates Rival North Carolina 76-61

Cameron Boozer's double-double leads No. 1 Blue Devils to victory over No. 17 Tar Heels

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Cameron Boozer had 26 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists as No. 1 Duke defeated No. 17 North Carolina 76-61 in a rivalry matchup. Maliq Brown added 15 points for the Blue Devils, who took control with a 24-2 run in the second half after trailing by just a single possession early on. The loss capped a tough 24 hours for the Tar Heels, who saw star player Caleb Wilson suffer a season-ending injury just before the game.

Why it matters

This victory completes a second straight one-loss regular season for Duke in ACC play, further cementing their status as a top contender for the NCAA Tournament. For North Carolina, the loss and Wilson's injury are a significant blow as they look to make a deep March Madness run.

The details

Duke led by just 47-44 early in the second half before going on a decisive 24-2 run to pull away. The Blue Devils played without starting big man Patrick Ngongba II, who was injured, and point guard Caleb Foster also went down with an injury before returning in the second half. North Carolina was missing star player Caleb Wilson, who suffered a season-ending broken thumb just before the game.

  • Duke and North Carolina faced off on Saturday, March 9, 2026.
  • Duke has now won 8 straight games, including victories over then-No. 1 Michigan and No. 13 Virginia.

The players

Cameron Boozer

A standout player for No. 1 Duke, Boozer had a dominant double-double with 26 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists in the victory.

Maliq Brown

The Duke forward added 15 points to help the Blue Devils pull away in the second half.

Caleb Wilson

The North Carolina star suffered a season-ending broken thumb in a non-contact drill just before the game, dealing a major blow to the Tar Heels.

Derek Dixon

The North Carolina guard led the team with 17 points in the losing effort.

Seth Trimble

The North Carolina guard hit a last-second 3-pointer to beat Duke in the teams' first matchup last month.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

This victory further solidifies Duke's status as a top national title contender, while the loss and Caleb Wilson's injury are a significant setback for North Carolina as they look to make a deep March Madness run.